When i say "snap" i didnt mean making a noise, but i had a clutch before that felt incredibly springy, and got harder and at the bottom would just suddenly go loose.

It wouldn't ever be the ratchet making it hard for your info, all it does is self-adjust, when they go its just hard to get a biting point. If the cable is free it wont do that. The washer thing wont ever work on these either because of the adjuster, unless you put so many on it cant adjust anymore (!!!! a LOT of washers)

Now you say its had a clutch. I reckon they will have put a new clutch plate in, and not changed the pressure plate. The springs snap over the years, and the more springs snap, the less springs there are to spread the load over, hence a hard springy pedal......

Thats what mine was, when more than half the springs snapped the thrust bearing destroyed itself.