Question about a sticking clutch

[Greg99FR]

I have a 1999 Ford Ranger, purchased in 2000 with 27K miles, the greatest truck of all time now has 170K, I use it as a second vehicle. Clutch has been strange lately, sometimes really easy to push pedal to the floor, other times as I am letting the clutch off to re-engage, it is almost as if it "pauses" and then pops to start engaging again. I have found and filled the reservoir with Dot3, rubber insert is intact and back in place. I read another post that said this might be the master cylinder -- I am not a mechanic but I did last summer re-do my front end with the help of you tube (upper control arm with bushing, steering links, shocks, lower ball joint, radiator, radiator reservoir/windshield fluid reservoir etc etc) -- did not go near the clutch. After filling reservoir with fluid what is next to check and how difficult would it be for a you tube mechanic?
Other than the special tools you can loan from Orielly's I have none. If it goes to shop, what can i expect to pay (ballpark).
Thank you.

 

[Curious Hound]

Just a thought....

My clutch pedal started to stick when I pushed it all the way to the floor. The rubber/plastic pad or insulation behind the pedal on the firewall had worn out. I thought the pedal arm was getting caught on that. So I trimmed it away. Pedal still stuck occasionally. So I attached a spacer to the pedal arm - 1/4" thick piece of conveyor belt material that I had. This prevents me from pushing the pedal all the way to the metal firewall. My pedal hasn't stuck since then. Maybe there's a limit to how far it's designed to go.

Just something different to look into.