alternative clutch line & slave cylinder options for 1987

[therabbithole]

Hi -
The [original, I think] clutch high pressure line on my 1987 Ranger ate itself with corrosion from what I assume was a leak at the connection with the master cylinder sometime during the truck's ~20 year vacation in an unheated northeastern pole barn.

I replumbed it with a replacement from Centric (the only option I could find that claimed fitment) and did my best to bleed it from above. The pedal is now frozen solid at the top of its travel, the bottom half of the slave cylinder bleeder is rusted solid, and the top half of said bleeder is now in my toolbox souvenir drawer.

1. I'm assuming the [original] slave cylinder is seized, but if anyone has any other ideas for things to try or check before buying a clutch kit and dropping the transmission I'd be all ears.

2. If I do have to replace parts, do I have any options for the hydraulic pieces? I've found a handful of vendors that sell clutch kits, slave, and/or master cylinders, but virtually no one has the hose. What are the chances I can swap in a later master and slave so I have more hose options?

3. What are the chances my (May 1987 build) truck has a later hose anyway? The Centric replacement has bare fittings on both ends, for the roll pin at the master and the hairpin at the slave; the original (pictures below) has the bare fitting for the slave but the remnants of what looks an awful lot like a quick connect at the master cylinder end, even though it was fastened with the roll pin. Is there a chance the frozen pedal is due to an ill-fitting Centric part?

Advice? Thanks,
Justin

 

[Shran]

There is indeed a quick connect there. The master cylinder really doesn't matter, you can use any of them from '83 up to about '94 or so and the fitting for the line on that end is the same.

I have not seen an '87 with that style of hose. What transmission do you have? Post a pic or two of the bottom of it and any tags if you're not familiar with them. Most '87s would have an FM-145 (5 speed manual.) That quick connect leads me to believe that you've got a newer trans (FM-146, FM-132, M5OD.) Or maybe it's simply a late build '87....

Anyway I would probably try ordering a hose and slave for an '88... that will be the closest safe thing, they all had quick connects on the slave cylinder.

 

[therabbithole]

Thanks! It is the FM-145, for sure, with the 2.9. Am I understanding you to be saying a 1988 slave cylinder will work in the FM-145? Would I also be using a 1988 disc and pressure plate, or are the clutch pieces the same anyway?

For added curiosity: I just scrounged these other bits from my I-might-need-a-picture-of-these-pieces jar; they, plus I think maybe a metal ball, were inside the corroded mass at the bottom of the master cylinder.

My dad bought this truck in about 1991 and I'm pretty sure but not absolutely certain the hose was never replaced.

 

[Shran]

Well... yes, more or less. The '85/86/87 style slave cylinder has a bleeder valve closer to the top of the bellhousing and a hose that is retained with a hitch pin, and the '88-up has a quick connect hose that is more or less on the side of the bellhousing and the bleeder is just a little further up.

Older style:

Newer style:

I'd remove your slave cylinder and buy whatever style matches it and if it looks like the newer style will fit, buy the hose for that application too.

 

[therabbithole]

I appreciate it. I've not yet taken it apart but am pretty sure I have the older of the two - the bleeder and hose fitting share the same boss and exit the bellhousing vertically, and the hose is retained by the hairpin.

I'll report back when I'm dug in and know more. Thanks again!
Justin

 

[therabbithole]

Older style indeed, and 100% absolutely frozen solid (I reconnected it to the hose once it was out of the bell housing just to be sure).

 

[Shran]

OK. So... I'm not sure what to suggest here. None of the master cylinders I've seen over the years have a quick connect, the hose is always retained by a roll pin, similar to what you have at your slave cylinder end.

I think you have several options:

Find an '88 or newer junkyard truck with an FM-146 or FM-132 trans and use the bellhousing from that and '88-up slave, hose and master - I believe but not 100% sure that FM-146/132 bellhousings also fit FM-145s
Cut a slot in your bellhousing to clear the '88-up slave quick connect and use '88 up hose and master (I have seen this done before, not really ideal.)
Clean up your hose, buy a slave for your '87 and hope to find a master cylinder that will work - unlikely
Find a hose at a junkyard with a roll pin style connection at the master cylinder. '85-87 trucks will be what you're looking for

 

[therabbithole]

For what it's worth, irrespective of how that quick connect on the original hose was meant to work, the replacement standard hose with plain fittings seems to be fine with just the roll pin retainer on the original master. It never leaked when I had it plumbed up to the frozen slave and I was putting more foot pressure on the pedal than I'd ever use in actual service, and I confirmed that it was moving a good volume of fluid after disconnecting the slave.

So... I'm just going to replace the slave with a standard 1987 design, and will just plan to get a new/normal master as needed. So far, that's the plan anyway!
Thanks again!