Clutch acting funny

[byako]

1995 B3000 5 spd manual 4WD (ok, so it's the wannabe Ranger...)

So today I noticed what may be the throw-out bearing on the clutch acting funny. Sitting at idle in neutral there was no noise. If I held in the clutch it would squeal and chatter until I tried to engage a gear, if even just slightly, then the noise would go away.

Driving after that shifting into any gear, starting with just 1st it increasingly got harder to shift into any gear. It quickly progressed through all gears being very difficult. Then it suddenly just stopped letting me select any gear and remained in neutral.
I coasted to the side of the road and played with the clutch, trying anything to get it into gear but no luck.
Then I turned the truck off and it slipped right into any gear easily.
I put it in 1st, depressed the clutch, and turned it over. It was as if I had the clutch only partially depressed, because as I started it, it lurched forward.
fortunately I was within a mile from home, so I attempted 2nd. It was not smooth as normal going into 2nd, but was better than the previous 15 minutes.
Haven't messed with since I've been home, yet.
Any ideas?
160k, no idea when the clutch was last worked on. Its possibly oem.

 

[rb142]

Time for a whole clutch kit: clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, pilot bearing, slave cylinder, and good chance you are due for a rear main seal while you are in there. You may need to resurface or replace the flywheel too. You might as well do it all while you are in there. With 160k on the original clutch, you got your money's worth.

Don't let the hydraulic line drain and fill with air. Those clutch lines are notoriously difficult to bleed fully because there are a couple high spots in the line that trap air.

 

[byako]

Sounds like a plan. That is what I thought was going to be the case.
I did the clutch on my old 87 ranger and ended up hand bleeding the clutch. That was a pain. This time around, I know what I am up against and plan on finding a good local shop to do it for me.
Are the slave and bearings one unit in these? I know in some rigs that is the case.

 

[rb142]

The throw-out bearing and the slave are two parts (the bearing pops off), but they are sold both together and separate. So make sure when you are ordering parts that you know whether the slave includes the bearing ... or if the bearing is part of a clutch kit if you get one of those (the kits don't usually include the slave). Some say to only use a Ford slave.

 

[byako]

This has the 3.0, 4 sp with OD. Will it have an internal slave cylinder or external?
Anyone have know of any reference diagrams ? LMCtruck has some decent expanded diagrams, but they don't really show the slave in relation to the clutch.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Im pretty sure the slave cylinder is external.

 

[Troy H]

I'd bench bleed the hydraulic lines. It is largely impossible to bleed once it is installed in the truck. Super easy before installation.

 

[RangerX]

This has the 3.0, 4 sp with OD. Will it have an internal slave cylinder or external?
Anyone have know of any reference diagrams ? LMCtruck has some decent expanded diagrams, but they don't really show the slave in relation to the clutch.

3.0 with a manual 5 speed is a M5OD, same as any Ranger or Explorer with the 4.0.
The M5OD has an internal slave.
A quick forum search will bring up many threads on the clutch, and on the slave.

 

[byako]

3.0 with a manual 5 speed is a M5OD, same as any Ranger or Explorer with the 4.0.
The M5OD has an internal slave.
A quick forum search will bring up many threads on the clutch, and on the slave.

Thanks RangerX. I was talking to a guy at a parts store today about it and discovered the same.