demonsmokr

What i did was support the trans with a ratchet strap across frame rails. That gives it alot more wiggle room so to speak. When supported by a jack, trans or otherwise, it doesn't have the freedom to move the way you need to.

Theres no trick, support by strap, have a buddy on other side under car, and both wiggle and push toward front, i dont want to say violently, but dont be intentionally gentle. ******* get at it.

I was stuck for 3 days on that at the install. Buddy mentioned strap idea, and thats what gave me the advantage.

demonsmokr

Just fyi, use a brass bushing instead of bearing for the throwout when you go back together.

Dave M

Well, I've had it. I've been struggling with this thing for two weekends now and it won't budge. At this point I'm ready to part this car out. I don't have anybody that can come over to help put muscle into it. I'm done. I can barely lift my arms above my head, they're so sore from manhandling this transmission for the last 48 hours.

350 groundpounder

iTrader: (5)

You need to watch videos on how to disengage the clutch fork. This is most likely your issue. Once thats disengaged you can lower the trans way down with the trans jack and give the trans a pull, if it doesnt budge raise the trans another 1/2 inch and try etc.............
take a break, read up on clutch fork disengagement and try again when the frustration goes away. Dont let it get the best of you.

spudnick3119

Where are you located? Maybe somebody that's local here could take a look and help you out?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

I'd come by and lend you a hand as I'm sure some of these other guys on here who have responded would. Hopefully you have something else to drive in the meantime but it sounds like its hung up and without being there to see what your up against and how your going about jacking on things its hard to say. Are the splines of the input shaft still aligned on the clutch? Dave sometimes its best to just take a break from the car and come back once you've calmed down and rested.

demonsmokr

Just take a break. Give it a day or 2 to rest if possible.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Dave M

I appreciate everyone's advice and offers of help. I'm in the Harrisburg, PA area if anyone who knows anything about the t56 is nearby and willing to provide some muscle.

To answer some of the other comments/questions: Searching on Youtube I found a lot of videos about disengaging the clutch fork before you get it jammed in there. I didn't see any about what to do after.

I'm using a large pair of pliers to try to pull on it. I'm not the strongest guy and I was tired, but I had a good grip on it and it seems like if it was going to give it would have. I'll give it another try. I have some ratchet straps so I can try that idea too.

Thanks.

demonsmokr

Do the straps. These things sucks. My first clutch kicked my ******* ***. Was ready to burn the car and garage down and give up altogether. Fbodies have a tendency to test your mettle. Its a chunk of metal, be smarter than it!

I assume you have all four corner up on jack stands? Good height? Im 6'2", 215lbs, I needed it HIGH. I couldnt get it high enough. So did what I had to do. Maybe 15" off the ground all four corners is what I worked with. Didnt trust my stands any higher. The extra buddy thing doesnt really do anything different, just makes you not have to muscle it so much by yourself. Get ballsy, supprt it with straps, only need one, but make sure its a decent one. And actualy ratchet strap you can continually tighten.

Get under it, on your back, tailshaft face level, then start wiggling and puishing. If you are within 1/2", you can get bolts in, and pull it the rest of the way without damaging anything.

What exactly are you removing the trans for? Big pliers wont really help you in this situation, you would need a big pry bar, and pry the **** out of it. It might break free. But I imagine clutch fork would be damaged. Possibly **** bellhousing up because you wouldnt have much else to leverage against.

demonsmokr

Dont forget to cuss, and call it names. Shes not a good girl. She doesnt deserve praise and admiration. Tell her how you really feel. Talk dirty to her. Force her to like it.

This always helps. When I get stuck, ***** not cooperating, I literally talk to whatever Im working on like its a dirty *****. Degrade it. Demean it. Make sure it knows its place in the world type deal. Wife sometimes gets shocked. "Glad you never talk to me that way".

Dave M

Yes, all 4 corners on jacks stands, about as high as I feel comfortable putting it.

Primarily pulling the transmission to replace the clutch and get the flywheel resurfaced. I'm probably going to pull the engine too since I already have the heads, intake and exhaust pulled off it. I want to replace the motor mounts and maybe get the cylinders honed and get new bearings and rings. I'm getting the Lloyd Elliott LE2 package and having him port my intake, so it seems like I should freshen the block up while I have it torn apart.

ACE1252

Dave, if the fork is disengaged, the top of the bellhousing is hitting the top of trans tunnel. That's why you can't pull the trans out. You need to seperate the trans from the bellhousing, remove the trans, then remove the bellhousing.

Make sure you have a jack fully supporting the trans before you try to seperate it from the bellhousing. A trans jack would be ideal.

Edit: Looks like your fork is not disengaged. I didn't read all the posts before engaging my keyboard....which I really need to do...slow down and read the roses. If the trans is hanging only by the disk, it's possible you've warped the clutch disk to where it will not line up with the pilot bearing anymore, thus it won't go back in. As SS RRR mentioned, you are going to have to muscle that fork loose.

350 groundpounder

iTrader: (5)

Demonsmokr, lmao!

demonsmokr

Correct me if im wrong, but i thought wuth LT1s, you gotta remove trans with bellhousing, on the LS style T56, you split them?

Regardless, if clutch fork still engaged, it wont matter. Unless im missing something, im by no means a novice.

350 groundpounder

iTrader: (5)

Actually the lt1 t56 is easier to remove by unbolting it from the bellhousing as mentioned earlier.
Then the bellhousing is super easy to remove with the t56 out of the way.

Dave M

OK, so what happens if I just can't get the damn thing off? I've tried again, hung it by ratchet straps so it has more freedom of movement, tried all kinds of different angles, tried disengaging the clutch fork again.... the transmission will not move back towards the block. I'm stuck. I'd just part the car out at this point and buy a new one, but I can't remove the transmission to sell it. I'm willing to pay $100 to anyone who is successful in helping me remove this transmission.

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

If the input shaft of the trans has came out of the clutch then I can see you having trouble getting it back aligned. But if you can get everything aligned back up try finding some longer bolts so you can walk the trans back into place.
I'm not sure if you've tried this or not but find something to stick into the hole of the trans fork and try to pry it down away from the input shaft. This is assuming your have taken the pressure off of the clutch fork but it should fall down into the opening of he bell housing and I'm pretty certain that the transmission cannot be removed from the bell housing on the T56 LT1's but I know for a fact it can be removed from the LS1's version which does away with the clutch fork as it's a hydraulic setup.

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

Also if you notice in the picture above of the clutch fork and bell housing the LT1 T56 bell housing bolts in from the inside and not from the outside like the LS1 T56's

ACE1252

You are pretty wrong too. I've never pulled my trans with the bellhousing.