Issues after hein joint mod

[Kraig]

hello all,
I just did the helm joint mod last week and it totally changed my truck. It was amazing. But now I all of the sudden have about 2” of dead slack on the initial travel of the clutch pedal and now the truck won’t crank. I suspect the safety switch isn’t engaging but does anyone know why the clutch master cylinder would be doing this? Especially after a heim joint mod?

 

[greenskeeper]

Any resistance during the 2” of travel?

Clutch switch can be easily bypassed to get you going again.

 

[Kraig]

No resistance. When I look under there and watch, it’s like the clutch master cylinder doesn’t have the force to push the pedal all the way up. You have to grab the pedal and pull it up so the springs can push the pedal up

 

[greenskeeper]

Slave still connected at the housing? Bent clutch fork?

 

[Kraig]

i Will do a visual inspection tomorrow. I have been on daddy duty and I hurt my foot so today has not been my day. I will get back with ya tomorrow. Thank you for the info thus far

 

[Kraig]

All seems fine at the Tranny. I think something happened inside the master cylinder because the pedal is super hard to push and has almost no stroke. Almost like fluid leaked past the seals in the cylinder.
But I have 2” or so of dead slip on the pedal and the slave cylinder only moves about an 1” or less at the fork.

 

[greenskeeper]

The heim joint may have stressed an already failing part of the clutch system.

Rockauto.com sells the entire clutch hydraulic assembly MADE OUT OF METAL (not plastic like the Ford factory junk) for under $70

 

[Kraig]

I got the clutch slave and the master at Oreilly tonight as I have to have Thai truck up and running by Sunday. I will just change those parts and hope for the best.
Any tips on bleeding?

 

[greenskeeper]

Hopefully it can as a pre-bled unit.

If so, don't cut off the tab holding back the slave cylinder. Install as-is and the first push with the clutch will break it away.

You could also measure your clutch fork to see if it is bent while you have the slave out of the bellhousing.

 

[Kraig]

I couldn’t get a pre bled unit quickly enough. So I just got a slave and master.

 

[Kraig]

Ok I am in a pickle. For whatever reason the clutch isn’t going down far enough to engage the safety switch. Why in the world would that happen? The switch works but the pedal doesn’t go far enough.

 

[Kraig]

Also I am having a time getting this thing bled. I bench bled the whole system but it is still very soft on the pedal.

 

[greenskeeper]

Ok I am in a pickle. For whatever reason the clutch isn’t going down far enough to engage the safety switch. Why in the world would that happen? The switch works but the pedal doesn’t go far enough.

Is the switch fully "seated" on the clutch master rod (it's tapered) ? Can you post a video link of the pedal movement or lack of?

 

[greenskeeper]

Also I am having a time getting this thing bled. I bench bled the whole system but it is still very soft on the pedal.

You can also get a small hand oiler, fill with fluid and connect with a small hose to the bled screw on the slave. Pump brake fluid into the slave and it should force the air to come out at the reservoir. Also make sure that the hydraulic hose isn't positioned so an "air pocket" could form in the line.

 

[Kraig]

Ok. I pulled the whole thing and bench bled it. Installed it and it was soft. I worked it and worked it and I think it bled out. It is running and driving. And the fix for the no crank was the rod wasn’t fully seated into the new master cylinder. So I seated it and then pulle the lever and retightened it. It seems to be working.