i have a 2001 f150 4.2 it has a 150000 miles on it my clutch slave cylinder is going for the second time my question is ive done a few repairs myself and was wondering if i could tackle this on my own or is it better to leave it to the pros?

 

The hardest part is going to be getting the tranny out and back in - this is not an easy job if all you have is a driveway and jack stands. The guy that did my clutch (using a lift) told me the trans has to be turned 90 degrees to clear some stuff getting it out and back in.

 

thanks glc i figured it would be tough the cheapest est i got after i buy the parts is 676.00 the highest for labor was 825.00

 

When I had mine done, the bill was $1250. This included a full Brute Power clutch kit (pressure plate, disk, and throwout bearing/slave cylinder), a master cylinder, resurface the flywheel, a fresh load of ATF in the tranny (had to be drained to avoid spillage whehile the tranny was being removed) and all labor at $80/hr. Remanufactured OEM parts would have been about $200 less.

 

If you have no money you would be surprized how much you could do on your own

I've been "playing" with my 1982 4x4 for a while: pulled the tranny and the transfer case in my garage on jack stands, by myself. Damn it's heavy, and awkward to boot.

Next, last Sunday I layed in the dirt and dropped yet another tranny and T-case out of a donor bronco, again all alone Worst part was after it was all out and laying next to the bronco, there was no one to help me load it up in my trunk (trucks broke, right?) so I got mad and grabbed the whole shebang and somehow managed to get it in the trunk. Couldn't get it out by myself but I sure as heck managed to throw it in by myself.

Just picked up the clutch pilot alignment tool (ie. butt plug) so sometime soon I'll throw it all back together and have a working truck again.

Remember, there's no such thing as a "$500" truck.

 

If it's the newer version of an M5R2, you can easily handle it yourself. They're super light. I've install and pulle mine a couple of times without even using a jack. There is just no weight to them. Now if you're were talking about a ZF, I would'nt suggest and twirling under the truck without a few helpers and a lift.

 

Damn... people get raped on labor charges lol

I replaced the clutch on my S-10 for... 115 dollars lmfao

 

It's allot easier it you get one of those transmission cradles for a floor jack. Its really a bugger if you got a 4x4, transfer case makes it awkward. Try to get a couple guys with muscles. I did it by myself..

 

And plan on unexpected parts replacement while your at it. Pulled the bellhousing, pressure plate and clutch and found the flywheel had a groove in it. So now I have to get the flywheel turned, good thing is I have a local hookup so it's going to be free, just have to drop it off and will have it back the end of the week. So now that the flywheel is off, it's gonna get a rear main seal (4.9 inline six) and pilot bearing replaced.

I swear if anything else goes out after I get it back on the road I don't know what I'll do, lol.

 

it is unfortunate that the top bolt of the starter
is stripped go figure any suggestions?

 

Drill it out and get a bolt long enough to go all the way through the bellhousing and starter and put a nut and LOCKWASHER on the back side.

 

If the groove in the flywheel is deep enough make sure that you use shims behind the flywheel to take up the space that grinding took off the wheel.

JMC

 

It's more critical when dealing with hydraulic throwout bearings:

http://www.carquestbattery.com/commo...iveTC_2523.pdf


FLYWHEEL MACHINING
Flywheel resurfacing is critical to clutch performance and longevity. It is extremely important to restore
the proper step dimension where applicable. Dimensions for maintaining the proper step can be found in
the ARI Clutch catalog, Alldata or Mitchell on Demand. There is no specification for maximum
machining of a flywheel. However, the amount of material a flywheel is machined can vary anywhere
from .005 to .050 of an inch, depending upon its condition. Removing too much material from the
flywheel can cause release problems. The clutch set up geometry is changed as the overall thickness of a
flywheel is reduced; in fact, the clutch assembly is moved further away from the release bearing.
Flywheel shims are often available to solve this problem. ARI does NOT recommend this procedure.
Shimming will not allow the starter drive to engage the ring gear properly. Use of flywheel shims could
encourage installation of a flywheel that is too thin and flywheel balance could be compromised. Lack
of structural integrity may cause a "thin" flywheel to explode.
ARI recommends using one of their Quality Remanufactured Flywheels with each clutch installation.

 

No one recommends the use of shims because they want to sell you a new flywheel.


JMC

 

2001 F150 4x4, 4.2L V6 & Manual 5 speed Transmission, 144,000 miles

I have changed clutches before, mustangs from 1966 through 1985, but my F150 has been a whole new challenge.

While it may not seem like it at first, and at many steps along the way, everything you have to do is possible on a garage floor with jack stands and a transmission jack. It really does help to have two people - even through there is not much room down there.

The books say to remove the drive shafts and transfer case, so I tried. The first problem I encountered was the dang 12mm spline bolts holding the rear and front drive shafts. I could not find sockets for them anywhere I normally shop for tools. Sears has a nice set - but leaves out the 12mm for some reason. They have a great combination set which included as 12mm - but here I have to mention the second problem.

