Clutch just stopped working today....

[waynaferd]

I was on my way to the dump, and as soon I stopped to back up to the hopper the tranny ground when I put it in reverse. So I shut off the truck, pushed in the clutch, put it in reverse, fired it up and away we went backwards, with the clutch pedal still pressed in.

So I speed-shifted it back home, hitting every red light in town ( there's only 2), having to shut the truck off and start it in gear to get going again.

I crawled underneath and the linkages are all tight and nothing seems loose, and it shifted fine from the house to the dump, so I don't think the clutch is "bad", just something somewhere let go.

So any ideas on what to look for or check? It's 13 degrees outside right now and fixing it from the computer seems to be the best idea

It's a 67 F-250 4x...

Thanks!!!

[averagef250]

I've had small rocks, mud, frogs, you name it get wedged in a pressure plate and prevent it from releasing. If the pedal feels absolutely normal the linkage must be fine. Something has happened inside the pressure plate. If the pedal feels weak or just different you may have something else wrong, like a loose linkage bracket somewhere or a cracked clutch release arm.

[kknip]

The pivot for the clutch reliese arm could have broke.I have had this happen on my 65 Mustang a long time ago.

[fordman]

i'd vote for the broken pivot myself. it sounds like thats what it is.

[waynaferd]

So if it's the release arm pivot, can that be changed thru the hole the arm goes thru, or does the tranny need to come out?

Thanks!!

[FORDification]

You can unbolt both pivot brackets, the one on the frame and the one on the engine.

[72hiboy4x4]

I think he means the one inside the bellhousing.
That one has to have the tranny and bell taken off to fix, AFAIK.

[FORDification]

OH!...heh...OK, never mind.

[averagef250]

The clutch release arm pivot is riveted to the bellhousing and is just a bent piece of 1/8" plate. I'd be surprised if one of those broke, but if it is you may need to find an entire bellhousing to fix the issue depending on your fab skills or how much your time is worth.

[waynaferd]

OK, I pulled the release arm out of the side of the tranny, and the pivot is still where it should be, nice and tight....But that's about all I can feel by sticking my hand into the hole.....and everything else from the pedal to the linkage to the release arm is nice and tight.......

So any other thoughts?

The way the mounts are rusted out and the cab is sitting on the frame rails I can't unbolt the tranny from the bellhousing and pull it back, so I'm guessing the motor will hafta come out instead, so I'll probably burn up the starter before spring when I can do that because I still need to plow with it.

Thanks!!

[ICEMAN6166]

The way the mounts are rusted out and the cab is sitting on the frame rails I can't unbolt the tranny from the bellhousing and pull it back, so I'm guessing the motor will hafta come out instead, so I'll probably burn up the starter before spring when I can do that because I still need to plow with it.

Thanks!!

sounds to me like your cab has sagged to the point where pushing in the clutch pedal no longer disengages the disc.i would jack up the cab and find some "fill" to go in between the cab and frame and see if you can readjust the play in the clutch to working status again.

[fordman]

yes that would be the first thing i'd do.

[tynall44]

sometime the pressure plate will collapse

[waynaferd]

Now that is something I'm gonna try tomorrow....I think I even got some 2x4's to stuff in there....

Thanks!!

[tsherry]

you might also check to see if the clutch is releasing at the throwout bearing, by removing the inspection cover and lookiing at the fingers from the release bearing to the pressure plate. My truck had one of the three fingers snap on my '67, which was the reason I picked it up for free--the previous owner had it break while driving, parked it for ten years, and then gave it to me.

That said, check the cab clearance thing first--might be a simple thing...