Hello,

I just brought my truck to the shop because my clutch pedal went to the floor and never came back up. I figured my clutch was gone. Had it towed to shop. Its been there for over a week. They replaced the slave hose ($97),slave cylinder ($143),disc and plate ($330) and total labour ($390). Total ($1043.25 Canadian)

Problem is now i cant shift into 1st until a COMPLETE stop. If im moving just a little then push the clutch in and shift to first it grinds really bad. I have to double or triple clutch in order to get it into gear. Brought it back to shop and they bled it off again. They already bled it 6 or 7 times. Does that make sense. If there was air in the lines wouldnt all gears be stubborn. I asked the owner of shop how my clutch was and he said," Well its not disinigrated" So is it my clutch? I dont want to pay again for parts and labour to change my clutch. I think $1000 is alot for what they did considering i still have a clutch thats not all that great and a shifting problem. Does this sound like a high price? They told me if i drove it for a while it should go away. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

One time we had this exact problem with a mid 80s ranger. It was the bushing where the master cylinder rod connects to the pedal. There was barely not enough cylinder travel to completely disengage the clutch, which sounds like what is happening to you. Eventually, you will wear out the clutch and maybe break your tranny. I would look at that bushing. It will be up under your dash. Good luck Ted

 

Thanks Ted,
I will take my truck to the car wash and look at it there as its warm in there. And its -40 celcius here.

 

I took a look at the master cylinder. Didnt see any bushing. What i did see is where it connects to the push rod there is a retainer clip, It seems to want to move around a bit. I pushed it into place and nothing. Now i am starting to grind 2nd gear as well. It only grinds 2nd when i down shift from 3rd to 2nd at a little high speed. If i wait till im going 5-10 KM/HR i have no prob down shifting to 2nd without grinding. As for 1st gear i cant be moving at all if i want it to go into gear without grinding. It seems to be a speed thing.

 

If you can shift gears ok while at a complete stop, then your clutch is fine. It sounds to me like you have some worn synchros in the trans.
Just for reference, here is the prices in USD for my 88 Bronco:

Slave cylinder (Autozone) $85.00
Hydraulic line (Ford dealer) $48.00
Master cylinder (Autozone) $70.00
Clutch set 11"(Autozone) $143.00
Resurface flywheel $35.00
New rear main seal $3.00 (if you are there, then why not?)

I don't know what your labor rates are.

 

If there is any play at the pedal to master cylinder, it will have problems!
They have to take up just a little slack at the pedal to master rod connection before connecting it, like 1/16" overlap!
I just went through this with my truck!
Now it finaly works!

 

I just did all of this work on my 1995, 4.9 M50D. It cost me $55 for the slave cylinder, $140 for clutch set, and $30 for the flywheel to be resurfaced. Thats all US prices. So total of $225 and I did it with my dad. Took me 4 nights at about 3 hours each night. My truck has a little bit of a hard time going into first while moving, but no grinding. It runs and drives the same as it did before I changed the parts. Hope you find that prob. Fred

 

Archangel is right. You should maybe try and adjust the rod out a little and that will make sure you are getting enough stroke. Even the slightest mis-adjustment will leave you with not enough volume transfer to the slave cylinder. Like he said, maybe make it a little tight, even.

 

So i should try to move the rod back a little to give it a less stroke to the master cylinder? Or try to make it a longer stroke? How would this affect it? I dont think its my syncros as it work well before. Now it grinds 1st unless at complete stop (even then it grinds sometimes) and 2nd it grinds when i down shift?????????

 

Make it longer.

 

make it so that you have to push the application rod on the master cylinder in just a little and be sure to have the foot pedal pulled all the way up!

Mine was worn so bad that the bushing was gone and the pedal portion was worn 1/2 through and the clutch application rod hole was so oval it had almost worn through!
Obviously adjusted without repair once already, and no lube!
I had to weld them both up and re drill and grind them to make them newish again.

You have to be sure that there is NO PLAY in the pedal to rod connection, or it wont work at all.

 

I hear so much about this bushing but dont see one. How do you make the stroke length longer? One end of the push rod goes to the master and the other end looks like it has some kind of eye hook that slips over the metal part that connects to the pedal. Looks like a clip holds this on. It wiggles back and forth pretty good at that spot. The clip doesnt hold it tight as it moves side to side. Could something that puny make me grind gears? So to make the stroke longer do i loosen that nut (approx 9/16") where the rod connects to the pedal connector? Thats the only way it looks like it would make it longer. Also is it normal when i push in the clutch pedal the master tends to twist and move a minimal amount? Should i just replace the master?

Sorry for all the questions but you guys make it happen.

 

I hear so much about this bushing but dont see one.

I worked at a dealer and never saw one except as a replacement part to be installed!
I dont think they last very long!

How do you make the stroke length longer?
One end of the push rod goes to the master and the other end looks like it has some kind of eye hook that slips over the metal part that connects to the pedal.

Yep, loosen the nut and turn the eye part keeping the other part from turning.

Looks like a clip holds this on. It wiggles back and forth pretty good at that spot. The clip doesnt hold it tight as it moves side to side. Could something that puny make me grind gears?

One minite of a degree seems like not much, unless you measure it miles away, then it can be a lot.
That's how it is here, a little here, matters a lot there.

So to make the stroke longer do i loosen that nut (approx 9/16") where the rod connects to the pedal connector? Thats the only way it looks like it would make it longer.

Yep, loosen the nut and turn the eye part keeping the other part from turning.

Also is it normal when i push in the clutch pedal the master tends to twist and move a minimal amount?

No, it sounds loose, so tighten it up.

Should i just replace the master?

Only if you need it!

Sorry for all the questions but you guys make it happen.

No, we give advise, you decide what to do and then make it happen.