The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Clutch removal

I have a 1953 GMC 1-ton truck with a 1954 Chevy 235. It had the SM420 trans with the crossmember under the bellhousing. I cannot get the pressure plate and clutch out past the crossmember. Is there any way to do it without pulling the engine?

Most likely, you have already removed the transmission?

Have you removed the inspection plate/cover under the clutch housing?

It has been a while since I worked on a 47-53: are you unable to drop the clutch-assembly downwards?

Then, drop the flywheel downwards?

Someone with experience will post info.

Yes I've pulled the trans, removed the clutch fork, the pivot ball, and everything else in the way. I removed the bolts for the pressure plate and tried to get both the plate and the clutch to drop down every way I could think of. I'm about 1/8" shy of getting them down past the crossmember. My shop manual shows GMC clutch setup and is no help. Everything I've searched says it just drops down, but mine doesn't.

Have you tried dropping the clutch disc downwards and then drop the pressure plate downwards?

It has been a long while since I worked on a 1947-53 frame cross member. Maybe someone else will be more helpful?

Yes - the clutch has a "neck" that is maybe 3/4" deep and faces toward the flywheel. It wont clear the flywheel.

can you support the rear of the engine, then remove the bellhousing? If so, do that and then remove the clutch and pressure plate

Trim cross member 1/8 ? If all else fails.

Sometimes it helps to pull the fork and pivot ball.
Have you tried keeping the disc against the flywheel, and dropping the PP first?

Chad, I had similar problems when I replaced the clutch last November on my '57 3/4 ton with a 235 and an SM420. I didn't think that I would ever get it out...or back in. Mine came with the heavy duty 11" clutch and pressure plate. My hunch is that you might have the same. I bet the smaller 10" one would have more wiggle room, but the 11" barely fit.

I tried different ways...pressure plate first, clutch first, etc. and finally got it out. Try to remember how you got it out because you'll need to do the reverse to get it back in.

I did mine on my back on the garage floor. It would have been much easier with a lift.

I scraped up the back of my hands pretty well and finally got smart and put on a pair of gloves.

I'm not familiar with the underneath of a '53 GMC, but thought that I would share because I had the same frustrating experience with my '57 and had to get the sequence just right to get it in and out.

I had purchased a 10" clutch not knowing that I had an 11". The 11" is harder to find. I was lucky that my local O'Reilly had an 11" in stock. It wasn't listed for my truck. The part number is K5473-01.

Good luck,

Matt

Thanks - I'll fight it some more and might end up having to trim the crossmember. There is next to no room between the crossmember and firewall.

Lift rear of engine by placing a jack under engine oil pan or bell housing.
Then remove the rear rubber engine/bell housing mounts or just remove the rear mount bolts.
Then lower bell housing onto rear crossmember.
This might lower and pivot the bell housing forward, just enough to clear the crossmember lip.
Check Fig. 21 engine rear mount
Read Rear mount removal
There might be enough space, between bell housing and crossmember to clear 1/8th of a inch.
PICTURE Click pic to enlarge.