Clutch pedal will not disengage clutch. Replaced clutch, pplate, & throw out bearing twice. Adjusted clutch linkage from fork to pedal and worked for short while. Adjusted again and again until the thrubolt on the brake pedal twisted off because of too much pressure. Replaced clutch, pplate and throwout bearing again and am facing the same delimma with new clutch/brake pedal assembly. New z bar, new linkage, new bushings. Need some knowledge here. Am a DC-10 mechanic and can get them off the ground every time but this problem is kicking me.

 

Im curious to see the answer to this issue.

 

Double check your part #s on the release bearing and clutch in case your being sold the wrong parts. Does your release bearing ride on a sleeve, collar, if it does maybe it isn't seating far enough towards the clutch fork.

 

The first time that the clutch began to give me problems I had not even touched the tranny or clutch. It just began to quit disengaging the tranny. I kept adjusting the link until I was at the end of the threads and one day while driving the brake/clutch assy thrubolt just twisted off and I was left with no clutch at all. I shut the engine down and shifted and then started the engine while it was in gear and shifted while running just to get home. I replaced the pedal assy with thru bolt and same thing began to happen. That is when I replaced the clutch, pplate, and throwout bearing the first time. Still same problem. The only thing I didn't replace was the fork. It acts like there is not the correct leverage on the fork, it should not be so stiff to operate. I can adjust it out on the linksge and it will work fine for a half a day and then it begins to not disengage again. I then had a 351 put in the truck while I was out of town and the mechanic had to replace the pplate and clutch disc and flywheel to accomodate the new engine and once again, it shifted great for about half a day and began to not disengage the clutch. I adjusted the linkage out a bit and the truck ran fine but within about 20 miles it was back to the same problem. I do not want to twist off that thrubolt again and it seems that every time I readjust the linkage it puts so much torque on the thrubolt that it begins to twist it off. I have the correct part numbers for that particular engine transmission configuration but am really suspecting the fork. What I do not understand is why it ran good for quite a few years and then all of a sudden it began to give me problems.
One thing I have noticed is that I cannot use first gear because I cannot get it out once it is in first. I replaced the tower and the shift forks but it still will not come out of first. I have to shut down or place in neutral and try and break the shifter off before it will come free. Shudders like crazy when I take off and that is all after I have replaced all the above mentioned parts. Next option is different tranny.
HELP!

 

Many years ago I came across a 75? F350 that I couldn't get the clutch pedal to go more than 2/3rds down and wasn't releasing the clutch. Bought clutch and release bearing tore into it and found that the release bearing was siezed on a retainer/hub, don't know why. Got bearing off with a gerry rigged puller, called parts store and was told the release bearing was pressed on, wrong answer, store was about to close and I had no one left to ask how to fix. Took fine emery cloth cut in 1" strips and hand sanded the the retainer until the release bearing could slide freely on it then reassembled it. Snowy night, had other things that needed to be done also and needed the truck in 1 piece by 8am. Started at 7pm and had it finished in time for 6am breakfast, wasn't very happy. Not saying this is your problem and I have no idea why the bearing started to get jammed, all I know is it was a $500 truck that needed to be on the road the next day so that I didn't lose the furniture I bought at auction.

My only comment is to ask if it's possible for your release bearing is sticking or jamming up. When this happened to me the clutch wouldn't dissengage, the clutch pedal only went 2/3rds down, any further took way to much leg strength to be normal. Pretty sure first and reverse were pretty much useless as I recall cursing a lot trying to get it out of the loading dock and into the parking area behind the store.

Sorry for the slow response, was making up for being Das Grinch, still am grinch, just better disguise.

 

Thanks, will be working away for the week but will check into it this coming weekend. Is the release bearing you spoke of the same as the throw out bearing?

 

Throw out bearing, release bearing same thing in this case, just dfferent terms. When I had my problem them clutch pedal literally only went 2/3 of the way down and started to jam up. The kid was driving it before me and pretended to know nothing about it so I don't know how the problem started. It was as if my clutch was half way in, enough to slip and burn but not enough to work my non syncronised gears, 1st and reverse. Once rolling you can usually use 2, 3 and 4th without a clutch if you need to.

 

Check everything starting at the pad on the clutch pedal. Look for cracks, worn pivot points, bent parts, a cracked firewall where the pedal assembly attaches or where ever there is an attachment. Check the fork for cracks, check the pivot point for cracks and other issues.

Your clutch could be on crack, and it would not be the first one. The '80s trucks were famous for having cracked firewalls where the clutch master mounted. Yours is a year newer and a linkage clutch, but that does not mean it couldn't have a broken part in it somewhere.

Why, years ago, our Ford NAA tractor had clutch issues. New clutch, same issue. My dad blamed me, but I looked at the linkage and pointed out a crack in one piece. So my dad blamed me for poor operator skills, but the truth was the clutch was on crack.

Sorry, couldn't help myself, but get your flashlight out and get a helper and look at everything while the pedel is being pressed.

Good luck, glad I could help.....

 

If your clutch is on crack, shoot it's crack dealer. Problem solved

 

Have not checked the firewall for cracks, clutch travel is all the way to the floor board,if I put the shifter in first I absolutely cannot get it out. I have to pull back so hard I swear it is going to pull the tranny thru the floorboard, and sometimes that still will not free it up. It takes brute force to pull it out.
I am wondering if it is really one and the same problem. Maybe my clutch is on crack and only a 357 will cure it.
Will definitely take a flashlight to everything under there.

 

how did this turn out? did you figure out your problem?

 

With all new parts twice, it sounds like you have an internal transmission problem?

Also sounds like once you get it set, that the thru bolt nut is self tightening with every clutch push in?

Unless I am confused, which happened often.

 

It kicked my tail for a bit but I found three different problems, all of which contributed but the main one I will try to explain.
The clutch pedal when depressed pushes the clutch arm in against the pressure plate to release the transmission. Well the fulcrum that the arm teeters on is bolted onto the transmission housing. One of those bolts had broken internally but the head remained on the fulcrum so that when you looked at it, it was all well and good. Whenever you depressed the clutch pedal the one remaining bolt allowed the fulcrum to stay in place but it would rotate downward and not fully release the clutch, thus I would further adjust the clutch linkage until it released and this would work for a couple of times until the fulcrum would slip further down and then the process would start over again. When the clutch pedal was released the fulcrum would rotate back to the original position and when you inspected everything, all looked well. Only when the transmission was removed and inspected further was the problem found.
Drilled out old bolt, replaced both, problem solved, works great.