The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks lifting transmission

I've got a 1964 Chevrolet frame 4x4 350 manual 4 speed transmission that has a Advance design body sitting on it.
And unfortunately i found out that somehow one or a few of my flywheel bolts came loose and the flywheel wobbles.
Im planning on using my engine crane lift to go through the transmission access cover to lift the transmission up and back a few inches to get at the flywheel bolts.
Now my question is which bolts should i use to lift the transmission? If the best ones to use will lose transmission fluid thats fine (it probably needs to be flushed anyways).

The only reason im trying to lift the transmission up and back instead of pulling the motor, is because when installing the new motor last year i had to pull the transmission as well for easier alignment and had to cut the firewall. So if i could do it by just moving the transmission out of the way i believe it will save me a bit of time and work.

We changed clutches for years by straddling the transmission with the floorboard removed, grabbing the shift lever, and manhandling the transmission in and out. Now I use a 4X4 post across the window openings and a cable come-along hooked into a short piece of chain bolted to a couple of the top cover bolts. If you remove the shifter, the transmission is a lot easier to handle. Just push down on the sheet metal cover over the shifter pivot with a big pair of channel lock pliers, push down firmly, and twist a little to the left. The cover will pop up from spring pressure under the shifter pivot.
Jerry

why not just use a trans jack and take it down and out of the way. a lot simpler and easier on everyone.
i would pull the flywheel and check the mounting flange and the end of the crank. also for stretched or stripped threads in the crank. get new bolts and washers
ron

I use the engine crane on these heavy transmissions. You can take 2 bolts out of the cover & put in longer bolts with a chain. You will not loose any grease but like you say its a good idea to change it acasionally. Remove the lever like HRL says.

I'll remove the lever to make it easier.And thanks for the suggestions on what to look for after i pull the transmission. The reason im lifting it up is because i dont have a transmission jack. And i probably will end up dropping it down and out of the way if i need too.

I have done the four speed similar to Hotrod Lincoln, on a 71 Blazer. Chained under it and looped chain over a bar which had one end on a board on the dash and levered it. We did it that way so as to sling it and have it slide back off the spline. Also during installation we had up and down, and back and forth movement. You can use a modification of this according to your situation. I think we left the shifter on to control "roll". Just a thought.

Thanks for the suggestions i used a come along and cable to lift the transmission and move it back out of the way. I pulled it back just enough to get the clutch off, and as soon as i did on of the bolts from the flywheel just fell out. So once i get a new bolt and some threadlocker i'l put it back together.

not going to pull the flywheel and check it. your just going to replace the one bolt. there be a reason why this happened
ron

I am for right now, im getting ready to put it away/get it out of the way for the winter since i wont have much time to work on it from here on out.plus budget right now doesn't allow for much more problems to be fixed. And i guess im also just hoping that with some thread locker the problem gets fixed.

that is a bit of work to go through, to leave it like that
ron

I gotta agree, seems like way too much effort to have to do twice if there is a problem

I'm more concerned about the other bolts. One bolt fell out, are the others loose?

Any signs that the flywheel has been loose?

Your into it this far, I'd inspect the other bolts, crank flange, and flywheel. If there is any sign of the flywheel wobbling, I'd put it back together and park it, till you have time and funds.

Larry

well here is what he originally said, "And unfortunately i found out that somehow one or a few of my flywheel bolts came loose and the flywheel wobbles." I guess that it is," what we don't see isn't going to bite us". ignore it and it will go away.
ron

Im not sure if the other bolts are loose i didnt get a chance to check.
i only get to work on it everyother weekend since its a hour away at my cabin. and once i pulled the clutch and slide out from under the truck to check for any damage that may have occured, i didnt get a chance to get back under.
Once i headed home i figured id just replace the bolt (because some of the threads we partially messed up)check the others and put it back together. I may even pull the flywheel if i have time and take a look at it,even though im not sure exactly what id be looking for.
As for pulling the transmission it actually went pretty quick their were 4 of us so it wasnt too bad.

The flywheel can not wobble with only one bolt loose. It has a large pilot diameter to the crank shaft and a anti-rotation/indexing pin and 5 bolts would hold it flat to the flange if they are tight. So if it wobbled, then more bolts are loose. If you find all the other 5 nice and tight then you should be OK. If the threads are messed up: BEWARE!! Do not damage the female threads on the end of the crank!! If all other bolts are tight (to torque specs) then be sure the new bolt goes in with no problem, don't force it. Chase the threads on that one hole on the end of the crank if you know how. These bolts have lock washers on them and don't come loose unless someone did not torque that one or used old lock washers. There is a fairly large torque requirement on those. Probably 60 FT LBS. You should have had big trouble with the starter gear engagement if it was wobbling. this really all depends on if you find the other bolts tight or not. If one unscrewed and fell out, it was NOT torqued. Whoever installed the flywheel last needs a time out. We don't have winter here so I don't get that part but now it should roll easily, so just roll it to where it's "out of the way", make sure it's winterized and get at it in the spring.

I finally got back to the truck.And it turns out all of the flywheel bolts were finger loose,and didnt have washers. I pulled them all out and replaced with new bolts and lock washers, along with putting a hefty amount of threadlocker on them.I examined everything and it all seems to be ok.