ok my truck is maunal. it still has the orignal clutch in it after 103,3?? miles. i was wondering when a good time to replace the clutch is? from what i can tell it still seems to be in good condition. but i was just wondering when to replace and how will i know this?
thanx in advance for ur help

 

I'd let it go until it starts slipping. Once you feel it start to slip, you'll still have quite a bit of time until it's completely gone.

You can also check the clutch material itself. On the transmission there is a rubber plug on the bellhousing (or whatever it's called on a manual transmission). On my 2.3L 4-cylinder, 5-speed, it was on the lower left side of the bellhousing if I remember correctly. You should be able to see the edge of the clutch plate there. I don't know what the thickness is supposed to be when it's new, or if there is a recommended thickness at which to replace the clutch. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this?

For what it's worth, my neighbor still has the original clutch in his '92 Camry with 240,000 miles. I know there are a lot of variables that determine clutch life, but you may have more material left than you think.

 

Yup....wait for the clutch to slip. Basically, in a high gear(3rd or 4th) at speed, pin it to the floor. If the engine revs up, and your not going any faster, likely slower, that means it slipping. I don't know another way to try to explain slippage.

 

Ford's Test I got from AllData. Block wheels, set parking brake, 4th gear, 2000 RPM, let out clutch slowly, and if it dies (the engine that is) in 5 seconds your clutch is good.