Application--94-97 Ford F-series trucks (most OBS)
Symptoms--Low clutch enguagement, difficulty shifting, difficulty getting into gear.
Cause--Clutch pedal bushing worn or missing (often mis-diagnosed as a bad clutch slave or master sylinder)
Repair--
Many of the 1994-1997 F-Series 5 Speed owners have complained about Clutch Problems. The symptoms of many of these complaints are:
• Pedal needs to be pushed into the floor to allow starter to engage
• Difficulty getting the transmission into gear from start
• low clutch pedal engagement and also
• noticeably harder shifting between gears, with possible grinding on downshifts.
People with these symptoms often ask if there is an adjustment on the clutch, or in the clutch linkage to rectify this situation. There is no such adjustment. While these symptoms can indicate a number of possible problems the most common problem causing all these symptoms is probably going to cost you no more than $10 dollars. Here is a simple fix that most people can do themselves.
On the 1994-1997 F-Series Manual Transmission Trucks, these symptoms are most likely due to a worn clutch master cylinder bushing. This bushing lies in the eye of the clutch master rod. This rod is located just above the accelerator pedal. The bushing in question is made of plastic nylon, and when it wears out, the eye of the clutch master rod will typically slip on the clutch linkage pin about 1/8th of an inch. That 1/8th inch at the linkage translates to about 1 inch to 1 ½ inch loss of travel at the pedal. Thus your clutch will either be partially engaged or it will engage with the pedal only traveling a ¼ inch from the floor. If the truck is a 1994 to 1995 the clutch master rod was manufactured as a plastic rod. Continued use of the clutch while the linkage is misaligned can result in the plastic clutch master rod breaking in two. While I have never heard of the metal rod in the 96-97 trucks ever breaking I would not recommend continuing use as the bushing wears out very quickly when misaligned and there is bound to be metal wear at some point in the near future. This is covered in more detail later in this article.
To fix this problem: Members of this site have come up with a couple of modifications to the original equipment to rectify this problem. First you need to do is go to the local Ford house and purchase Ford Part # E69Z7526A, crowned bushing. Usually they are made of white plastic but some are said to have come in black. They run the better part of $3 each. The consensus from the membership at Ford-Diesel.com is that just replacing the worn bushing will solve your problem initially but the same problem is likely to recur within a month. Many of us have solved the recurrence problem by insuring the proper alignment of the clutch linkage pin and the clutch master cylinder rod.
The way to insure the proper alignment of these components involves a little modification. You first start with clipping off the crown portion of the bushing with a sharp razor blade or razor knife. The bushing is then installed in its normal manner. First the bushing is placed in the clutch master rod eye and then it is slid onto the clutch linkage pin. The trick is to find a way to keep the rod and bushing from sliding off the Clutch linkage pin. There are two basic ways to accomplish this.
1. The easiest and least expensive way: Purchase a 5/16" E-Clip that will fit in the groove at the end of the clutch linkage that holds the clutch master rod in place. Also purchase two 5/16 “ washers, 1 Teflon/plastic and 1 metal to be placed between the E-Clip and the clutch master rod. A 7/16” drill stop or collar bushing will also work in place of an e-clip you will Not be able to fit any washers on the pin though. This is what I used.
2. Another way is slightly more labor intensive but just as inexpensive. This one was submitted to me by Ray Varnadore. He took the picture you see on the left. Install the Rod and bushing as stated onto the clutch linkage pin. Then place one metal washer against the clutch master rod while on the pin and mark a location to drill a very small hole. Find a small cotter pin and drill the appropriate hole through the Clutch linkage pin so that it will be flush with the washer. An old Chevrolet shift linkage clip may be easier to remove and reinstall if ever the bushing were to need replacement again. It will also keep tension on the washer keeping it firmly in place. Ray said he drilled the hole with a variable speed hand held drill.
In the event that the Plastic clutch master cylinder rod has broken, you will be compelled to do one of two things to make the repair. You will either purchase a new clutch master cylinder, or you could find a metal clutch master rod and modify it (grinding) to fit the existing old style clutch master. Well if you figure you will just suck it up and buy the Master, well there is a problem: If you choose to purchase a new clutch master cylinder you will be forced to purchase three additional hydraulic clutch components, to the tune of $350. The reason for this is that Ford no longer sells a direct replacement for the original clutch master cylinder. They sell an “improved” replacement clutch master that uses a steel rod. (This clutch master is the one currently used on 1996- 1997 Manual Transmission F-Series’.) It is entirely incompatible with the hydraulic clutch components that are in your truck. Unfortunately, if you choose this route, this fix is going to involve bringing a shopping bag to the dealer because this is what you will need to get you shifting again:
• New Clutch master cylinder with metal rod Ford Part # F2TZ7A543D
• New Slave cylinder Ford Part # E3TZ7A564A
• New Neutral Safety Switch Ford Part # FF57Z11A152A
• New High Pressure Line Ford Part #. F5TZ7A512A
One good thing about the 1996 – 1997 F-Series is that the metal rod is unlikely to break but if it does the only replacement part needed would be the Clutch master cylinder. Or find a rod in a junkyard.
So it may behoove you to keep an eye out for rod misalignment or just spend a couple of bucks and beat it to the punch.
