YeahPete

So I test drove my first 2002 Trans Am. It was stick shift. It seemed the clutch was very hard to push in. Is that normal?

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Not for the stock clutch. It is light and easy. The car may have an aftermarket clutch or hydraulic problems.

YeahPete

Thanks. Yeah I was hoping that was the case. The car looked beat to hell up close

Boxxx

The LS cars I tested were stupid easy to push in, as light as my Miata if not more so even. My '96 is a little stiffer since it has a conventional slave instead of the hydraulic t.o.b. but it's somewhere between the Miata and Celica I had so still pretty light.

Cahill93Z28

An '02 has a LS6 clutch which is noticeably stiffer than 98-00 clutches, but I doubt that's the issue given your statement on the cars condition.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I don't think that anyone would describe a healthy stock clutch from any year 4th gen as "very hard" to push in.

SumDumKid

iTrader: (10)

Stock clutch is light and smooth. I'd have to guess the latter of these 2 options. I doubt the previous owner(s) put an aftermarket clutch in a car that is "beat to hell". This clutch issue raises a lot more questions about the cars history and what else could be off about it...

Boxxx

A worn out clutch is harder to push in, plus with hydraulic throwout bearings clutch dust is more likely to get in them and contaminate the system so I'd be willing to bet the clutch fluid is probably sludge from abuse and neglect. Put the two together and goodbye nice smooth clutch action. The clutch of the fourth gen was the huge selling point to me over a SN95 Mustang, on top of some other aspects but I wanted a later Cobra for IRS, since I have knee problems courtesy of genetics. Found a nice Cobra but by the third or fourth time pushing in the clutch my knee popped and gave out so that was that, that's ok I like F-bodies more and Mustangs are everywhere. Long story short it was smart to move on and the right one is out there.

R6cowboy

iTrader: (3)

Even a much stronger aftermarket clutch in good working order shouldn't be "very hard" to push in. So no, that is not normal.