The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Total Tranny Frustration

I just spent the most frustrating day ever trying to put the transmission in my '53 3/4 ton. Started off with the clutch and it went in with no problem. Used an alignment tool and everything lined up dead center. Then came the problem. I used a transmission jack to raise the tranny and tried to get the damned thing to mate. No dice. So after about 7 hours, I gave up and went down and rented a cherry picker to try putting it through the floor like the manual says. Before doing that, I checked the alignment on the clutch and centered it again. It was off just a little, but hardly noticeable. Scratched hell out of my new painted dash using the cherry picker, but I managed to get the transmission back on the guide pins again. I am witin about 3/4" of the mating surface and can even put the lower bolts through from the back, but it will go no further and the U Joint is locked up tight. Maybe it is supposed to be locked up. I don't know. I don't know whether to start cinching down the lower bolts and hope that it will pull it in without damaging the clutch disk or what. I noticed the flywheel is harder to turn now than it was before, but I don't know if the front spline is through the clutch disk or if it is binding and causing that. I have it in 4th gear which is what the manual calls for. The clutch fork moves freely and is properly mated with the new throwout bearing. I guess I'm trying to figure out if it should go all the way forward to the mating surface on its own or if I'm binding up somewhere. I'd like to finish this tomorrow. Any suggestions out there? thanks.

Hy Rick, it sounds to me like it's not entering the pilot bearing, try backing off the tension a bit and use the throwout arm to release the tension on the disc, hope that helps.

Rick

What new parts have you fitted ?
Did they fit the trans input shaft prior to assembly ? ( pilot brg, clutch plate etc )

Rick; when I put the new clutch in my '49 GMC half, I also installed a new pilot bushing (not bearing). When I went to mate up the tranny, it was a very tight fit to get the input shaft into the bushing. Did finally go.

Don,t force it. Hook up the clutch linkage & like 3b says release `the clutch. These alighnment tools are not allways acurate.

Sounds like you need to disassemble everything and chack to see if all the parts are correct.
Sometimes if the pilot bushing was pounded in with maybe a socket it maybe mushroomed out.

Check to be sure all the parts fit separately before assembly, like the pilot bushing to input shaft, and clutch disk to input shaft.
Be sure you have the clutch disk installed the right way.
Do not use the bolts to pull the transmission home. It must slide in by hand or something is wrong.

i had same problem - i had a porta power jack - i placed it against the generator to the throwout fork - put just a little pressure to release the clutch a little & she popped right in .

should say generator bracket ( & do not force anything , or you could damage something )

Mine seemed a little bit stubborn on my 1 Ton. I had to use some force with my feet, lying on the floor. The technique worked and I remembered it from many years ago.

i agree with grigg,,check to see if clutch disk is right way, if in backwards tranny won't go on unless forced....

Well guys, before I pulled it all out and started over, I had someone push in on the clutch after I hooked up the linkage. It slid right in! Thanks to all of you for the input. Makes this site the best ever for stovebolters. Maybe this will save others countless hours of work and frsutration. Again, many thanks! Rick

Hy Rick, I'm glad it worked out for you, they can be frustrating little buggers.

yup : )

I always use a pilot shaft from an old transmission to aline my clutch.I also use it to install the pilot bushing.I don't trust those store bought thingamagigs.
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Floyd