Glad I found this thread. I have a 96 F150 4x4 with a 5 speed and lately it has been almost impossible to shift if the engine is running. Around Christmas 2008 I had problems with the fluid leaking out if the temps got below freezing, but since then haven't lost a bit of fluid, don't know what stopped it. Now it seems that sometimes it shifts fairly well then other times barely disengages the clutch. It has 209k miles and has never had any work done on the clutch. I have been planning on changing out the clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing soon, but not sure that would fix this problem or not.

Does this model have the slave cylinder mounted inside the bellhousing with no pivot, just setting against the throwout bearing? And could this problem be more related to the slave cylinder than the bushings? It releases right near the floor, and feels like there is very little pressure on the clutch with quite a bit of travel before you feel it give any resistance at all. I am going to check the bushing after work, and see what it looks like. I am hoping it will be this easy fix instead of having to tear into the bellhousing since I have to do it in a gravel driveway .