Clutch install problems!!!

[ZPD]

This isn't my first clutch install but this definitely has been the most difficult install I have ever done. After probably 12 hours of lifting, angling, jiggling, bench pressing the transmission, swearing, using a variety of jacks, straps, blocks of wood, guide bolts, and more swearing I finally got the input shaft to go into the pilot bearing, but now I can't get the dowel pins to fully insert into the bell housing. I am about 1/4" away from fully seating the bell housing to the block and I can't get it any further without resorting to using the bolts to pull it in (which I know is a no-no). I checked the pins for burrs and lightly greased them before installing but I still can't get the dang thing on. Anyone else have this much trouble? Any tips?

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[ice445]

Did you try lightly tapping it in with a Mallett? It sounds like something isn't lining up, or the pilot bearing is the wrong diameter

 

[Rapid Red]

With all the effort put forth and obstacle encountered, and I know you ain't going to want to here this.

Might pull it back out check for nicks on the input shaft or pilot bearing. Would also polish the dowel pins & input shaft, 500 emery.

For the pilot bearing just run your finger around the outer edge, to check.

Pilot bearing size not in play, should not have changed was not removed, or input shaft.

OP did you or do you have the alignment tool, for the disk?

A clutch assembly can be a bitch, as if i needed to telll ya .. good luck almost home.

 

[ZPD]

Did you try lightly tapping it in with a Mallett? It sounds like something isn't lining up, or the pilot bearing is the wrong diameter

With all the effort put forth and obstacle encountered, and I know you ain't going to want to here this.

Might pull it back out check for nicks on the input shaft or pilot bearing. Would also polish the dowel pins & input shaft, 500 emery.

For the pilot bearing just run your finger around the outer edge, to check.

Pilot bearing size not in play, should not have changed was not removed, or input shaft.

OP did you or do you have the alignment tool, for the disk?

A clutch assembly can be a bitch, as if i needed to telll ya .. good luck almost home.

The pilot bearing is new but I did confirm that it is correct and that it is fully seated into the crank.
I do have an alignment tool and confirmed that it went fully into the pilot bearing. It is one of the plastic ones and I spent some time loosening the pressure plate, shifting the clutch discs up and torquing the pressure plate back down. I did this several times until I found the right spot for the input shaft to go into the pilot bearing.
There are no nicks in the dowel pins but I think that you may be right that I might need to polish them up. when I took the trans off I had to use a prybar to get it off of the dowel pins; they might just be plain too tight.

 

[thelostotter]

Similar thing happened to me. Make sure there are no wires hanging down getting pinched. I unmated the trans and it went together quickly the second time around. It needed some shaking persuasion.

 

[Rapid Red]

The pilot bearing is new but I did confirm that it is correct and that it is fully seated into the crank.
I do have an alignment tool and confirmed that it went fully into the pilot bearing. It is one of the plastic ones and I spent some time loosening the pressure plate, shifting the clutch discs up and torquing the pressure plate back down. I did this several times until I found the right spot for the input shaft to go into the pilot bearing.
There are no nicks in the dowel pins but I think that you may be right that I might need to polish them up. when I took the trans off I had to use a prybar to get it off of the dowel pins; they might just be plain too tight.

Maybe give the dowel pins & trans socket a shot of WD. Thinking alum could have a bit of corrosion happening ... Pins most likely are the correct size just dirty.

Cheers,

 

[SLOBullitt]

IDK if this is useful but back in the day we used to get some longer than bolts and cut the heads off and then screw them in the top holes to help guide the tranny in. Once you get the tranny seated and some bottom factory bolts in you could then use some channel locks to unscrew the bolts and install the factory bolts.

 

[ZPD]

IDK if this is useful but back in the day we used to get some longer than bolts and cut the heads off and then screw them in the top holes to help guide the tranny in. Once you get the tranny seated and some bottom factory bolts in you could then use some channel locks to unscrew the bolts and install the factory bolts.

ya I did that. That got me to get the input shaft into the pilot bearing but I can't get the dowel pins to seat in.

 

[SLOBullitt]

Dang, that sucks. Working on jack stands it's hard to get the leverage to shimmy it on. You might have to gently walk it on using the bolts. We've all had to do it at some point. Especially working solo. just go for evenly spaced torque and immediately stop and back em off if you get no movement. Fingers crossed!

 

[cop on my back]

I would suggest if you are up to the dowels and the transmission is square to the block use bolts to evenly pull it in. How difficult was it to remove? If the bolts get tight at all I would stop and remove to look over. It doesn't take much torque on a bolt to get a lot of force.

 

[cop on my back]

To add to my last post. I would snug up bolts and then jiggle the trans up and down and side to side and I bet the bolt can be easily snugged up more and then repeat.

 

[MyStang]

Quick question, Did you bench bleed the TOB? Is the clutch line hooked up to the clutch master cylinder? if so could be the resistance of line pressure from the TOB. like SloBullitt said use caution and slowly walk it home.

 

[MyStang]

At 58 years old, I just did a clutch job on jack stands laying on my back in my garage by myself. I thought it was one of the easiest ones I have done. This was the best tool I ever bought hands down.

 

[OnThree]

I had trouble getting the dowel pins lined up at first too.

I ended up getting a secondary jack and jacked up the transmission crossmember back up to level out the transmission.

That lined it up enough where I go start one of the bolts to pull everything together.

 

[ice445]

At 58 years old, I just did a clutch job on jack stands laying on my back in my garage by myself. I thought it was one of the easiest ones I have done. This was the best tool I ever bought hands down.

I'd never install a clutch without one of these again for sure.

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