Well some of you know I have been talking about getting a New Clutch on the Truck I just a Bought. I was trying to wait till I really Need one to Buy one and I think its time. When I got the truck it only had about 1/4 of Pedal Pressure left in it. And I Hear Metal Rattleing when taking off in First or Second Gear only, Which I was told it was Probably the DMF.

Anyways Now I got less Pedal, sometimes the pedal doesnt want to come back up all the way and when I get in the truck in the Morning It is Very Hard to get into Gear, Very Hard! Only way I can get it to go anywhere is to have it in Gear before I start it. I park My truck in Gear at night, also when I get in the morning its Hard to get out of First Year, I have lay into it get it out. Once I get going and it warms up its a little easier to switch Gears sometimes. But even then when I come up to stop sign or Stop light and push in the Clutch it does not disengage whatever Gear I am in, it wants to Keep going and I have to pull it out of Gear. Thats Pushing the Clutch to the Floor as hard as I can, giving it a little more push then it should.lol...Sometimes I would have to turn off the truck at a stop light put it in gear then start it back up and go. Anyways Before I go ordering a New Clutch just wanted to make sure thats what it sounds like? I have parked the truck and wont be driving it till I get this fixed.

Also when I want to in Reverse I have to Slam it in Gear and I have to Hold it or else it will come out of gear.

I have had a Clutch Go bad on me in Gas Engine but when it went out, it when out not Gradually like this one. I am just not too Familar with 7.3 Drive train yet.

I was thinking of Getting a Clutch Kit with a SMF like some of you Suggested. And I gotta Find someone to Help me put it in, The last Clutch I did had a Small little Gear box I could lift myself, This thing is Huge plus has transfer Case.

I just want to make sure its the Clutch Before I go out and buy one, Could be something Else?

 

Can't help ya, not a clutch guy, but I'll bump you to the top...

 

im not a clutch guy either...But get up under the dash and check out where the clutch master cylinder shaft meets the pedal. Theres a bushing in there that wears out. When they wear out it makes it feel like you need a clutch. Might not be the case but you never know. As far a clutches go, ive herd a lot of good things about valair. I just got one and threw it in. Have yet to try it out.

 

Thought my clutch was gone to but it was the bushing on the linkage under the dash as well the pin was half gone and the hole in the master cyl was ovaled out bad. I took the linkage out and welded the pin up then took the master cyl out,removed the rod and welded it up as well,new bushing and good as new. Bought this truck new in 96,still running the original clutch !

 

I bought the "Clutch fix" from ebay...Honeslty i thought it would be a nice set up. Its cheaply made. The heim joint is a crummy one. The bolt the supply isnt really even long enough. and it was $40, kinda dissappointed.

 

Thanks Guys, I will Check out that Bushing up under the dash. Thats Why I like to hear from you guys, Its always great advice whether it helps me now or in the Future. Ill let you know what I find. Thanks Guys.

 

Ok well I searched up under my dash today, I have been sick for a few days. What I found that might be the problem is where the Rod that pushes the clutch in at the fire wall if that makes sense, right above the Gas Pedal, There is a Rod that pushes into a black cyl. looking thing. There is a plastic bushing/retainer on the end of that rod that seems to be bad, lots of play, the first half of the pedal does nothing cause of that bushing it seems. The Rod is only going half way into the Black cyl. Does that sound familar to anyone?

 

Yeah, thats the point of the Heim joint fix, which I posted I would make up a huge batch for everyone to purchase so we could get away from the problem people are having with the ebay vendor, but nobody respond, so I'm not going to bother spending the time making these things.

but yeah, you can get a heim joint on ebay to fix it.

"clutch rod end fix" i think is what you need to search for.

 

I just installed the heim joint and it seems to work very well, it took a little longer than advertised to install, but all and all it works 100% better than it did

 

Thanks Guys! Well I went to the Auto part store Right after I posted and Got the Cheap replacement Bushing, Cost 6 bucks cause it came in a pack with Joints for others makes and Models(Seems like they are trying to save on Packaging costs)... Anyways put it on in the parking lot and Took like 20 seconds to fix and my Truck is shifting Much Much better. Took 95% of the Play out of the Joint/Rod. Has a Little play still cause the bushing has been bad for a long time it seems and wore some of the Rod end away. Its Amazing how a little Part like that Can make your Truck have so many issues. A Relief that I dont have to put a Clutch in right now!! I mean My Truck starts and Runs better now that the Gears are not engaged all the time while driving. I did look up the Helm joint fix on Ebay you guys were telling me about. I am gonna get one of those here shortly and fix it that way so I dont have to fool with it again. I watched the Video on how to do it(http://powerstrokehelp.com/PSD_common/clutch_pedal/1of1.asp ). But atleast I got it fixed for now and it was so easy to do. Dont know how long this easy fix will last but its working so I cant Complain.

I appreciate all You guys do Helping me and Others out on here. Dont know what I would do without you guys...lol... I guess I would be doing a lot of Guessing...lol. Thanks Again.

Here is a Pic of my Broken Bushing, I am sure you guys have seen a Ton of them put I already took the Pic...lol

 

I'd be interested. I'm tired of stuff not having any quality. The plastic heim bushing lasted about 30 pumps on the clutch once I had it installed before it broke again. Maybe it was the full ceramic clutch and new hydraulics that made it go that fast... I'm not sure. I thought the same thing you did about the heim joint off ebay....

Tempted to make my own heim joint so it will last.

 

Im making my own...I bought the 40$ heim joint and installed it. They tell you to cut the end of the eyelit off the clutch rod. Well doesnt work that way. Because the end of the rod they flattened out so you need to cut almost an inch off to make it slide into the heim joint. So im writing and email to them right now saying i want my money back. Im going to use a metal cylinder type bushing, and put a bolt thru it. And now i need a new friggin clutch rod.

 

After watching the Video on the $40 Joint you are talking about I was wondering How much do you have to Cut off? In the Video it looks like they cut off way more then just below the fitting. Looks like its a Hit or miss when cutting the thing off? If you find something that works better let me know, I know this Cheap bushing I bought today is only gonna last me a little while, I already heard it crackling today...lol

 

it will last like a week. haha.

You cut it off directly behind the eyelit on the rod.

I took my whole system outa the truck when I did it.
The thing is, there is no other system to do this.

If the system doesn't work properly, you actually have other issues.

Unfortunately nobody was interested in me making these, but I was going to sell it as a whole kit with the pedal box bushings as well.
Because chances are, those are bad too.

 

Well got in my Truck this Morning and what do you know a new problem!...lol... Well I started it up, let it warm up, Push the Clutch down and tried to put it into gear and it would not go into gear. I let the clutch up and it only came half way back up, I tried it again and same thing. Not to much pressure on the clutch, Fairly easy to press to the Floor. First thing I looked at was the bushing that I just replaced like I said Earlier in this Thread, It still looked ok and not much play when I push the clutch in and I can see the Rod going most of the way in the Fire wall or into the Master cyl..... Now what? Maybe Bad Master Cyl. or Slave Cyl.?? I know the Clutch is good cause it was working Fine when I replaced that bushing. I just wanna drive my truck more then one day without and Issue...lol