How To Bleed Clutch On A Ford Ranger? [Easy Steps]

Just like the brake of your ford ranger, the Clutch also needs to be bleed. It should be a part of your routine car maintenance. And, not doing it on time can be dangerous.

There are several ways to bleed the Clutch. Usually, people apply the traditional method. However, if the air is trapped in the master cylinder, the traditional method doesn’t work.

Here, we’ll go over each strategy in further depth, while we will also talk about the detailed anatomy of the Ford hydraulic system. Let’s get started.

What Does Bleed Clutch Mean On A Ford Ranger?

In simple terms, bleeding the Clutch is the process of eliminating trapped air from the hydraulic system. 

To understand the concept in further depth, let’s start with the fundamentals of the Ford Ranger’s hydraulic system so that you can grasp the entire concept of the bleed clutch in a Ford Ranger.

In a manual hydraulic system from the Ford range, a hydraulic clutch engages or disengages the engine from the transmission system when necessary. 

It plays a crucial role in separating the engine from the transmission system. For example, do you remember the last time you changed the gear in your Ranger and the vehicle slowed down for a while?

Well, that’s what Clutch does. It disengages the driving wheel for a brief duration, allowing you to shift the gears smoothly. 

Now the question is, 

What Other Components are Involved in This Process? 

The Clutch works with a master cylinder and a slave cylinder to engage the transmission.

The clutch master cylinder is a part of a hydraulic system that stores brake fluid. When you hit the clutch pedal, the brake fluid flows to the slave cylinder through a connected hose. 

As a result, the slave cylinder engages the Clutch and, in turn, assists in changing the gear in a manual transmission ford ranger.

However, Sometimes air gets trapped in the hydraulic system. It usually occurs when the brake fluid level drops too low, and air enters the system. And the process by which the trapped air is removed is called bleeding the Clutch. 

How to Bleed Clutch on a Ford Ranger?

There are several ways. Usually, people apply the standard brake method, in which someone needs to push the clutch pedal while opening the bleeder valve and then close the valve while releasing the pedal. 

Repeating the process a few more times solves the issue. On the other hand, if the air is trapped in the master cylinder, you might have to follow a slightly different approach. 

We will describe each of them in greater detail. Let’s jump into the details.

Tools Required 

Before you start bleeding the Clutch, make sure you have the necessary tools to perform the task perfectly.

• Turkey Baster to remove the old brake fluid. 
• Flore jack to lift the vehicle off the ground
• Line wrench
• A pressure bleeder
• Hose or tube to attach to the bleeder valve
• Cup or bottle to catch the fluid

Method-1: Standard Brake Method to bleed a clutch in a Ford Ranger

This is the most popular method to bleed a clutch in a ford ranger. Here, we will show you the technique and step-by-step process. Let’s see what you can do:

Fill the Master Cylinder to the Top

Open the hood and look for the master cylinder on the top. Use Turkey Baster to suck out the old brake fluid and replace it with new brake fluid in the reservoir.

Before you change the oil, check the user manual to know the type of fluid used in your ford ranger. Usually, Pentosin DOT 4 LV Brake Fluid is ideal for most ford rangers.

Lift the vehicle Off the Ground

Using the floor jack or jack stands, lift the vehicle to a 45-degree angle. It will make your maintenance task easy, and you will be able to reach specific parts very quickly.

Fit the Hose to the Bleeder Valve

Locate the slave cylinder and the bleeder valve. You would find the dust cap on the valve. Remove the dust cap and attach the plastic hose you collected earlier with other necessary tools. 

Open the Bleeder Valve

Since the clutch master cylinder is full, the fluid will run through the hydraulic line into the slave cylinder as soon as you open the bleed valve. 

Because the bleeder valve is open, it will come out through the plastic tube into the cup. Let the fluid come through the hose until the fluid is free of bubbles. Now close the bleeder valve.

Have an Assistant Depress the Clutch Pedal

At this point, you’ll need a partner to help you push the clutch pedal while you stay close to the bleeder valve. Open the bleeder valve again, and this time have your assistant press the pedal, allowing fluid to flow through the hose.

When the pedal is close to the floor, Close the valve and release the clutch pedal. All of the air bubbles in the system must now be removed. If it still isn’t working, repeat the last step a few more times.

Method-2: Remove the trapped air from the Master cylinder

There are complaints that the problem remains after trying this bleeding method. If this is the case, air might be trapped in the clutch master cylinder. 

Air bubbles in the master cylinder can’t be bleed in the conventional method. Let’s check the step-by-step process to get the air out from the master cylinder.

Step One: First, we need to remove the Starter interlock switch underneath the master cylinder of the ford ranger. To do that, you pull it upturn, and then there is a little slide clip that needs to be removed.

Step Two: Remove the actuator rod from the Patel itself. There is a plastic clip that holds it on. To remove that, slide the screwdriver underneath the plastic and pull. It can be tedious, though.

Step Three: The next job is to pull up the shaft until the fluid comes out. That’s all; you are going to get a firm pedal. 

Conclusion

Mechanics are expensive today; having basic repairing knowledge saves money that would otherwise go to the technician—moreover, knowing how things work aids in detecting early symptoms of the bleeding Clutch.

We try to cover all you need to know about bleeding the Clutch on a Ford Ranger. Two approaches have been described. 

If the standard strategy fails, consider a different approach. We hope that our efforts assist you in resolving the bleeding problem in your Ford Ranger.

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