2000 Ranger Manual Transmission - I need some CLUTCH CHANGING TIPS!!!

Like a spring lock coupling? Not familiar with the line your describing.

The manual probably references the special tool number "or equivelant", what is the number? Do a google search on the tool number to maybe get a look at the tool. Sometimes there are ways to improvise around the special tools but for a spring lock coupling you just need a standard set of fuel/ac line disconnects.

Ford's hydraulic clutch connection is a special type of sealed fitting that allows the master cylinder to be bled on the bench and then installed without fluid leaking out. The hose has a male connector with a plastic sleave wrapped around it. The slave cylinder side of the fitting is a female connector with a spring and fingers around it. These fingers hold the line side of the fitting into the slave fitting.

To remove it, you need to slide the plastic sleave down the fitting to push the fingers out of the way giving room for the fitting to be removed.

Best bet is to soak the area with degreaser a couple times and try moving the fitting around. It should be able to twist initially. The special tool just grabs around the fitting and slides the plastic sleave down. you can do the same with the edge of a tool, or say a small standard screwdriver. Just work your way around the plastic sleave pushing it towards the slave fitting. Once it starts going, just keep working it until it's bottomed out. Then twist and turn on the hose to try to pull it out.

Here are links to pictures of the fitting. First one is the fitting at the slave, next is the fitting on the line. These are from my 93 t-bird, but the setup is the same on my 89 ranger, and should be the same on your 2000.

Hey Sleepdog,

Thanks for the good ideas. Check what the next guy wrote. The tool looks like a piece of sheet steel stamped .090 in. thick like the kind we used to get with a Sears weightlifting set. (You know -- the kind of weight lifting sets that turned into clothes drying racks.) The tool just has a square open end with a handle.

Mike

Mike8675,

Are you saying I need to push the plastic sleeve toward the transmission and it will press on the fingers causing the 'quick connnect' to release? Then I just twist/pull on the male end and it should come out?

Or, do I need to work the fingers myself to make it release?

In any case, if you don't have time to answer, I'm sure I'll get it off. I don't think I've ever bought a manufacturer specific special tool, so I thought there would be a way around it.

Wow -- thanks for those pictures and the info!!!

Mike

Mike8675,

I think you are saying I need to push the plastic sleeve toward the transmission and it will press on the fingers causing the 'quick connnect' to release. At the same time, I just twist/pull on the male end and it should come out.

I don't think I ever bought a manufacturer specific special tool, so I thought there would be a way around it.

I sprayed PB Blaster a couple of times on both ends of all the bolts that I think might even give me a bit of trouble. I don't have a torch yet and I watched a guy trying to get u-joint bolts out of a school bus with (I believe) Mapp gas. It may have been propane which is not nearly as hot, but Mapp gas has never really worked for me either. I tried it on some front caliper/assembly once and the bolt still broke. Experience has tought me when to stop and get the right tool though. Now, there is a point, when I would just go buy a torch. In any case, I think the drive shaft u-joint bolts will come out.

Best wishes, Mike

PS -- Wow -- thanks for those pictures and the info!!!

Yep, you'll never get it apart if you can't get that sleave to slip in. Due to the tight fit, you do end up kinda turning and twisting on it to get it apart, though if your angle on the ranger is better than mine on the tbird it might be easier.

You don't need to twist and pull to slip the sleave in, but if you're using a screwdriver you might find you need to twist the fitting just to be able to work all the way around the sleave.

Once the sleave is in you just pull.

Keep in mind your working with nylon or plastic tubing, scrape it deep, kink it, and its junk. On my old man's 86 ranger it was a royal pain to get at because it went in at the top of the bell housing adjacent to the tranny housing. Might be easier to just pull the clutch master off the fire wall and leave everything connected untill its on the floor, being carefull not to kink the line. Oh how we have to suffer because a plastic kwick connect saves 40 seconds over a flared fitting on the assembly line. Then again those wonderful spring locks on the ac lines have made me alot of money over the years.

Whitelightning

Whitelightning wrote: ...

Check out this link. Someone is building a new line for the t-bird slave cylinder... should work on a ranger just the same

I think you will find it more effective if you push in on the male end before and also while you are pushing in on the sleeve. This will keep the fingers from digging in and hanging up making it much easier to push in the sleeve. AFTER the sleeve in completely in and the fingers are released THEN pull on the male end.

Hey Mike H,

Very cool design. Today, I spent $90 on a new slave cylinder assembly from the Ford Dealer. It's got a lot of plastic and other cheap parts. I wish it were better quality, because I seem to be getting high mileage out of my VW clutch -- so hopefully I'll get high mileage out of my Ranger clutch. I'll probably install it tomorrow. Question: what kind of camera took those last two close-ups? They're awesome. I want to manufacture some small products and take pictures like yours.

Hey Mike H,

Very cool design. Today, I spent $90 on a new slave cylinder assembly from the Ford Dealer. It's got a lot of plastic and other cheap parts. I wish it were better quality, because I seem to be getting high mileage out of my VW clutch -- so hopefully I'll get high mileage out of my Ranger clutch. I'll probably install it tomorrow. Question: what kind of camera took those last two close-ups? They're awesome. I want to manufacture some small products and take pictures like yours.

Mike

Hey Whitelightning,

Very cool design. Today, I spent $90 on a new slave cylinder assembly from the Ford Dealer. It's got a lot of plastic and other cheap parts. I wish it were better quality, because I seem to be getting high mileage out of my VW clutch -- so hopefully I'll get high mileage out of my Ranger clutch. I'll probably install it tomorrow. Question: what kind of camera took those last two close-ups? They're awesome. I want to manufacture some small products and take pictures like yours.

Mike

Hey Whitelightning,

Very cool design. Today, I spent $90 on a new slave cylinder assembly from the Ford Dealer. It's got a lot of plastic and other cheap parts. I wish it were better quality, because I seem to be getting high mileage out of my VW clutch -- so hopefully I'll get high mileage out of my Ranger clutch. I'll probably install it tomorrow. Question: what kind of camera took those last two close-ups? They're awesome. I want to manufacture some small products and take pictures like yours.

Mike

Very, very good. Thank you so much. I might just take this job on tomorrow. Mike

Those pictures were taken and posted by the starter of the thread that I liked to at that website. Nearly all digital cameras of any quality these days have a mode designed for up close photos.