Clutch install question.

[travisgm]

I reciently put a new clutch in my 96 4.0 and have disengagement problems.
I've took it to my friend's garage who is a mechanic and he measured the travel on the slave cylinder and said it is right where it should be.
I'm still having trouble what what feels like a soft pedal. He rebled the system just to be extra sure.
SO, knowing that the slave is working right and I'm 95% sure the disc is in facing the right way. (I'll be taking it out again to double check.)

Leads me to my next question......

I looked at the autozone site about removal and reassemble of the clutch and they talked about marking the position of the pressure plate housing when removing.
I never did this, I put it back in and the dowls lined back up and seemed to go back together fine.
Do I need to line up the pressure plate to the flywheel some way in particular?
If so, what am I loking for to line the two back up proppery?

 

[gw33gp]

My experience tells me a new clutch usually feels softer than an old used up clutch. If it is engaging without slipping it should be fine.

Did you install the self adjusting style pressure plate? if so there is a requirement to do a pre-adjustment before installation. The clutch I recently installed is the self adjusting style. I did the pre-adjustment and it felt like the clutch engagement was closer to the floor than it was with the original clutch. After I put 500 to 1,000 miles on it it seems to be more like the original clutch.

That information about marking the position of the pressure plate is when you are going reinstall the same pressure plate. When you install a new one, all you have to do is make sure the location dowels and dowel holes line up as well as the bolt holes. Actually, I don't think you can get it assembled wrong. It is important to run the bolts in evenly without cocking the pressure plate.

 

[travisgm]

Well, got at the clutch again on the weekend...
Everything was installed correctly, throw out was great, no air in the lines and the clutch would not allow me to go in to first or reverse.
Tried mouting the pressure plate in all 3 options no differance, when I tightened up the bolts (equally all locations a little at a time on each). looked like the pressure plate fingers were moving way too much. Also, I had to tap the pressure plate with a mallet to get it over the dowls.
I put the original back in and it slid over the dowls fine, there was minimal wear on that clutch'plate so I'm not worried about leaving it in.

Anyone ever had a defective clutch from the parts store?