[crsgmc]

I read the entire thread and had to reply. About 5 years ago I purchased a 1996 K1500. It was a real fixer upper. The body was great and very little rust. I have been driving standard transmissions my hole life, but driving the 1996 was really difficult. The foot pressure to push in the clutch was really extreme. If you tried to let the clutch out in first gear with any slippage the whole truck would violently shake. I found that if you let the clutch out slowly at idle and then applied the throttle it would not shake. The truck would almost stall so the timing was really critical. I decided with the problems in the engine, that I would replace the engine with a new GM crate engine. When I had it apart I noticed that the fly wheel was scored badly, and the pressure plate had some of the fingers bent. I installed a clutch kit, including pressure plate, clutch, both bearings, slave cylinder etc. I also replaced the pressure plate. Both engine mounts were broken and were replaced with new polyurethane engine mounts. Transmission mount was also broken in half, that was replaced as well. After the install was completed, the clutch petal force needed to press in the clutch was reduced by at least 70 percent. The whole shaking thing was fixed as well. I am afraid that I am not going to be of much help with sorting out your problems. I changed so much stuff that I don't know what parts fixed which problem. I suspect that the pressure plate made a big difference. Engine had a bad main seal leak that I think was blowing some oil on the pressure plate. The engine and transmission mounts probably amplified the problems that the clutch had. I think the heavy clutch had to do with the damaged pressure plate.