stiff shifting

[Alk-3]

Hey everyone. so today i was driving when i suddenly had a bit of an issue. i was stopped at a light, and it felt like the clutch was not disengaged properly, and when i put it into neutral, it was hard to get it into gear again, like it took considerable force to get it into gear. this continued, but it doesn't seem that the clutch is not disengaging properly because when i stop, and have it in gear, and let off the brake (with the clutch pushed to the floor) the truck doesn't move, but I'm still having a real hard time shifting. all the gears are really hard to get into, and need to be really pushed to get it to go into gear, and when it does go, it goes in with quite a knock, or grind if i don't do it quick enough.
any ideas what to look for? I'm going to check the trans fluid level, and the clutch hydraulic fluid level, and i plan to jack up one rear tire and see if it spins when in gear with the clutch pushed to the floor. should i also check anything with the master, or slave cylinders?
any and all suggestions are welcome.
i just replaced the transfer case a couple of months ago, and the overdrive a few weeks before that, and really really don't want to have to take out the trans and replace it too.
this is my only vehicle, so it kinda has to work. (its a '67 88" by the way)
i'll have most of the day tomorrow to work on it, so any and all suggestions are most welcome, even the long shots :thumb-up:

[acpatsouris]

Check to see if you have excessive play at the arm protruding from your bell housing. Disconnect the clevis on your slave cylinder pushrod and try to pivot the arm up and down; there should be minimal movement. If it's sloppy then most likely your clutch isn't fully disengaging when you depress your pedal.

[robert wood]

I agree with Arthur. Take out the floor and tranny cover. Check the bronze bushing and the two pins that pass through the linkage between the clutch lever and the gearbox. Aftermarket ones are junk and shear half off. Best replaced with a 1/4" grade 8 bolt and nut. Ray

[Alk-3]

so are you guys suggesting that the clutch is not fully disengaging? if so, couldn't i check that by jacking up one rear wheel and seeing if it spins with that clutch pushed to the floor?

[Alk-3]

Okay, I got it figured out. I checked the hydraulic fluid level, and it was nearly dry. I had noticed a reduction in braking power, but it figured it was because I was dragging a loaded trailer. Anyway, I bled the slave, and it works perfect again. Now I just need to track down the leak.
Thanks for the help!

[Alk-3]

Hmm. more trouble. It's happening again. I Cant bleed it out to work again. the reservoir is full, and i bled the clutch, and all the brakes with success, in that no bubbles were present. the brakes are working perfectly, but the clutch is not. i also have a little drip in the drivers footwell.
if im at a stop with the clutch all the way to the floor and i let go of the brake, the truck rolls forward, and it will roll backwards if i put it in reverse, even with the clutch pedal all the way down.
i took the clevis off, as suggested, and removed all the play from it which was a fair bit, but there was little play in just the arm that comes out of the bell housing. didn't seem excessive, and would this have happened so suddenly if it were the problem?. i also adjusted the pedal travel at the master cylinder and still no change.
does it sound like i need a new master cylinder?

[bkreutz]

If you have a drip in the drivers footwell (coming from the clutch side) that's where I would go. I also have an old rule, if you replace one end of the clutch hydraulics, replace the other end as well. Seems like every time I've replace either the slave or the master, the other end fails shortly.

[Alk-3]

yes, i have both a slave and ,aster in my shopping cart here with rovers north. I'm just trying to determine if i need anything else while I'm at it.
i just once again bled the slave, and still the same issue.

[Alk-3]

does anyone have experience with either the proline, or genuine master and slave? i wonder if it is wise to go for the genuine.

[artpeck]

For what it is worth on brake slaves I went cheap the first time and in less than a few months have replaced 3 of the 4 which failed. All with genuine the second time around and no issues.

[Alk-3]

good enough for me. I will order them on monday morning.
vie been thinking this over, and does it sound right that a bad master would cause the clutch to not disengage?

[artpeck]

Yes. A bad master would mean the clutch would not disengage. Inadequate hydraulic pressure. Been there.