Master or slave replacement? How do you tell which?
 

I have a '99 Ranger 4x2, 2.5L, 5 speed. It's a little tough to get into 1st and Reverse. I know enough to know that it's either the master or the slave that's starting to go bad. I inherited this truck, and I don't think it's ever had the clutch fluid flushed and replaced. So I'm going to try that when it's warm enough.

But if the master or slave cylinder is bad, I don't know if there's a way to isolate the problem. Is it possible to tell whether the problem is in one or the other? I've seen some of the Performance videos on here, and I noticed that the slave is inside the bell housing, behind the clutch. Obviously, I need to pull the tranny to replace the slave, right? Not looking forward to that.

If it's the master, can you disconnect the cylinder alone and pull it out, or do you have to take the reservoir, cylinder, and the clutch line out all the way back to the tranny? It seems like it might be easier to do that so I can bench-bleed the master, and then put it back in.

Re: Master or slave replacement? How do you tell which?
 

They work as a pair, wear as a pair, and I always replace as a pair.

I was in Navy with a "Ralph Platner" from your town, know him? white/60 yrs old, wife named Bonita, nice people.