2002 Ranger FX4 clutch question??

[rizzo]

Hello,
I'm wondering what replacement clutch people recommend and why. I have ~105,000 miles and the clutch is ok, but I'm thinking that sometime soon it may start slipping and require replacement. How many miles can someone who doesn't pull a trailer and is easy on it expect to get? I have a 4.0L engine. I owned a 99' Ranger and the slave cylinder kept failing. My 02' failed at 40,000 miles but has been fine since. Is there an updated slave cylinder to look for when I replace the clutch? I'm assuming the clutch will begin to slip when its nearing its death?? How long do I have, once it starts to slip? Anything else to replace when I have the tranny out for the clutch replacement? Thanks for your replies!!
Ps: How many miles are people getting out of the rear brake shoes? When should I plan on replacement?

Frank

 

[locovaca]

It all depends on how you drive the truck and your experience with a clutch. My truck went nearly 140k miles on the original and only got replaced because my slave puked.

There is no updated slaves I've heard of. I used the one that came in my Exedy kit from Clutch City Online. We'll see how long it lasts, but the one I pulled out in January at 140k looked original too, or was atleast replaced with a genuine Ford part.

Yes, a clutch will slip when it gets worn down. How long do you have once that starts? Again, depends on your driving habits and your skill. I mean, if it's your DD and it's slipping, it's probably better to change it out sooner than later. No use playing with fire.

Brake shoes last a long time because the rear brakes don't do much stopping, especially if you're not hauling or towing anything. Whenever you rotate the tires, just pull off the drums and look to see how much lining you have left. There's no magical mileage where you *have* to replace the shoes, it's all a matter of how much you wear them.

 

[gw33gp]

I have just a little over 105K miles on my 02 FX4 and am getting ready to replace the clutch. It is not slipping but is making a rattling noise when disengaged and it gets louder just as it is engaging. When fully engaged the noise goes away. I am not sure what it is but I don't want to take a chance on it failing.

I tow a lot and take it off-road occasionally so I think the clutch is near the end of it life and has served well. I only got 70K miles out of the original clutch on my 89 2.9L 4WD Ranger but I had put 31" tires on it with 3.73 gears. I eventually switched to 4.10 gears and was able to get over 100K miles on the next clutch.

I just ordered a Sachs clutch and slave cylinder from Rock auto. I did quite a bit research on what is available for the 4.0 SOHC Ranger. There are a lot of performance clutches available but I am concerned about their drive-ability. I have heard complaints about some of them. I decided to go with a near OEM replacement and Sachs seem to meet that requirement. They have two versions available. I went with Sachs part number K70313-1. It is a little more expensive but is suppose to be a little more heavy duty. As to the slave cylinder, I was told they are all the same no matter which brand you buy. Some are slightly different in appearance with a bellows and other minor differences but it seems the basic unit is the same. I don't know how true that is but I surely have not heard of an upgraded slave for the Ranger.

I think Summit has or had a slave that was claimed to made of aluminum. However, someone ordered one and it was still the same old plastic. I called them about it and they could not confirm it was aluminum even though their description said is was aluminum. They said they would check into it and get back to me, they never returned the call.

 

[rizzo]

Thanks for the reply! Are you on the original slave cylinder? Are you planning on putting in the clutch? I'm pretty good with a wrench but think a clutch might be a bit much for my skills? My biggest fear would be with the exhaust being rusted and needing a torch to get things apart. I'm thinking more of having someone put in a good clutch kit that I supply. I'll check out Sachs.

Thanks and let me know how the install goes!

Frank

 

[gw33gp]

My slave was replaced early in the warranty period. It did not fail but the dealer had the transmission out for another problem and noticed the slave was a little damp with fluid. They decided to replace it while they were already in there.

I will probably replace my own clutch as have always done in the past. However I am getting old enough that I don't like taking on projects like that. If I come across someone that I trust and will do it for a reasonable price, I will hand them the parts and let them do it. Since I want to make sure it is done right, I will probably end up doing it myself.

Living in So Cal leaves the exhaust fairly easy to take apart so that should not be an issue. I have an attachment for my floor jack that converts it to a transmission jack so the weight of the transmission and transfer case should not be a problem either. I will let you know how it goes once it is done.