I have an 01 Ranger XLT 4wd 4.0 SOHC with 100K miles. The clutch failed completely about 4 years ago. I replaced the slave and clutch. My slave cylinder is leaking again, so decided to do a complete clutch replacement. Stamped on the front of the pressure plate is a reference to check the service manual about the three springs on the face. Are these pre-load springs? What is supposed to happen with them?

 

There are two kinds of pressure plates(clutch plates)
Self adjusting, with the 3 or 4 springs
And non-adjusting, no springs.

The non-adjusting pressure plates were, and are, used with externally adjustable slaves or cables, as the clutch disc wears down you can(have to) adjust where clutch engages and disengages.

Self adjusting pressure plates are used with internal slaves because there is no way to get at the slaves to adjust them as the clutch disc wears down.
The springs should be compressed on a new pressure plate, as the clutch disc wears down the springs slowly release to keep pressure plate the correct distance from the clutch disc, so clutch pedal engage/disengage stays at the same place as the clutch disc wears down.

You can reset the springs on a self adjusting pressure plate but you need a hydraulic press to apply enough force to press the plate back to "new" position.

So if you got a new clutch plate springs should be compressed
If you reuse a self adjusting pressure plate without resetting it, with a new clutch disc, the clutch pedal won't release the clutch disc fully when pressed to the floor, it will be hard, if not impossible, to get trans into 1st with engine running
You can start engine in 1st and go from there, but would be smelling clutch disc for awhile until disc was worn down enough to not rub with clutch pedal down.

Very short video on resetting self adjusting pressure plate: www.youtube.com/watch?v=08aYbyejOm4

 

Thanks for that info. I was seriously concerned about whether I installed the first one correctly causing the failure. The springs on my replacement clutch plate are compressed which I assume they should be. The first was a Chinese version to save money.

Thanks for responding. You are a lifesaver.

George