2001 ZF6 wouldn't shift into gear

LonestarBronco

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2001 F250, 7.3L, ZF6, 274,000 miles.
13,000 miles on LUK 07-172 clutch and DieselSite Pilot Bearing repair kit.
Original clutch fork.

While on vacation in Lake Tahoe this summer the truck made a faint squealing noise while turning into a parking spot. I quickly pushed in the clutch pedal and stopped the truck in an attempt to determine where the noise came from. While still holding the clutch pedal depressed, I was then unable to shift the transmission into gear. I turned the truck off, worked the shifter through the gears with no issue and pushed the clutch pedal a couple times to ensure I could hear it moving.

Started the truck. It still wouldn't go into gear with the clutch pedal down. Turned truck off.

I then put the transmission into gear, depress the clutch pedal and hit the starter. The truck lurched forward as though the clutch were engaged.

Thinking I'm screwed, I call the tow truck and have it towed to a local shop. Two days later I make it to the the shop to check it out. The shop has had guys try to roll the truck back and forth with various combinations of in and out of gear, clutch pedal depressed and not, and their opinion is that the pilot bearing repair kit has failed and seized, resulting in a no release situation. I go out in the yard, work it through the gears, put it in first and push the clutch, release the parking brake, and the truck starts rolling! I then started the truck and drove it around for 30 minutes with no problems or noises.

Now, I had to get home. I rolled the dice and drove it back (500 miles). It tried to stick once when I pulled over for gas and family bathroom break, but turning it off and shifting into reverse and back to neutral freed it up and we continued our journey. We made it home and the truck now sits in my driveway while I try to figure out what to do.

The shops and dealership say that most likely the pilot bearing and input shaft bearings are bad. For a transmission of this age, their recommendation would be to rebuild/replace it instead of simply replace the shaft and bad bearings.

Thoughts and recommendations?
 

79jasper

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See if the pedal bushings are worn.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 

Mick

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Sounds like a bad master or slave assembly leaking through. I think both are fairly easy to replace.
 

troutwest66

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Cheaper to start there. Since with engine off everything shifts normal it makes me think master and/ or slave cylinders.
 

hawkdriver

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I would agree with the advice above, including checking your pedal assembly under the dash. I have just shy of 300,000 on my ZF with zero issues.
 

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