Hello, I have a 2000 Ford Ranger XLT with a 2.5 liter engine and a 4 with overdrive transmission. Basically the clutch seems to have very little pressure when I press it down (its worse when it hasn't been used in a while.) The clutch fluid is full (hydraulic clutch) and the clutch engages decently (it's going to need replaced but I haven't noticed any clutch slipping. It would do a burnout If I wanted to.) This truck has 131,000 miles the clutch, pressure plate,master cylinder, and flywheel are all stock. I was wondering if this problem could be my pressure plate going out? Is there any way to check my pressure plate without dropping the trans or draining the fluid? Also could this problem be something else? the clutch has to come up a little further to engage than I would like and sometimes right after I shift, the truck engages a little rough causing my truck to jump forward a little ( the truck has 4.10 gears, I don't know if that changes anything.
Thanks in advance

Also this is my first post on the forums, I have viewed a lot of articles on here but just recently made the account to ask this question.

 

Welcome


I assume it is the original clutch and pressure plate, so yes it may be due for a change.
Ford uses a self-adjusting pressure plate as stock.
A self-adjusting pressure plate has a set of springs that move the pressure plate closer to the flywheel as the clutch disc gets thinner from wear, this keeps the clutch pedal's engage/disengage point in the middle of the pedals travel.

If clutch pedal's engage/disengage point has moved then self-adjusting pressure plate has reached the end of it's travel, so almost time for a change.
And yes that could be the soft pedal issue as well.

Self-adjusting pressure plates can be reset with a hydraulic press, but most chose to just replace them with new one.

A Regular pressure plate can be used as well, they are cheaper, but since there is no external adjustment in this system the engage/disengage point will be all the way down to the floor when clutch is new and then slowly come up in the pedal travel as the clutch disc wears down.

When replacing a Ranger clutch always replace pilot and throwout bearings along with Slave cylinder.


The life span of a clutch disc is so subjective that it really can't be pinned down to a specific range in miles, some drivers "ride the clutch" all the time, others only use the clutch when stopping(RPM matching).
130,000 miles would be a reasonable wear out time.

 

Thanks for the info RonD, I'm going to get all of it replaced. I think I'm probably going to go with another self adjusting pressure plate, the guy that had the truck before me was really rough on the clutch but 130k miles seems pretty good. A lot of shops have been telling me most go out around 90k. Will it cause transmission damage or any extra damage if i Drive it until the clutch actually goes out? If I already have to replace it all, I wouldn't mind being able to drive my truck until I get the money to get it all replaced. Also should I replace the flywheel?

 

I would think you could just get the flywheel resurfaced. Lot cheaper