Replacing clutch sometime soon

[bigredscowboy]

1994 Ranger 4.0 4x4
My clutch blew after only two years this time and I think it was the slave (there is fluid everywhere). So now I am going to replace the whole clutch kit by myself, never having tried with Haynes Manual. Any suggestions from those who have done this (best way to drop the t-case or tranny)? Anything else worth replacing while I have the tranny out? I can take pictures of the process if anyone thinks it's worth a how-to thread.

 

[mitch4x4]

Im all in for a how to! im in for a clutch replacement myself!

 

[bigredscowboy]

You're pretty far away, but I'm all up for some help from someone locally who might be interested (Boone, NC)

 

[BonesDT]

Get a Centerforce Dual Friction kit.

For some reason, I think any Explorer clutch kit (pressure plate & clutch) doesn't come with an aligner tool, so you might have to pick up one of these, it is a necessity.

You might want to get the flywheel resurfaced at a machine shop. And inspect the pilot bearing pressed in the flywheel, hopefully, it is fine though.

The slave cylinder has blown on me too. I hunted for a better aftermarket version, but came up dry.

 

[BonesDT]

Drop the t-case and trans separately, don't try to do them together. You can keep the fluid in them. You don't need a trans jack. You can bench press the t-case, and lower the trans on your shins and do a tuck and roll to the ground. I swear I can get to the clutch in an Explorer doing it this way faster than any shop can do with pro equipment.

Textbook would tell you to replace the gasket between the trans & t-case, but there's no fluid passing through that point, so just re-use it even if its ripped. My '99 needed a special metal gasket for the exhaust cat you remove.

 

[bigredscowboy]

You don't need a trans jack.

Haynes manual says I need to jack the engine because the oil pan could bend. Did anyone do this or disagree completely?

 

[BonesDT]

I don't know what that means, the oil pan could bend.

Yea, I forgot to mention, you should support the back of the engine with a jack. Once you remove the transmission, the engine is only supported linearly by the engine mounts, so the will lean backwards putting stress on the engine mounts. It might not be the worst thing in the world if you work fast and get the trans bolted back up in a hurry.

A scissor jack is ideal and a piece of soft wood to displace the pressure on the oil pan. Haynes says don't support it from the oil pan (this is probably the bending part), but I challenge Haynes to find somewhere else to support the engine. Your oil pan will be fine with a block of wood.

Before you remove the trans, jack up the oil pan just enough until you see the engine move up the slightest amount, maybe even back off a turn, then it is fully support.

 

[bigredscowboy]

awesome pic! Looks like a centerforce clutch. I'm also jealous that you don't have to jack up your truck at all to drop the tranny.

 

[Mathew Kelley]

Im new to this site and having a problem. I have replaced my clutch,pressure plate,slave cylinder,and the clutch master cylinder now the clutch doesnt disengage compleatly. I have blead the system and it looks like the slave cylinder is working ok. Is it possable that i put the clutch disk in backwards? It is a 95 explorer. any help would be apreciated. email is matkelley@msn.com

 

[BonesDT]

Im new to this site and having a problem. I have replaced my clutch,pressure plate,slave cylinder,and the clutch master cylinder now the clutch doesnt disengage compleatly. I have blead the system and it looks like the slave cylinder is working ok. Is it possable that i put the clutch disk in backwards? It is a 95 explorer. any help would be apreciated. email is matkelley@msn.com

Did you ever have the flywheel resurfaced?

 

[onelow]

I'm having that exact problem on a '96 right now can't figure it out any advise asap. is appriciated. New clutch pressure plate ect.. (kit) no flywheel resurface it was nice an clean. wondering how much the slave cyl. is supose to move an how stiff it's supose to get i swear i've bled this thing to no tommarrow now still ntn. I know clutch assm. is all in right.

 

[Mathew Kelley]

clutch replacment problem

I ended up removing the transmission again and did'nt find anything wrong with the way i hade put it together, so i returned the slave cylinder and exchanged it for another one ,put everything back together, blead it and it worked. I dont know if mabey the aftermarket clutch was a little oversize but even when i got it working the clutch pedal had to be pressed all the way to the floor to get it to relese. good luck,Matt

 

[onelow]

Funny. I did that exact same thing an walla. It worls it has to pressed to the floor like you said but it works. Thanks though.

 

[BonesDT]

Weird. Were you using name brand slave cylinders?

It REALLY sucks when a brand new part doesn't work either. I had that problem with starters. I would swear the problem is my starter, then go out and buy a brand new starter, and my truck still doesn't start. Logic would make one think the starter is no longer the problem, so you proceed to tear down the entire truck, replacing every part from wiring harnesses to door hinges.

Your truck still doesn't start, even with those brand new door hinges, so you throw the towel in and buy another Explorer, but you figure you might as well salvage that brand spanking new starter you dished out for, so without wasting a moment, you install the new starter in your new Ex and now the new Ex doesn't start. Then you repeat this process until you have gone through every for-sale Explorer on the planet and then it occurs to you "Could the brand new starter be bad right out of the box?" Yes, it can.

I swear, the crooks who make faulty new starters and slave cylinders must have stock in door hinges.