Symptoms--Low clutch enguagement, difficulty shifting, difficulty getting into gear.
Cause--Clutch pedal bushing worn or missing (often mis-diagnosed as a bad clutch slave or master sylinder)
Repair--
Many of the 1994-1997 F-Series 5 Speed owners have complained about Clutch Problems. The symptoms of many of these complaints are:
• Pedal needs to be pushed into the floor to allow starter to engage
• Difficulty getting the transmission into gear from start
• low clutch pedal engagement and also
• noticeably harder shifting between gears, with possible grinding on downshifts.
People with these symptoms often ask if there is an adjustment on the clutch, or in the clutch linkage to rectify this situation. There is no such adjustment. While these symptoms can indicate a number of possible problems the most common problem causing all these symptoms is probably going to cost you no more than $10 dollars. Here is a simple fix that most people can do themselves.
On the 1994-1997 F-Series Manual Transmission Trucks, these symptoms are most likely due to a worn clutch master cylinder bushing. This bushing lies in the eye of the clutch master rod. This rod is located just above the accelerator pedal. The bushing in question is made of plastic nylon, and when it wears out, the eye of the clutch master rod will typically slip on the clutch linkage pin about 1/8th of an inch. That 1/8th inch at the linkage translates to about 1 inch to 1 ½ inch loss of travel at the pedal. Thus your clutch will either be partially engaged or it will engage with the pedal only traveling a ¼ inch from the floor. If the truck is a 1994 to 1995 the clutch master rod was manufactured as a plastic rod. Continued use of the clutch while the linkage is misaligned can result in the plastic clutch master rod breaking in two. While I have never heard of the metal rod in the 96-97 trucks ever breaking I would not recommend continuing use as the bushing wears out very quickly when misaligned and there is bound to be metal wear at some point in the near future. This is covered in more detail later in this article.
To fix this problem: Members of this site have come up with a couple of modifications to the original equipment to rectify this problem. First you need to do is go to the local Ford house and purchase Ford Part # E69Z7526A, crowned bushing. Usually they are made of white plastic but some are said to have come in black. They run the better part of $3 each. The consensus from the membership at Ford-Diesel.com is that just replacing the worn bushing will solve your problem initially but the same problem is likely to recur within a month. Many of us have solved the recurrence problem by insuring the proper alignment of the clutch linkage pin and the clutch master cylinder rod.
The way to insure the proper alignment of these components involves a little modification. You first start with clipping off the crown portion of the bushing with a sharp razor blade or razor knife. The bushing is then installed in its normal manner. First the bushing is placed in the clutch master rod eye and then it is slid onto the clutch linkage pin. The trick is to find a way to keep the rod and bushing from sliding off the Clutch linkage pin. There are two basic ways to accomplish this.
1. The easiest and least expensive way: Purchase a 5/16" E-Clip that will fit in the groove at the end of the clutch linkage that holds the clutch master rod in place. Also purchase two 5/16 “ washers, 1 Teflon/plastic and 1 metal to be placed between the E-Clip and the clutch master rod. A 7/16” drill stop or collar bushing will also work in place of an e-clip you will Not be able to fit any washers on the pin though. This is what I used.
2. Another way is slightly more labor intensive but just as inexpensive. This one was submitted to me by Ray Varnadore. He took the picture you see on the left. Install the Rod and bushing as stated onto the clutch linkage pin. Then place one metal washer against the clutch master rod while on the pin and mark a location to drill a very small hole. Find a small cotter pin and drill the appropriate hole through the Clutch linkage pin so that it will be flush with the washer. An old Chevrolet shift linkage clip may be easier to remove and reinstall if ever the bushing were to need replacement again. It will also keep tension on the washer keeping it firmly in place. Ray said he drilled the hole with a variable speed hand held drill.
In the event that the Plastic clutch master cylinder rod has broken, you will be compelled to do one of two things to make the repair. You will either purchase a new clutch master cylinder, or you could find a metal clutch master rod and modify it (grinding) to fit the existing old style clutch master. Well if you figure you will just suck it up and buy the Master, well there is a problem: If you choose to purchase a new clutch master cylinder you will be forced to purchase three additional hydraulic clutch components, to the tune of $350. The reason for this is that Ford no longer sells a direct replacement for the original clutch master cylinder. They sell an “improved” replacement clutch master that uses a steel rod. (This clutch master is the one currently used on 1996- 1997 Manual Transmission F-Series’.) It is entirely incompatible with the hydraulic clutch components that are in your truck. Unfortunately, if you choose this route, this fix is going to involve bringing a shopping bag to the dealer because this is what you will need to get you shifting again:
• New Clutch master cylinder with metal rod Ford Part # F2TZ7A543D
• New Slave cylinder Ford Part # E3TZ7A564A
• New Neutral Safety Switch Ford Part # FF57Z11A152A
• New High Pressure Line Ford Part #. F5TZ7A512A
One good thing about the 1996 – 1997 F-Series is that the metal rod is unlikely to break but if it does the only replacement part needed would be the Clutch master cylinder. Or find a rod in a junkyard.
So it may behoove you to keep an eye out for rod misalignment or just spend a couple of bucks and beat it to the punch.