I bought a new 96 4 door sidekick(non-sport) manual 5 speed and when i bought it i
was told the clutch was getting bad, which it did seem to me. i adjusted the cable a
bit until i could get the car home and check it out and order a new clutch. they said
the clutch was going to take a week or so to order it in. so while i waited i drove
it and the clutch slowly died. just wouldn't move. i could shift into gears but it
wouldn't move.  so i replaced the clutch(whole clutch kit) put it all together it
fired up fine. went to test it and it would not go into gear. if the truck was
running it wouldn't allow me to put it in any gear. if the car was off it would shift
fine. so i checked kick-fix and everything seemed fine from what i can tell. so i
thought must be a bad cable i replaced the cable same thing happen. so i thought
maybe i was an idiot and put the clutch in wrong. i ripped the tranny out and the
clutch double checked it and it was in correct. put it all back together and still
same thing. this time though i tried messing with the transfer case.. if the t case is
in neutral and the car is on i can put it in all gears. but as soon as i take it out
of neutral i cant get the car in any gears. and one again if the car is turned off it
will go in all gears.also if i try to start the car in gear it just buck as though it
trying to turn over but is in gear. what could my issue be.. why wont it go in gear
like normal and drive.?

look to see if the arm on the tranny is striped it sounds like the cable is not moving the distance needed to disengage the clutch fully

Throw out bearing is probably not being engaged by the forks of the clutch arm... It may have slipped off during assembly.

Check to make sure your cable is in good condition and you're getting enough actuation at the outside pivot arm. If you are then you may have to take it all apart again.

Hope that helps.

-Eric

throw out bearing seems to be fine.. the fork moves freely and the splines are all ok as well.

throw out bearing seems to be fine.. the fork moves freely and the splines are all ok as well.

You already have it apart?

-Eric

yeah this is the 4th time ive had it in and out... im running a 4 hour turn around time for pulling it out and putting it back in

Are you sure the clutch is facing the right direction?

yeah brd hntr ive checked it 4 times now.

Since you are getting proficient at removing the trans, take some pics
and lets see if we can't figure out the problem, but I think the current
diagnosis is right, the clutch is for whatever reason, not dis-engaging and
causing your problem

Wild

have you had someone actually depress the pedal while you were underneath looking at it's operation? i have heard of clutch pedals breaking in the cab. 
At 4 hours turnaround, have you thought about getting a job at a transmission place?

before i pulled the tranny out again i took the clutch pedal bracket out to have a look at it. the stud that the pedal is welded to.. the weld let go and allowed the pedal itself to must down a but, this causing it not being able to pull the cable enough to work the clutch. so i welded it back in place and its working great. thanks everyone.

Ones gotta wonder if the original clutch was fine in the first place and that this was the problem all along!!!  Ahh well, now you know the clutch is new so!! 

there is a reinforcing sleeve on the clutch cable where it turns toward the passenger side of the vehicle, by the steering gear. Mine had slipped down by the steering shaft and rubbed thru. This allow the cable housing to move too much and wouldn't release the clutch. take a look at that.