Best prices for clutch replacement

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Ok, I have a 95 4-cly 5-speed 2wd with 180K on it. I bought it used from the original owner. They think the clutch was done once and I bought it assuming it needed a new clutch. When I got it home, the clutch res. was empty so I filled it. The clutch then seemed to be working but that only lasted a few weeks.

I think I need to have the clutch replaced. Where can I get the best pricing and who makes a good clutch. There are many different brands out there but this is my work truck that will stay mostly stock. I have installed 29x10.5 tires on it and will be installing a 1-2" lift. I may re-gear later if I decide it is too much of a dog. I know I need a slave cyl., clutch disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing. What about a pilot bushing? Should that be replaced as well? Am I better off pulling the trans and seeing what the flywheel looks like or should I just order a new one? I want to buy everything at once so that when the job starts, I can finish it.

Thanks,
James

 

[Ozwynn]

I would do it all. from a resurfaced flywheel to everything that comes in the kit and the slave cyl.

being thats a 4cyl, I would use the motorcraft stuff, I am not impressed with the crap autozone tried to sell me for my LandCruiser so I went with genuine Toyota parts, I recommend using genuine Ford parts for your application.

 

[TireIron]

definitely just go with a LUK clutch. Either the original or the pro gold are good clutches. The LUK kit normally comes with the disk, pressure plate, pilot bearing and sometimes will come with the slave also. I have found http://www.clutchcityonline.com to have great pricing and very fast shipping and service. For the flywheel I have always just pulled mine off when doing the job and taken it to the local machine shop to be resurfaced.

Thankfully the 2.3 is really easy to do a clutch on, there is nothing in the way of pulling the tranny out. To remove the pilot the normal puller I've found doesnt fit inside of it, but a blind hole puller on a slide hammer works really well.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Should I get a new clutch master cly. that's already filled? Is there a benifit to doing it this way? I've read that sometimes these can be a PITA to bleed.

James

 

[Ozwynn]

its the slave thats the pain in the ass.

 

[Hahnsb2]

No, it's typically the MC that traps the air.

 

[Ozwynn]

its the slave thats internal, bleed it before you instal it. you can bench bleed the master. I just bleed my whole master/slave/ and new steel braided hose for the Cruiser and its not even an internal slave. gotta wait till my uncle gets home so i have access to the Academy's autoshop to put it in, I got 10" of snow on the ground.

 

[rboyer]

General rule of thumb with a Ranger is that if the trans is out replace the slave. If it were my truck though I wouldn't care because a 2.3 2wd trans is a walk in the park as far as removal/installation. If you are looking for reliability then just replace it. As far as the master cylinder you should just get it all together with the one that's in the truck and see if it works and if it doesn't then replace it. There's no need to replace it if it's not broken.