EvilTheCat
Active Member
- Joined
- December 6, 2011
- Messages
- 88
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Lincoln NE
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '97 Explorer
My Explorer has given me issues shifting into first and second since I've owned it (little over a year). The clutch was always in question because the pedal would go all the way to the floor. I had to cut my floormat right after installing them because I couldn't get it into gear. I pulled the little rubber stopper off for even more space, but this didn't really help. The pedal would just bottom out. I then tried bleeding the clutch which helped some, but never fixed it completely. I decided one day to take a good look under the dash to see if there was something else I could do. That's when I found the crack. I couldn't find much information about replacing this, so while I was working on it I took some pictures.
Someone on this forum recommended removing the knee plate thing so I did...
But I didn't find it to be helpful except maybe to get more light. I wouldn't waste the time if I were to do it again.
The seat however must come out unless you like contorting your body under the dash.
Disconnect the electrical connectors from the brake and clutch.
See that little plastic piece that holds the clutch master cylinder on the pedal? Be prepared to break it into little pieces unless you have some kind special tool perhaps. Order one from Autozone or your preferred parts store before starting this project, because they'll need to order it. My local Ford dealer just happened to have it in stock (the second time I went back that is).
Clutch Pedal Bushing
Autozone part number: 74014
Ford part number: 6C3Z-7A581-A
Pull the yellow pin on the brake pedal and remove the brake light sensor and bushings. Try to keep track of how they go on because I didn't and had to look back at the photos I'd taken to figure it out.
Next remove the sensor that's attatched to the clutch master cylinder. Just squeeze the little tabs together in the middle of the yellow piece and slide it up and out. Then the sensor should pop right off. It may require a little force. Now use a pair of channel locks or pliers to turn the clutch master cylinder 45 degrees and it will line it up with the square hole to free it from the assembly.
Sorry no pictures for this part, but you should be able to figure it out.
Remove the 4 nuts on the lower part. Doing this will unbolt the brake booster from the firewall, but it'll support itself.
Remove the 2 bolts from the top of the assembly. The entire assembly will now be loose, but you won't be able to get it out yet.
This is where I disconnected the brake master cylinder lines (I forgot to bleed the brakes afterward, but found them to be just as responsive as before. I may have not put any air in the lines unhooking it here).
Pull the brake booster and master cylinder assembly forward enough to clear the arm that connects it to the pedal (no need to unplug anything other than the 2 lines shown above for this).
Push the clutch master cylinder through the square hole, wiggle the pedal assembly a bit and it'll come right out.
Do the opposite to put it back together.
Here's the crack in my old one. If you look close you can see it go way back.
A side by side comparison. The new assembly came from Amazon and cost me $102.80. The part number is 6L5z2455bb. It's listed for a Ranger 2006 - 2011, but Ford verified that this is the correct part number for my '97 Explorer. If you look close you can see the new one has been reinforced in those trouble areas.
Here's what i did to temporarily fix my clutch pedal bushing that I busted into eight pieces. It held til I was about six block from the Ford dealer to pick up the replacement. Who need a clutch pedal anyway? I managed to get all the way there without having to stop or shift much. I go inside and the ass-hat that ordered it and made me wait an entire day got me the wrong part. Fortunately they did have the correct part on hand. I snapped it on in their parking lot and it's been shifting great ever since. The whole project ended up being a lot easier than I though it would be.
Someone on this forum recommended removing the knee plate thing so I did...
But I didn't find it to be helpful except maybe to get more light. I wouldn't waste the time if I were to do it again.
The seat however must come out unless you like contorting your body under the dash.
Disconnect the electrical connectors from the brake and clutch.
See that little plastic piece that holds the clutch master cylinder on the pedal? Be prepared to break it into little pieces unless you have some kind special tool perhaps. Order one from Autozone or your preferred parts store before starting this project, because they'll need to order it. My local Ford dealer just happened to have it in stock (the second time I went back that is).
Clutch Pedal Bushing
Autozone part number: 74014
Ford part number: 6C3Z-7A581-A
Pull the yellow pin on the brake pedal and remove the brake light sensor and bushings. Try to keep track of how they go on because I didn't and had to look back at the photos I'd taken to figure it out.
Next remove the sensor that's attatched to the clutch master cylinder. Just squeeze the little tabs together in the middle of the yellow piece and slide it up and out. Then the sensor should pop right off. It may require a little force. Now use a pair of channel locks or pliers to turn the clutch master cylinder 45 degrees and it will line it up with the square hole to free it from the assembly.
Sorry no pictures for this part, but you should be able to figure it out.
Remove the 4 nuts on the lower part. Doing this will unbolt the brake booster from the firewall, but it'll support itself.
Remove the 2 bolts from the top of the assembly. The entire assembly will now be loose, but you won't be able to get it out yet.
This is where I disconnected the brake master cylinder lines (I forgot to bleed the brakes afterward, but found them to be just as responsive as before. I may have not put any air in the lines unhooking it here).
Pull the brake booster and master cylinder assembly forward enough to clear the arm that connects it to the pedal (no need to unplug anything other than the 2 lines shown above for this).
Push the clutch master cylinder through the square hole, wiggle the pedal assembly a bit and it'll come right out.
Do the opposite to put it back together.
Here's the crack in my old one. If you look close you can see it go way back.
A side by side comparison. The new assembly came from Amazon and cost me $102.80. The part number is 6L5z2455bb. It's listed for a Ranger 2006 - 2011, but Ford verified that this is the correct part number for my '97 Explorer. If you look close you can see the new one has been reinforced in those trouble areas.
Here's what i did to temporarily fix my clutch pedal bushing that I busted into eight pieces. It held til I was about six block from the Ford dealer to pick up the replacement. Who need a clutch pedal anyway? I managed to get all the way there without having to stop or shift much. I go inside and the ass-hat that ordered it and made me wait an entire day got me the wrong part. Fortunately they did have the correct part on hand. I snapped it on in their parking lot and it's been shifting great ever since. The whole project ended up being a lot easier than I though it would be.