trans won't go in last 3/8"

rockin_rick · May 17, 2004

On my 94GT with freshly rebuilt T-5 and the stock bellhousing, I'm using 2 studs as alignment pins, about 2.5" long on the bottom bolts. I get it onto the studs and in, but it will not go all they way in.

The end of the input shaft goes into the pilot bearing about 1/4", according to the grease left behind after removal. The splines are already lined up and mating with the clutch disk. I used the clutch disk alignment tool that came with my Spec stage 1, it seemed ok then.

Could I get it partially installed, all the way but the last 3/8", then have it sitting on the lower studs, put the upper bolts not all the way in so that the face of the tranny is parallel with the face of the bellhousing, then go in and push down the clutch pedal to allow the clutch disk to float and reposition itself?

Is this a bad idea?

Can the needles in the pilot bearing come loose and stand up while trying to put the input shaft in? Or are they held in? I didn't have any out of place, just wondering...

Any other ideas/experiences??

Thanks,
Rick

1fstgt · May 17, 2004

that's what i did. i had a friend push on it and wiggle it while i stepped on the clutch pedal releasing the clutch. i've had it happen a couple of times and it hasn't failed me yet.

Killercanary · May 17, 2004

I agree, push the clutch pedal in and out and the tranny will slip right in.

HazMat404 · May 17, 2004

ditto what they said. took about 45 min for my buddy and i to get that last part of an inch on mine too. gotta get in there perfectly

rockin_rick · May 17, 2004

Is this a job I can do myself? IOW- Will the half bolting in of the trans hold it while I'm pushing in the pedal?

Rick

HazMat404 · May 17, 2004

just dont try to pull it in with the bolts. im sure you know better than that but dont try that. its something you need another person for to make it easier. gotta do them at the same time (push clutch and push in tranny). maybe could do it yourself but it would be tough.

rockin_rick · May 17, 2004

I had a friend help me with pushing in the clutch while I was pushing in the trans, and no go. I am wondering if it's the input bearing retainer not going in the hole in the bellhousing? It seems to be about the same thickness as the input bearing retainer as the distance it needs to go in. I cleaned up both surfaces with some scotchbrite, and will give it another try a bit later (once I've got help again).

Is there anything else that I am overlooking?

Rick

mytight95 · May 17, 2004

did you change bells, or the imput shaft bearing retainer, if so some bells, and the bearing retainers wont work together different sized holes. i have had to take a bell that i bought off of a 94 and hone out the inside of it a lil' before, just so the bearing retainer would go in.

just a thought, if you can get a rubber mallet or a dead blow hammer, and hit it where the tranny mount goes or something that should work it in there. just don't use a real hammer

jason

rockin_rick · May 17, 2004

I did have the input bearing retainer changed, but I measured the OD of each to within .001 of each other (with my cheap digital calipers). The replacement was a OEM ford part I got at LRS.

Can it get slightly mispositioned during assembly? Or is it positivley located to the housing?

Rick

mytight95 · May 17, 2004

it wont be misaligned on the tranny any kind of way, but what i am saying is they may hit, is the bearing retainer smaller than the other, if so it should go, and that imput shaft going all the way into the pilot bearing is always a pain in the arse.

that is why i said take a deadblow or something and drive it in. I bet if you put your other bearing retainer on it will go.... if not still, then did you drive the pilot bearing all the way into the back of the crankshaft,

you say you are using studs on the bell as lineup pins, most bells have dowels so they are self aligning, did yours not

j/c trying to help

jason

rockin_rick · May 17, 2004

The bell is bolted to the block and has new alignment dowels. The studs are on the bell in the bottom 2 bolt holes for the tranny. They are just to help line the transmission up while sliding it in. After it's in, I'll remove them and put in the original bolts.

Haven't tried it yet, still waiting for my friend to come over and help...

Rick

yellow5.0cobra · May 18, 2004

pilot bearing took a crap and you dont know about it?

rockin_rick · May 25, 2004

Update:

It ended up being that the clutch needed pushed in, as originally suggested. My first helper was my sister, who tried pushing in the clutch with her hand, and didn't actually get it pushed in. This is because my seat was out of the car. I didn't realize this until a couple days later, when I got to thinking that might have been what happened. Asked her, and sure enough. I got a friend to push it in with (with his foot) and the tranny went right in. I must have hoisted that thing up onto my chest and tried to benchpress it in about 10 times... That got old fast. When it went in, it was a big relief, and I ended up staying up all night working on it.

Rick

Killercanary · May 25, 2004

Good to hear Rick!!! You should try bench pressing a TKO, or worse yet and AODE!

rockin_rick · May 25, 2004

What's an AODE weigh?

trans won't go in last 3/8"

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