How hard can this be? Anyone know step by step site? Are the clutch kits from parts stores adequate? thebadriverboys wanna' know.

 

I would get a Haynes repair manual that covers your model truck. The Haynes manual gives a good step by step of what's involved. You will get a good idea of what's involved.

You will need a fair selection of both fractional and metric hand tools. You will need a transmission jack, nothing fancy just functional, you may be able to rent one.

Depending on which engine you have, you may have an internal slave cylinder. The 300, 302, and 351 have an internal slave cylinder. The 460 and the diesel have an external slave cylinder. If you have an internal slave cylinder, use only a genuine Ford replacement slave cylinder. Personally I would get all the parts from Ford.

 

I have used luk, and centerforce aftermarket kits before and have been very happy with both and most of them come with an alignment tool which is nice

its pretty straight forward,
drain the trans and transfer case (if your 4x4)
drop both drive shafts
undo the linkages and pull the shifter out of its position
un bolt the slave cylinder, or un doo the hydraulic lines
pull the transfer case if you have a jack pull them together and save some work
pull the trans
unbolt the pressure plate and the disk comes out with it

install is the reverse

when your doing the clutch look for glazing on the flywheel, leaking rear main seals.
always replace the throwout bearing, and the slave cylinder if its internal as cheap insurance.

its a day and a half job for one person, half day if you have a friend to help you wrestle the trans and transfercase in.

 

Especially on a 4wd, wouldnt it be less work to remove the engine and leave the driveine intact?

Maybe Im thinking about this wrong?

 

Maybe it just makes more sense to me because I can also refresh motor mounts, freeze plugs, add a block heater and do a water /oil pump, pan gasket job while its out.

 

Nope you would never get it all aligned correctly.

 

Just to clarify, you are saying its impossible to realign the engine to the transmission when cherry picking the engine in and out? That seems absurd, but I have not pulled a 5.8 before.

 

It's just not easy..have to jack the front of the trans up, slide the clutch onto the input shaft to get the motor back while dealing with motor mount studs that only line up when the engine is back far enough, and making sure the splines of the transmission line up with the clutch disk, wires and vacum hoses all over the place

I've done it in a 2.9 Bronco II and there was a lot of manhandling, somebody under the truck working the trans while someone up to is working the engine.