I have a ranger with the 2.9L. I need to replace my clutch. Are there any heavier duty clutch options for me or is stock pretty much the norm for this model. Also when I release the clutch I get a whining noise when under load. What is that? The clutch spinning on the fly wheel? The truck has 115,000 miles on the original clutch. Thanks for any advice.

 

Depends on what you use the truck for. If you plan on towing, you might want a little more heavier duty clutch, but if your just driving, stay with a stock replacement. I just bought a ram clutches premium stock replacement clutch kit from www.summitracing.com for about 160 bucks for my 1990 2.9. I'm also putting in a new tranny too, so won't really know what a difference it will be until i get it's driveable again in a week or so.

About the whining noise.....where does it sound like it's coming from? Just from the clutch when you release it and go under load? If it's coming from the tranny, in all gears except 4th it's possibly be a bearing like the input shaft bearing. But that might not be depending on where exactly it's coming from. Check your tranny fluid level once, if it's up where it's supposed to be then that pretty much rules out the tranny right away. I don't know exactly what could cause the clutch to whine like that.

What tranny do you have in it? A mazda or a mitsubishi? And is it a 2wd or 4x4?

 

Centerforce makes mild, moderate, and heavy-duty clutches for the 2.9. Their Stage I clutch (mild) would probably work good for you. They are more expensive than what you'd normally get at a parts store, but they work great. I had a stage II in my '89 2.9L, and it held rock-hard under heavy & technical (crawling) wheeling with a locker. The nice thing about Centerforce clutches is they use weights & centrifigal force to grip the flywheel harder instead of heavier springs. This means it grips great, but doesn't wear out your left leg after driving all day from trying to compress those springs.

As for the noise, I'm not sure. While you have the tranny out replace the pilot bearing! They're only a couple bucks, but you don't want to pull the trannie again in 6 months for a $8 part. Also check the throwout bearing & slave cylinder. If you haven't serviced them in the recent past I would strongly suggest replacing them as well. Also, have your flywheel turned. If you're gonna shell out the dough for a good clutch, make sure you prep the flywheel just like you'd turn the rotors on your brakes.

Sorry if it sounded preachy, but I've had to drop my trannies a lot of times more than I should have because I tried to be cheap or cut a corner on one of these steps.