*1995 Ram 1500 3.9L V6 Manual trans 109k miles*

My dad's Ram started making a loud screeching/squeeling sound.

So I went out and started it up after he got home.

It made no unusual sound until I began to depress the clutch.
As I depressed it further, it would make different squeeling sounds.
So I released the pedal and it still made this sound until I just tapped the pedal... it stopped.

It makes this sound while it is engaged in gear and while you depressed the clutch pedal.

Any ideas on this?
I've read nearly all clutch related threads here and I gather a bad/seized throw-out bearing could cause this?

He got the truck in '05 with 99k miles on it. He's elderly so he drives very little but this is his only car.. so any help would be greatly appreciated

Note:
I have mechanical aptitude and have replaced the head gasket on a car before ('87 Toy Supra Turbo) Is this something I can replace in a driveway with common tools other than a clutch alignment tool and what not?

Money is beyond tight

Thanks in advance for any help, advice or expertise

 

That's the throwout bearing going belly up. Needs to be replaced before it stops working altogether. Need to drop the trans to replace it. With a friend, this can be a relatively easy "driveway repair", by yourself..... unless you can bench press a trans, it would be difficult.

 

Throw-out bearing you say?
To describe the sound, I would definitely call it a metallic sound.. exactly how a seized bearing sounds.

I've got a typical jack to use, not a tranny jack.
Maybe I could carefully lower it using that?

Dropping the driveshaft and being able to reassemble/align everything is perhaps my biggest concern.

I suppose while I'm in there, replacing the clutch would be a wise thing to do as well... maybe even the clutch slave cylinder?

Thanks again for the help

 

Sounds like a bad throwout bearing to me.

On trannys with an internal slave it's always a very good idea to replace it any time the tranny is removed, our slaves are external, leave it alone unless there's something wrong with it, you don't have to drop the tranny to replace it.

 

Doing the clutch/pressure plate while you are in there certainly wouldn't be a bad idea though.....

Careful dropping the trans on a regular jack. It doesn't balance well..... and with the driveshaft removed, it will puke fluid if you tilt it the wrong way.

You are going to need to support the back of the motor as well... so, another jack will be required there, or some blocks, or something...

If you can draft a friend to help you, it makes the job MUCH easier. Also, if you replace the clutch, rent the alignment tool from where you buy your parts.

 

Yeah, first thing I looked at was the master/slave system.
Looks like I only need to unbolt the slave and move it out of the way.

Just noticed the driveshaft is in two sections.. wonder if dropping only the 1st section closest to the tranny is needed.. if possible?

I'm kind of in exploratory mode with this repair

 

Few blocks of wood up to the bottom of the oil pan would support the back end of the engine?

Yeah I'm definetly installing a new clutch kit if I rip that far into the truck

I wouldn't be in a rush top pull the tranny and wouldn't have it that high off the ground really, just enough room for me to maneuver.

Was just looking for/at the bolts holding the tranny to the bellhousing and to the engine itself.. passenger side between the floorboard and the top of the tranny look like a headache

Thanks again

 

Yep, just a stack of boards would be adequate to the task. Just don't move the truck around, and let the engine flop. That would be bad.......

Long extensions, and universals are your friend.

You will prolly have to drop the entire driveshaft to get it out. My guess is you have a "mid-shaft" bearing? If you only drop it there, you won't have enough room to slide the slip-yoke out of the trans.... just drop the whole thing, so you can move it completely out of the way. Don't separate the front and rear sections though...... and wrap some duct tape around the rear universal, otherwise, you will be buying a new one.

 

Yeah the driveshafts seem to meet in the middle at a fixed-in-place bearing of sorts.
Should I lift the rear wheels off the ground so I can rotate the driveshaft/universal joint cotter-pins?
I looked at the joints and the pins you remove with needle nose pliers seemed to all be facing up towards the floorpan.

duct tape around the rear universal? To keep it from falling out of the rear end?

Fortunately, it appears I've only got 2 bolts at the top of the tranny/engine.
I said bellhousing in my last post.. the NV3500 doesn't have a bellhousing

From what I can see, I don't have to bother with the starter?

The Sun going down now but if I tear into this tomorrow, you can be sure I'll
be back on this forum

Thanks for all the help

 

I've never replaced a clutch on a ram but I have on a few of my cars and I will tell you if you can borrow or rent a tranny jack you will be much happier. It's a real challenge trying to balance a tranny on a regular floor jack. The clutch kits usually come with an alignment tool also but double check that before you go home with it.