lt16spd1

I've done some research and looking at the pictures, I can see what people mean about unhooking the clutch fork from the throw out bearing, you just grab the fork and pull on it like you are trying to pull it straight out of the side of the bellhousing since the fork has grooves on it to slide. But my question is, why is this necessary?

I've only pulled a transmission on a FWD Maxima before, and the throw out bearing just stayed on the transmission input shaft as the transmission comes out. For installation, you just hook the throw out bearing around the fork and slide the whole trans on at once. What is the the fork and throw out bearing snagging on, if you try to remove the transmission without unhooking the fork? I thought on all manual transmissions the throw out bearing just freely slides back and forth on the input shaft, and the fork holds it in place, but it's independent of the clutch diaphram and can all come out in one piece?

Viper

iTrader: (6)

From the service manual it sounds like clutch damage if you don't do it:

jmd

iTrader: (4)

The clutch used in the LT1 Y-body and F-body has a throw out bearing pulled by the fork.

During trans. removal, the bearing stays clipped to the pressure plate. That is on the engine while the trans. and fork are pulled away.

Once you see it, it makes sense.

BALLSS

OP

The LT1 is a "pull" clutch. The slave bolted to bell housing pushes the fork which pivots and "pulls" the T.O. bearing towards tranny. The fork is "under" the T.O. bearing "lip" so just have to pull it back a inch or so and the metal spring clips on fork come off the "T" bolt it pivots on.

It will all make sense when you see it