The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline pressure plate...HELP

'59, with a fresh 235
The engine is sitting in the otherwise empty chassis and I'm trying to install the clutch & pressure plate. Clutch is in fine, but I cannot get the pressure plate up under the bell housing. The frame's crossmember prevents me from getting it at a flat enough (vertical) angle to go up in there.

(I've removed the ball for the clutch lever, so that's not what it's hitting on. It's clearly the frame crossmember.)

Do I have to lift up the rear of the engine to get the necessary clearance? I really don't want to do that, but I don't see any other way.

not clear how the 'clutch' [disc?] can be in if the pressure plate isn't, the disc and pressure plate are a unit, have you tried pushing them up there together? haven't done it in a while, but don't recall any problems changing the clutch with the engine in place, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do

Bill

Hy PathwayRev, you might try putting your pressure plate in the bellhousing first and then slip the disc in, it's been a long time but I think that's how I've done it in the past, hope that helps.

I put the clutch disk in and held it in place with the tool. Then lift the pressure plate up to go over the top of it.
First try...the tool was too long. Trim it off so the pressure plate clears.
Second try...it hits on the fork ball. Remove it.
Third try...this problem.

Having the clutch disk go up with the pressure plate won't make a difference because the problem will still be the bell housing/frame crossmember constriction.

OK, maybe I'm doing this wrong in a different way.

The clutch disk is not symmetrical. The center metal section with the splines sticks out on one side more than the other.
The ring with the springs sticks out on one side (opposite side) more than the other.

Which side goes in the flywheel - the side with the protruding spline part or the side with the protruding spring part??

This may be helpful. A picture of the assembly in place. Long snout on the friction disk is to the crankshaft. Or Flywheel as it were.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1954truck/54ctsm0685.html
I know this is for a 54, just the best picture I could find. Spring side is towards the presser plate. If this is the clutch you have, this is the way it fits. Now about the cross member in the way? I don't know. I have put the bell housing, flywheel, and clutch on while it is on the lift and supported before I put it in the truck. So not much help on that point.

OK, that's the way I was doing it.
I've wrestled until I'm sweaty and whooped. I think it may be time to loosen the engine mounts and raise it up.
aaargh.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

Is this a different pressure plate because of the transmission upgrade?

No, same plate.
I'm surprised no one has said, "Yeah, I had that grief, too." Makes me wonder if I've got something screwed up.
Having bell housing bolts behind the flywheel was not Chevy's best idea. Even free of the chassis the clutch disk and pressure plate won't fit up in there with the installation tool in place.

Ive always been able to put the disc way up in the bell housing & then put in the pressure plate. Its awkward & butchers up the fingers but that is supposed to be the way its done.

I have used the alignment tool to help hold the disk and plate in place a bit. But never tried to put them in with the tool in place. And it will help if you have more than three hands.

It's DONE.
Used the hoist, got the engine's butt above the frame crossmember, and had a lot more room to work. But mostly it was an extra set of hands. Friend came over - he's a Kenworth mechanic - and I held the disk & pressure plate in place while he started the nuts. Once the first two were threaded it went fine.
Can't imagine how I ever would have done that without help. That pressure plate is way too heavy to hold with one hand, never mind hold in just the right place.
Good grief.

I don't know why you would have the installation tool in at this point. You should get the pressure plate assembly up there, slide the disc in, start some bolts in and then put the tool in.

I'm confused also....there shouldn't be a crossmember in the way and you shouldn't have to lift the motor to get a clutch in from the bottom. Also....you put the disc in the pressure plate and lift them into place and start a couple bolts.....then insert the alignment tool.

A couple of things to clarify...
Not a stock disk. Got it from the guy in TX and it's thicker at the center where the spline "core" sticks out on one side and the spring plate extends on the other.

I apparently need to do more pushups, because there was no way I could hold the pressure plate with one hand, get it in just the right position, and then start bolts with the other hand.

And lifting the engine 6" made it easier to slide the plate and disk under the bell housing.
A second pair of hands had it done in 10 minutes. I held it in place (with two hands) while my friend started two bolts. Then we rotated and inserted the rest.

May have been a chicken wing way to get it done, but it got it done. And that's what counts.