Problem #2 - its a 2001 with 144,000 miles - on the original clutch setup. Everything is difficult to remove. Ifs is a steel bolt in steel threads it is rusted and if it is a steel bolt in aluminum threads there is some similar issue going on. This just makes everything that much more fun (ok, more difficult) to accomplish.

After getting 14 of the 16 spline bolts holding the shafts on using the Craftsman 12mm spline combination wrench, the final 2 would not budge. Not budget to the point where I was using a hydraulic jack to try to turn the bolt head - but I only succeeded in bending the wrench, the first wrench I ever bent in my life. Searching again, I found that the local PepBoys sells a spline socket set with a 12mm included. I have a great little air impact wrench good for something like 580ft lbs. No dice - neither of the last two bolts would turn. Lots of Liquid Wrench and PowerBlaster, heated them up and let them cool down and over a few days tried several times with the impact wrench. No dice on getting them out but I did succeed in stripping the splines off the bold heads. By the way, PepBoys sells a set of tools for getting messed up bolts out – but the set is very conspicuously missing the 12mm version. Ok, so now we are going to attempt this with the front drive shaft still attached to the transfer case and without removing the transfer case (good news: it can be done).

Disconnect the transfer case from the back of the transmission. If I recall correctly these bolts are about 7 feet long. Just kidding, but between these and the bolts holding transmission to the engine - many of which can only be turned one or two clicks of the ratchet, with their threads covered in thread lock, they just seem a LOT longer than they need to be - or maybe its just a 10 year old truck...

The book does not say it, but go ahead and remove the bolts holding the back cross member and move it as far back out of the way as you can and then slide the transfer case as far back as you can and block it up in there however you have to. I used a botle jack and some rope. Hey, if you can get the drive shafts off, just drop it down and out from under the truck – wish I could have done that…

Problem #3 - the two bolts at the top of transmission - if you can get the transfer case out (I could not due to the drive shaft I could not get detached), they are easy to remove with a socket, 24" extension bar and ratchet from the back end of the transmission. You just have to know the two bolts are up there and go looking for them. Not the case for me – but you can reach in through the front wheel wells, between frame and body to use a combination wrench on them, the turning each one about 1/6 of the revolution at a time.

Now, the big problem, #4 - the transmission would not slide away from the engine. No less that 5 or 6 times my friend and I searched around for the bolt or two that we had missed. Tapped it with a 2lb hand sledge, yanked it, kicked it, jerked it around quite a bit – never got a crack big enough to get a fine point pry bar into. Finally, in a fit of frustration, I had him get into the truck and press the clutch - low and behold the transmission move about 1/8" – more than enough to get a pry bar in there to work it the rest of the way out. Wow, what a pain – again, I account this difficulty to the 10 years of daily operations without a clutch or tranny problem.

Problem #5 - there is just not enough room between the clutch and the exhaust pipe crossover to move the transmission back and drop it down - at least not with the stupid transfer case roped up back there – but I think not even without it being there. Simple enough though, remove the pressure plate and clutch assembly and then there was just enough room to lower the transmission down between the flywheel and the exhaust pipe - by just enough room I mean wiggling the transmission around a lot and tipping it back and forth front to back and then finally rolling it from side to side.

After this much effort, while in there, we went ahead and removed the flywheel (easy after all the above) and had it resurfaced. Also replaced the rear engine seal - after 144,000 miles, why not spend $8 on a seal rather than have to take it all apart again in a few months to replace that seal later. These went pretty easily.

By the way, borrow, rent or buy a pilot bearing puller - you ain't getting that bugger out with grease and a dowel. I know, we tried. And tried. And tried. When I tapped the new one in, it seemed to go further in that the one that we took out. On the old one there was a flange about 1.5mm thick around the protruding end – the new one had a much thinner flange and when I was tapping it in I guess it just kept going. Nothing looks bent and removing the old one split it in two – so I am going to go with it rather than remove/reset it and hope for the best.

At this point I am finally putting the thing back together. The rear seal is replaced, the flywheel is on and the new pilot bearing is installed (hopefully correctly). I am energized by reaching this step and hope to finish it up soon - although I am not sure that I am looking forward to wiggling that tranny back up into position. The engineer that put that exhaust crossover pipe right there needs to be hung by his thumbs and flogged 50 times with old O2 sensors still attached to their harnesses...

Not to mention that designer of those spline bolts. Now I am sure someone will tell me how much better they are than a good old hex head bolt - like the ones holding the flywheel on. But hey - I have never failed to get a bolt out before. Jeeze, what a pain and the heads stripped off anyway - why not go with standard hardware?????

If anyone knows if I messed up that pilot bearing placement, please let me know – hopefully before I get the tranny back in place.

Can’t wait to get my truck back on the road with me in it rather than under it!

Ken