I've been having trouble getting my stick shift into gear. I'm pretty sure it's not the clutch. An example is; I push the clutch pedal to the floor and try to put it into the reverse, the shifter won't budge. After 10 minutes or so, I can get it into gear, although I have to use a bit of force.

Once I start driving it's fine.

But now the gears are starting to grind.:wiggle: so I'm taking it into Ford, but anyone have ideas?

Dont take it to Ford, it sounds like the clutch master cylinder is bad. I know when I snapped the fitting on the firewall and the fluid was leaking out my clucth did the same thing. JIMMY

Mine have always been tough but you have a warranty so Ford = solution

Or the slave cylinder is bad, which is much more difficult to change.

Or, it just needs to get bled. I'd start there.

Or, it just needs to get bled. I'd start there.
And why would it need to be bled? Where does air come from? Leaks! The slave or MC is leaking, most likely the slave. Limping a leaking clutch is the biggest waste of time there is, as evident by one of the previous leaking slave threads, the OP still had to find out the hard way it needed to be replaced and bleeding only frustrates you more..

try bleeding it. my slave cylinder went out but their was a seal blown in it and it was leaking. you have to take off both drive shafts the t-case and Y-pipe if yours is four wheel drive. if its only two wheel it should just be the drive shaft tranny cross support and Y-pipe. youll need air tools to make this job alot easier. long extension(s) and a 1/2" swivel for the end to get the socket on the top bolts. and having two guys comes in handy for sure. theirs a fitting for the hydrolic line going into the slave cylinder that needs to be taken out before the tranny is removed. once the trans is out its just two bolts that hold the slave cylinder in. not as hard as it sounds just very very time consuming

The slave or MC is leaking, most likely the slave. Limping a leaking clutch is the biggest waste of time there is, as evident by one of the previous leaking slave threads, the OP still had to find out the hard way it needed to be replaced and bleeding only frustrates you more..

Exactly.

The slave cylinders on Rangers are plastic pieces of sh*t!! I've changed mine and when I seen the replacement, I just laughed at how such an important piece is made from PLASTIC.

OP....if your slave is shot, you'll need to also make sure EVERYTHING in the bell housing is cleaned. Brake fluid on the clutch plate and all the parts is bad. You also may find that Ford won't cover your manual clutch as a warranty item.

But keep us posted as to the problem and what Ford says.

They said the clutch is fried. I'm getting a second opinion though.

They said the clutch is fried. I'm getting a second opinion though.
It's not fried on an 08... You have a leak in the clutch hydraulics, probably the slave or the pilot bearing is dragging and keeps the input shaft from stopping.