Ive got a problem with my 97 f150 4.6l 4x4, the clutch is almost gone. I expected this due to the fact I haul a 24' 5th wheel behind it and that I pull my samurai behind it to go wheelin. I didn't realise how pathetic my towing weight for this truck is and assume its due to the clutch.

I now am stick with a rapidly failing clutch that I'm looking to replace. Is there anybody that has had great luck with a certain clutch. Is there an easy way to change it?--heck my tranny guy wants $1300 for a "stock style" clutch to be put in---does this sound right?? he says its due to part of the front suspension needing to come out.

Ive always been a fan of the Ford until being forced to work on it, and would rather pay someone to repair it rather than trying to solve what the hell the engineers were thinkin.

any advise?

I think the biggest issue is the lack of low end of the 4.6, along with the tall gearing in the mazda tranny, along with the tall gears in the rearend ford puts in..
I think a set of 4.56's might help the truck out ALOT, especialy the clutch life.

Sounds about right. Look under and see all the stuff that has to come out on the 4x4, even the exhaust! That price is all labor...

Currently our 97 slips a little, but we are putting it off as long as possible, and are only towing with my diesel now.

Adrianspeeder

I have always been a fan of centerforce. Get a dual friction one and have your flywheel resurfaced and you should notice a huge improvement. Crawl under your truck yourself and see if the tranny will drop out or if your mechanic is right about dropping suspension parts.

I have always been a fan of centerforce. Get a dual friction one and have your flywheel resurfaced and you should notice a huge improvement. Crawl under your truck yourself and see if the tranny will drop out or if your mechanic is right about dropping suspension parts.

It's all gotta go. I will be doing a centerforce as well when the time comes.

Adrianspeeder

You are WAY over the weight limit that truck can pull with that trailer, and probally damn close with just the sammy.
You need a bigger truck.

Would it help him if he got a "bigger" or heavier flywheel? I've heard of this and cant think of what it's called now but doesn't that help keep the momentum up thus reducing engine strain?

the GCWR for a 4.6 with a manual is like a scarey 4000lbs.

That is why I got a 5.4 w/ auto and 3.73s... 8400 GCWR.

Thanks for all the replies, kinda sorta makes me kick myself for buyin this truck without further research on the towing capabilities. In response to some of the replies

You are WAY over the weight limit that truck can pull with that trailer, and probally damn close with just the sammy.
You need a bigger truck.

Welndmn, my trailer is fortuantely a lite model, and comes out to 3400lbs--however that is empty, loaded cant be much more due to the fact I dont hold water or much when I go in an attempt to save whats left of my clutch. As for a new truck--I only wish my pocketbook would afford a huge bohemith diesel, however this is all I could afford, although now that I look back I shoulda got a midsize truck that could pull more :( heck a freakin ranger has a bigger payload--and I cant haul a large boat or horsetrailer w/a fullsize according to ford---a salute to ford engineers who kept my towing payload wayyyyy to low :flipoff: Oh and FYI, I bought this truck on an impulse buy--I did reasearch overnight and say that most people liked their trucks--I bought it with the intention (manual trannies are stronger than auto's) ha was I wrong here, however i do love my truck and would like to keep it if possible---thats the whole point of the thread asking what to do to make things better. :p

Crawl under your truck yourself and see if the tranny will drop out or if your mechanic is right about dropping suspension parts.

Rabid---unfortuanately I have crawled below and found what needs to be pulled, which does include the exhaust and torsion bars. I do know I could do the job, however just don't want to hassle with it, especially when its listed as 8 hrs in the labor book which = for freakin ever for me :)

the GCWR for a 4.6 with a manual is like a scarey 4000lbs.

Bremen, I believe it may be somewhere in the 3500-3800lb range---even worse than what ya thought. and yes I have exceeded it---hell pullin my 2500 lb samurai w my campin gear maxxes that out.

I think the biggest issue is the lack of low end of the 4.6, along with the tall gearing in the mazda tranny, along with the tall gears in the rearend ford puts in..
I think a set of 4.56's might help the truck out ALOT, especialy the clutch life.

Jrod, I would normally agree with you on the power, however I also drive a samurai--which has 63 giant gerbals (horses) so when it comes to power my truck feels like a powerhouse. When pullin my 5th wheel the truck pulls great, i have plenty of power and can easily keep up with traffic, sometimes even passing it. so the power issue isnt the bad thing---its the lack of pulling payload due to the freaking worthless clutch that I dislike. The tranny hasnt given any sign that it is goin to grenade due to the forces Im givin it, but I really havent pushed it--however im guessin Ford made the payload so low in an attempt to keep people from burnin through clutches and repaarin them under warranty.

Since ford doesn't repair wear parts, I doubt that they are worried about clutches. I'd switch to 4.56 gears and make sure you have the stock size of tires, and then I'd go for a dual fiction centerforce or a kevlar zoom or something, and if you have money left over, go for a whipplecharger. that will increase your gcwr..!

well, you gotta remember, the GCWVR doesn't mean shit.
If you look ad idenical trucks with a 4.6, with a 5 speed, or a auto(both 3.55's). your looking at a towing rating of 6800lbs for a auto, or 3200lb's for a stick.

Now, whats the only difference in those two trucks? the tranny..
both use the same rearend(8.8) both use the same brakes, tires, springs.. etc.
Now, why is the 5 speed truck rated lower? because the trannys are weak, and the high first gear is hard on clutches.
The truck will handle the weight just fine, it's just the tranny and clutch don't like it, just as you have found.
Personly, I'd rather have a stick for pulling too.

As I said, the GCWVR from ford doesn't mean shit, it's just fords way of getting around warranty work down the road. The big three also change GCWVR's with a stroke of a pen. Put a decent clutch in it, and pull away, just know that sometime down the road it MAY need some tranny work(doubtfull though)