I am in dilemma to buy a new truck or repair my 96. Still runs good. Cant hardly shift it when at a stop. I Put a valair SMF in about 5 years ago. No cracks in pedal box with new bushings. Clutch engages about an inch off floor. Is my only other option to replace the clutch? If so I don't want another valair (it should have lasted longer than 5 years). what aftermarket clutch will work with this flywheel?

 

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Have you looked at the condition of the plastic bushing for the eye on the clutch master cylinder? There is a fairly well known issue with those going bad and causing this exact issue. The best solution is to replace the eye and bushing with a new heim joint once and for all.

 

10/4 on that! replaced that also, no good.
Many Thanks Tho

 

Have you tried bleeding the clutch system? Is it possible that you cut the clutch master cylinder rod too short when you installed the heim joint? Or is it possible that the little pivot arm that the heim joint attaches to was off by a tooth when you reinstalled it onto the pedalbox shaft?

 

I replaced all the bushings and didn't see a need for doing cutting. Call me stupid but I am not sure about it being off a tooth or bleeding the master.

 

I am going to be away from the computer for a while so bare with me. If you are in a place to call me 817-896-2011 tony

 

I'm guessing it's not off a tooth because you don't mention having an issue with the clutch safety switch when starting the truck. There might be some air in the system though and some of the slave and master sets are equipped with a brake system style bleeder screw. You might try that. Valair is a good clutch, it's the one that usually gets the recommendation here, so unless something else is happening to cause premature weak, it's hard to imagine that it has just failed.

 

You might want to take a look at the firewall, too, if your clutch system doesn't have any air in it. The firewall is weak and can flex under years of all that pressure from the master cylinder.

 

The "tooth off" refers to how the arm that engages the pushrod is "clocked" to the rotating shaft going through the pedal box. It's a splined fit, and you can remove the arm (you have to pry it off after removing the nut) and reposition and reinstall it, so it starts pushing the pushrod more immediately as you push the pedal. That's assuming that that's where the problem is.

If you have an assistant, get under the truck, and measure the travel of the very end of the fork as your assistant works the clutch. If it's less than 1/2" or so, then look "upstream" - hydraulics (air, see above), bushings, "clocking" of the arm, etc. If it's at least 1/2" but the disengagement is still sucky, then look "downstream" - fork, pressure plate finger.

 

I took the slave off there seems to be some slop (1/2") in the clutch fork and there is a small plastic end cap over the actuator rod that presses against the fork, it is cracked and worn out.

 

I just put a new pre bled master and slave on a while back and the plastic pc is the clip that keeps the slave cylinder retracted for installation. I clipped one of the ends and let the plastic retainer on and I didn't have any trouble so I doubt that plastic is causing a problem. shift fork will have some play with slave removed.
Do what Madpogue said and measure the stroke on the end of the shift fork while someone else pushes clutch in. I even had my wife just push the first inch and back a few times to make sure the slave was actuating even at the very end of the stroke to be sure it wasn't something mechanical between clutch pedal and slave. Just remember that you should have more than 1/2" of stroke when measuring at the end of the shift fork. Even my old slave 2 weeks before it failed measured about .562" If you have any less than that and you don't have any other clutch symptoms, it's gotta be in the master/slave/pedal box/etc.

 

A 1/2'' is all there is. What size stihl you got there

 

that's a farm boss. love that thing. been a good saw for me for three years now!

Do you have any other symptoms while you are driving?