Hard clutch pedal and clunk; Before and after new clutch...

[SouthSeaPirate]

When I got my 01, the clutch pedal was crazy hard to push. TB was noisy as all hell. Few thousand miles later, the shaft the TB rides on broke in half.
So new; Luk clutch, PP, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing; and of course the shaft.
Got the truck back and the clutch was crazy soft! Made the throttle seem like it was a cinder block. I loved it!
Now, a few weeks later, we're getting back to exactly the way it was.
I cant understand what is happening here. Thoughts?

Also, sometimes, when I go into gear, I feel/hear a thud. This is clutch pedal in, dead stop. Almost like the trans was or is still spinning and transfers to slack in the rear end or U-joint.

Help me out 'ers! I have it up for sale now; I don't want to sell it, but I simply can't do this anymore.

 

[dan1977p]

Sounds like you had a shop do the clutch. If so, have them warrant their work. Also, I have no idea what TB and PP are in this context.

 

[Matthew Currie]

I assume the TB is the throwout bearing and the PP the pressure plate. I would second the suggestion to have the garage fix it under warranty if possible.

You don't mention the hydraulics. An internal master cylinder leak might cause the clutch not to disengage all the way, even if it's not losing fluid.

Check the mechanical linkages on the pedal too. The later clutch pedal gets past a problem earlier ones had of bent arms, but the pivot pin on the pedal can still cause problems when it wears. On my 99 the clip and bushing disintegrated and the rod fell right off.

Also, if the lever itself was not replaced, it might have been damaged or weakened by the previous clutch failure, in addition to wear. It's very cheap and ought to be replaced too. Check the plastic ball on the pivot too, and make sure the little clip spring is intact. Those tend to break off, and though the clutch can work fine without it, it's a good thing to insure the lever doesn't come off the ball.

 

[SouthSeaPirate]

One major thing I think you're missing here; the clutch pedal was amazing after the new parts were installed.
I can't imagine the master, lever, other parts you mentioned just happened to be working right after a new clutch install.
Also, remember, the clutch works perfectly.
The slave is new btw, I did forget to mention that.

I researched the bent linkage issue before the clutch install hoping that was the problem. As you stated and I found out, I have the later one that does not have this bracket. I'll have a look and see if I can find anything obvious with whatever linkage system I have.

I have to be clearer I think. The pedal seems to be getting gradually worse. It started out the day I bought it with just being VERY stiff all the time, to stupid soft the day after the new clutch, and now slowly getting stiff again.

 

[Anthropy]

Was the master new as well? When you are stopped, clutch pedal depressed, and you are in gear with the brake pressed in, does it feel like the engine is lugging down and you can not shift? If so, I would suspect either master/slave or both.

Does pumping the clutch pedal help at all? Not saying that this is your issue, but when my master/slave went bad, I had to pump the clutch pedal like 10 times. Otherwise, I could not shift very well.

Tom

 

[SouthSeaPirate]

Was the master new as well? When you are stopped, clutch pedal depressed, and you are in gear with the brake pressed in, does it feel like the engine is lugging down and you can not shift? If so, I would suspect either master/slave or both.

Does pumping the clutch pedal help at all? Not saying that this is your issue, but when my master/slave went bad, I had to pump the clutch pedal like 10 times. Otherwise, I could not shift very well.

Tom

Other than the stiffness, the engagement, travel, shifting all work perfect. Pumping changes only the soreness in my leg. The master was not changed. I believe it's the only thing not changed. I'm beginning to think it may actually be the new slave.

 

[Anthropy]

This summer, when I had and issue with my master or slave, these were my symptoms. I have a '96 if it makes any difference.

When stopped, both clutch and brake depressed. Engine would lug down and start to stall as the clutch was not disengaged. I had to either 1, yank it out of first into neutral, or 2, turn off the engine, shift out of first into neutral. Pump the crap out of the clutch pedal, then restart the engine.

This would work for a a day, but as the summer progressed, and right before I installed the new parts, I was down to doing it all of the time. After the install, it was all good. About 10 years ago, I replaced the slave cylinder. This time around, I bought a pre-bleed unit from Rock Auto. A tiny pain to route the tubing, but I was done in short order. Hardest part was reaching the bolts.

Tom

 

[SouthSeaPirate]

This summer, when I had and issue with my master or slave, these were my symptoms. I have a '96 if it makes any difference.

When stopped, both clutch and brake depressed. Engine would lug down and start to stall as the clutch was not disengaged. I had to either 1, yank it out of first into neutral, or 2, turn off the engine, shift out of first into neutral. Pump the crap out of the clutch pedal, then restart the engine.

This would work for a a day, but as the summer progressed, and right before I installed the new parts, I was down to doing it all of the time. After the install, it was all good. About 10 years ago, I replaced the slave cylinder. This time around, I bought a pre-bleed unit from Rock Auto. A tiny pain to route the tubing, but I was done in short order. Hardest part was reaching the bolts.

Tom

Thanks Tom.
Unfortunately my symptoms do not match yours at all. Again, clutch works perfectly fine. Just a stiff pedal.


I have noticed something that I didn't really notice before as it has been inconsistent.

I hear a rattle coming what I think to be the clutch area. Doesn't change if clutch is in or out or in gear. It stops if I give throttle while in gear. Again it is not always but rather every so often.



Also, update on the mounting bracket. Mine uses a plastic tab. It looks to be in perfect shape and isn't binding at all.

 

[Anthropy]

Sorry, I was giving you the easy to fix ideas and not so expensive.

Did you have the clutch, pressure plate, or any of other wearable items replaced at the same time you had the bearings replaced? Unless I knew things were brand new (OK, nearly new) on a used vehicle, I would have had everything replaced as it is not so much the cost of the parts, but the labor to get to it in the first place.

As was suggested before, take it back to the shop you had the work done


Tom

 

[Ecomike]

I too fixed all my clutch issues and now have a super hard to push peddle. Guess I over did the repairs, LOL. I am thinking of adding an air bubble to the line as my rheumatoid arthritis can not handle stop and go traffic with this stiff clutch peddle. To ad to fun I have been tracking down a soft peddle brake issue for 3 years now on the other rig.