Installing transmission help

[Isaacjohnstar]

So I spent a good hour and a half today trying to stab my transmission back on with a fellow mudder.
It's a 3 speed connecting to a 1F engine.
It seems I can't get the shaft into the pilot bearing. I'm using a clutch alinement tool, but it seems to get out of wack when we try to slide the tranny in.
I can get the shaft splines in the clutch plate but nothing after that.
Any tricks or tips? It was a pretty frustrating way to spend a birthday. Any adivice would be great, even the bleedin' obvious.


And yeah I checked the tech links, FAQ and searched. I got a little info but not much.

 

[vk7ybi]

Have someone hold the clutch pedal in to release the hold on the driven plate to allow for better alignment. Check that the spigot bearing does infact fit the input shaft before installation. Use some transfer case long bolts with the heads cut off and slots cut into the ends to accept a flat blade screwdriver to aid in alignment before the trans meets the dowels on the flywheel housing. Install transmission bolts, then remove the long bolts and install remaining short bolts. Ensure clutch plate is oriented correctly. Take your time..

 

[3_puppies]

X2 on the prefit of the bearing before install, but might be toooo late now.

sometimes it's best to just walk away, have lunch, come back fresh and it'll drop right in.

 

[Martian]

Took my dad and I a couple of hours. In the end I still don't know what we did that finally made it go.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Have someone hold the clutch pedal in to release the hold on the driven plate to allow for better alignment. Check that the spigot bearing does infact fit the input shaft before installation. Use some transfer case long bolts with the heads cut off and slots cut into the ends to accept a flat blade screwdriver to aid in alignment before the trans meets the dowels on the flywheel housing. Install transmission bolts, then remove the long bolts and install remaining short bolts. Ensure clutch plate is oriented correctly. Take your time..

These sound like well earned tips above. I'll be heeding this advice sometime this week. Thanks.

 

[orangefj45]

whatever you do, DON"T use a set of bolts to "pull" the transmission towards the bell housing.

 

[Isaacjohnstar]

Thanks Guys I appreciate all the help. VK I will try all your tips they sound like solid advice.
I did pre fit the pilot bearing so at least I got that going for me.

 

[bsmith123]

trans

whatever you do, DON"T use a set of bolts to "pull" the transmission towards the bell housing.

x2,x3,x4!

if you use guide bolts just use them as an alignment helper--dont crank on the nuts to "pull" the tranny in---you can break the bellhousing if it is not aligned


but all the advice is good--I fought mine forever and had it hanging on ratchet straps---a little adjust here and there and then it just went snick and slid right it---just the way it is --it is either aligned or not and doesn't put up with much misalignment.

You should have prefit the pilot bearing I can attest to that first hand mine would not slide on the shaft out of the vehicle so I cleaned up the shaft with emery cloth until it did ---took about 10 minutes with a medium paper.

 

[Pin_Head]

1. Make sure that the face of the tranny and bellhousing are parallel. It won't go in crooked.
2. Have someone step on the clutch.

 

[ken_79-fj40]

I've tried just about every method above in the past with varying degrees of success. Then a friend of mine bought a transmission jack. I haven't fought with a transmission besides my fairly light T5 in the Mustang (which I can stab in solo without much trouble) since. Jack it up, look into the bellhousing, get it lined up correctly, and just slide it right in. If you are working in a garage or smooth paved driveway and a local tool place has one for rent I would highly suggest it.

 

[vk7ybi]

Yes, I have the luxury of a car hoist and telescopic transmission jack.. Perhaps I shouldve mentioned the importance of parallelism of the mating faces and not using bolts to pull the transmission to the bellhousing. I didnt have a second operator to help with the clutch, so I used a pry bar to lever the clutch fork off the rear engine mount, and tied it off to the front axle..

 

[Isaacjohnstar]

I got it in last night! I made the some 3 inch studs and borrowed my brother's help. Also, I used my uncle's floor jack that he fabbed up a tranny cradle on. It is just a piece of sheet metal that is bent in a cradle, very basic but it worked perfect. I will post up pics of it.
I was trying to do it on a gravel drive way so I pushed on to a level concrete slab and using the jack we guided it on to the studs and made sure it went in parallel. It went in with minimal effort.

As far as the clutch, I just unbolted the slave cylinder.

Thanks again for all your help, Isaac

 

[vk7ybi]

Unbolting the slave cylinder doesnt disengage the clutch.. Your clutch alignment tool has done its job..

 

[Isaacjohnstar]

Unbolting the slave cylinder doesnt disengage the clutch.. Your clutch alignment tool has done its job..

Haha yeah I realized that as I was finishing up the Cruiser today. I was thinking why did I say that, it makes no difference

I put my rebuilt engine in and it purrs Unfortunately my clutch master went as I was about done. I pulled it apart and it is too pitted to rebuild. I'm glad it didn't go when I was way out in the BFE.
Now I have to wait to drive my Cruiser though

Does anyone know the best spot for a new clutch master?

 

[DenverCruiser]

Search my name and you will find a thread (or many on this). It took me 3 years to get it back in because it was so frustrating! Easily slipped in the last time I tried.

As others have said, the trick is to use the clutch pedal and what helped me was to be patient!

 

[vk7ybi]

Easily slipped in the last time I tried.

Thats like looking for something thats lost, its always in the last place that you look..

 

[fj hunter]

hind sight is always ...

20x20. One method that I have used three times. I stripped down the rig, top off, and doors. Then jacked up the tranny/transfer and pulled them apart. used my chian hoist, 6 1/2 ton, to lift the entire vehilce off the tranny/tranfer and then rolled them out from under. on the return trip, install was just as easy since i had worked out the difficulities. got my repair done, set the pair up on the same jacks and stand. lifted the vehicle and rolled them under, then lowered the vehicle, engine included down while "aiming" the tranny into the fly wheel/clutch. The roof of my gargage at that time was 10 feet high, so that was a plus.

i got the idea from a friend who has a pit with a tranny stand down in the hole and he does the same thing, but only lifts the tranny/transfer.

good work.