Worst that can happen with noisy throwout bearing

[Brady]

I have a 3 speed '73 K-10 with a noisy throwout bearing.  The clutch needs replacing, but I have been nursing it along for years because I use the truck only very occasionally when I need to haul something.  The bearing is getting more noisy, especially in neutral, but also somewhat while in low gear on my one lane road.  What is the worst that can happen?

TIA,
Brady

[bake74]

     The worst that can happen that I can think of, is it coming apart when your driving, blow out the bell housing and cause you to crash and get hurt or possible die.  Otherwise you will probably be stranded on the road side when it does finally come apart.

[zieg85]

Since you say you need a clutch anyway the next thing is the front bearing retainer the throwout bearing rides on as well as the clutch fork.

[snibook7537]

I bought a truck with the exact problem ziegt said. Truck needed a clutch, but not really, the T/O bearing blew up and overtime ate away the front bearing retainer and also chewed up the fork one day the bearing siezed and the guy thought it needed a clutch b/c it wouldn't disengage and he had to shift it without the clutch to get it home. I was really hoping it to need a slave cyl or something silly like that but no luck. The stuff isn't stupid expensive but the bearing retainer kind of sucked because I had to order it online and took a few days to come in.  I would suggest getting the thing replaced sooner rather than later.  If not you could always drop it off at my house, I suppose I could take it  

[79GMCChris]

Brady,

Due to the very nature of the majority of the guys on this forum, we wouldn't be able to just let it go until something happens.

Most of us would at the first available opportunity replace the worn/broken parts, and get the thing back into good working condition.

Like someone else said, your not talking about real expensive items.  It isn't your daily driver that you have to have running to get to work, FIX IT !!!

Chris