Tranny/clutch slipping on an '89 fullsize...help!

[GNRAxlRose88]

Heres the story.

I have a full size '89 Bronco that i bought in August. In Feb. the previous owner had some work done on the reverse gear by a hole-in-the-wall garage that was seriously ran by a guy that looked like a slimy used car salesman and the employees looked like highschool dropouts.

Anyway, a week after i bought it the tranny seals began to leak. We brought it back, and the slimeball admitted that he remembered the truck, and that one of his employees worked on it, and that one of his employees screwed up on re-assembly, but he wasn't going to fix it, not for free anyway.

So we told the guy to piss off and decided once it got warm me and my brother were going to fix it ourselves. (my brothers a mechanic but we wanted to see the slimeballs reaction.)

About 2 weeks ago something began to "slip." First gear is fine, but 2nd, 3rd, and 4th have no power. You can stand on it and all it does is redlines and the truck hardly gets any speed. I can get it to about 45 if i try hard enough, and try to shift into OD and when it gets into OD it only goes to 50 and after about a minute the clutch begins to burn bad enough it fills the whole cabin with stench.

It also whines alot, expecially when the clutch pedal is pushed it. it kinda "winds out." I've been told two different things, that the gear lube got too low in the tranny and the bands are shot, and also that the clutch is slipping and the clutch plate, pressure plate, and throwout bearing need to be replaced, along with (maybe) the flywheel.

I was told this by two different Ford garages. One told me tranny, one told me clutch. Can anyone help me, or shed some light on the subject? I don't want to replace a whole tranny but i don't want to lose my truck...help!!!

I should also add it's a 4.9 L 6 with a manual 4 speed/with od.

[rhandwor]

I would say the clutch is shot. You should replace the clutch master and slave cylinder at the same time. I would purchase all new from advance. I've used rebuilt but you have to use a shop that does good work. As I haven't drove the vehicle ask your brother. A transmission usually has other types of problems

[GNRAxlRose88]

Originally Posted by rhandwor

I would say the clutch is shot. You should replace the clutch master and slave cylinder at the same time. I would purchase all new from advance. I've used rebuilt but you have to use a shop that does good work. As I haven't drove the vehicle ask your brother. A transmission usually has other types of problems

Thanks, thats kinda what i figured. My brother said the same, we jsut wanted second opinions. It's almost compleatly gone now, i have enough to move it in and out of the driveway...however it has to pretty much be forced.

Would the clutch lead to problems with the transmission at all? And approximatly how much do the parts cost and how long is labor? Thanks again!

[rhandwor]

Call Advanced auto and get a price on a clutch set pressure plate,clutch disk,throw out bearing. Ask for a price on a clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder. Call a clutch place about a rebuilt set. Get a price to turn the flywheel.
You and your brother could do it in a 1/2 day if 4WD a full day.
You need 4 jack stands and a floor jack plus basic hand tools.