Custom clutch shift linkage?PLEASE HELP!

[stroker001]

Hey guys new to the forum so bare with me. Ok I just traded for a 97 obs 7.3 zf5speed f250. It has 230k on it and it runs great EXCEPT... The guy I got it off of was a fabricator and seemed to like to "custom" make parts for the truck in spare time soo. Reman trans with a new clutch. Heres the problem Im having,it is a pain in the butt to get into first and second gear! Like I have to go to second then up to first then its a little easier to get in,it shifts fine when moving. No slack slop or slips what so ever trans is tight as a tick. Last night I stalled it and like to never have got it started back it was like the clutch safety switch wasnt engaging so I played with the ignition and the pedal long enough to get it fired back up...Heres where I think something is wrong,he told me he "custom" built the clutch linkage due to some bad factory design on the clutch linkage. Anyone have any suggestions on what could be going on with this thing? Thanks a lot guys!

[Patrick Feeley]

There's really not mutch to the linkage part of the equation in these trucks. You have the main brake/clutch pedal box mainshaft, the clutch arm off that, and the clutch master cylinder rod that connects to that arm. In the stock setup, the clutch master rod bushing tends to fail and oval out the rod end. A common fix is to modify the rod end to use a Heim joint (more commonly known as the ebay fix). See what's up there and what may have been modified. It could be a number of things, but look for play in the rod end joint and in the pedalbox mainshaft bushings. Sloppiness s the usual cause of low clutch engagement. Cheers!

[stroker001]

Oh ok! Well I think it may just be the clutch..May be the presure plate. I hear a high pitched squilling driving until I push the clutch pedal in...? Thanks

[madpogue]

The noise is probably the throwout bearing. But if the starter doesn't engage without really mashing the pedal, that's def. the linkage between the pivot arm and the pushrod. There are a couple of mods to that connection that actually help. It all depends on how he did it. Slither under there and put your camera on close-up mode (button or icon with a tulip, usually) and get a pic of what it looks like under there; we'll be able to tell if it's a hack job or a good one. Even if it's the right set-up, it may need to be adjusted.