I went to the local Ford Dealer today to order the reinforcement plate for my 89 F250s stiff clutch problem. FUN. I waited 45 minutes for the "technicians" to find the part and print of the instructions for it so I could decide which plate I needed. Turns out to fix my problem I need the big expensive plate because it is so bad. 140 $$$! The small plate is 5 dollars. Why is the dang big reinforcement plate for the firewall 135 dollars more than the small one? Am I getting my butt ripped off?
The clutch makes the dash move and you have to bury your foot to get it into reverse. Do I really need that big reinforcement plate?
Some Beach!

 

What are they selling you?
The one I got was not very big, price or size.
I think it was 20 dollars.

 

You must have got the small bracket that has two holes to drill and put bolts through. There are a small bracket and a large one. The large one is if there are cracks in the firewall and it wont go into gear. You have to disassemble everything to put it on. That includes the steering column and all the brackets and pedal linkage. THe firewall has to be stripped bare on the drivers side also.
How bad was your flex? Did it keep the firewall from flexing after the install? I think I may install the small one for 5 dollars. What do I have to lose. iF it still flexes then I will replace everything, bushings and the cracked cast aluminum bracket under the dash. I wasnt planning on spending 200 dollars on the clutch. The clutch has been replaced already. Not too happy about it all. How can a piece of flat steel cost 140$ when you have to drill your own holes!!!!!!!!!

 

Mine moved about an inch at the line connection on the clutch master cylinder. I bolted and welded it in place. Solid as can be now. I could still get mine in gear, actually I saw the master cylinder move when my son was starting the truck after an oil change.

It was a pain in the rear to weld in there though.

 

I couldnt find any cracks in the firewall but the large aluminum bracket that holds the steering column and pedals is cracked all the way up on one side from pushing so hard to get the start button to work on start up. I havent decided on what to do yet. Looks like a pain to get the aluminum bracket out with all the wiring and linkage. The farmer that owned it before me had chunks of wood stuffed in to get the start swith to work and has vice grips holding the clutch linkage from coming off of the end of the pivot shaft. Shouldnt there be a nut holding that on?

Was your clutch stiff to push before you fixed it? Why did you have to weld anything? Thanks Dave

 

My clutch was kinda hard to push.
I did have cracks in the firewall, that is what I welded.
I also welded the bracket in place after I bolted it.
My bracket went on the outside in the engine compartment, still had to be careful about fire in the sound insulation under the floor mat and behind the dash.
There is a hairpin clip that holds the clutch linkage on the pivot shaft.
My piviot shaft is well worn, I need to look about replacing that before winter.

The last time I changed the engine I installed a Luk clutch, that did more to make the clutch easier to push than all the rest. It pushed in so easy I was worried it would not pull a good load without slipping, but it hooked up well enough to twist a driveshaft into a pretzel.

 

Do you have to remove the steering column or the dash to replace the pivot shaft and that aluminum bracket?
The plate just bolts right behind the clutch master cylinder right? about 4 inches big? I dont have a mig welder so it would be kind of hard to weld with a stick. Where were your cracks?

 

I have not looked at replacing that shaft yet.
My cracks radiated out from the clutch master cylinder mount in 3 directions about 2 inches.
Behind it not really a good description, around would be better.

MIG or gas weld is the only way, way to thin for stick.

 

I looked at the firewall while having the clutch pushed and it moves only about 1/8 of an inch. Is this enough to bind the linkage and cause brackets to break?
Why does this bind the linkage so much if the linkage is worn loose anyway? I cant think of why the clutch is so difficult to push! It is very difficult to get in gear and is almost undriveable because of the reverse gear grinding.

 

change that aluminum plate and the bushings in it and it will make 100 times easier to get it into gear...its kind of a pain to remove it and get it back in but its easy enough to do yourself and it will save you a bunch of money

 

the aluminum plate im talkin about is the pedal assembly...i have 2 89 fords that had the same problem,its not giving enough throw to the slave unit to get it in gear and in the long run can cost you some bucks

 

thanks
do you know the price of the aluminum bracket and bushings?

 

Anyone know the price of a Luk clutch kit for a 89 5 speed?
I seen one for about 500$.

 

that aluminum housing up inder there will break in a couple weeks or a month of you are lucky, it will be the big one. i don't know if they come assembled with clutch and brake pedal from ford, but if they do, go ahead and get it, if they don't, then go to a junk yard. it has to be from the same body style truck. you will find that all them you find will be either gone(someone alredy snagged it) or that it is broke the same as yours!! i had a hell of a time finding one for my truck. it takes about 20 minutes to get the old one out and about 30 mins to get it back in if you got all the right tools. take the column loose and lay it in the seat. works great. make sure not to get any wires or hoses tangled u in it when you get mad at it and rip it out( you probably will get mad at it and rip it out) and its kinda awkward getting it back in there, but if you take your time, it will go up in there. and try to do that thing i told you about moving the linkage one notch when its outside the truck so its just easier to do. i only have to push the clutch not even half way in to get it in reverse or shift gears, i LOVE IT i don't know about luk. but i know a guy that just got a single-mass flywheel clutch plate and pressure plate with bearings for $811.00

 

Just curious why the little plastic thingy that wears out on the clutch linkage hasn't been mentioned. I replaced it on my '89 and now I don't feel like Fred Flinstone trying to stop his car by pushing your foot through the floor, just so the clutch switch will engage. I'm sure most everyone knows what I'm talking about. Best of all, it costs less than $10 at the dealer and takes a couple of minutes to install by yourself. Or am I off base?
Brent