Need help getting tranny back in
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: DFW, TX
Need help getting tranny back in For some reason, I'm not able to get the tranny to stab all the way back in to the engine. It's lined up, and a buddy and I are pushing as hard as we can to get the transmission to mate back up to the bell housing. The splines are lining up - I can tell because the grease is being pushed back to a certain point about 1" - 1 1/4" up the input shaft. Everything else seems to be in place, but the tranny just will not go completely back on.
Any help, ideas, input, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to get this done today and it's really frustrating getting stuck at this point.
Any help, ideas, input, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to get this done today and it's really frustrating getting stuck at this point.
same thing happened with mine. just keep trying. mine eventually went it after about an 1 1/2 hours of messing with it. make sure that your dial pins are lined up, and that they arnt bent.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: DFW, TX
Originally Posted by Blk97WS6
same thing happened with mine. just keep trying. mine eventually went it after about an 1 1/2 hours of messing with it. make sure that your dial pins are lined up, and that they arnt bent.
Is there anything else that could keep the tranny from going in all the way??
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,379
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Crack the bleeder valve a bit, if the clutch was changed then I'd take another stab at it with the alignment tool.
As your tightening it down, torque a bolt a bit, remove alignment tool rotate the alignment tool 90 degrees and then reinsert and tighten another bolt. This will make sure the clutch is perfectly aligned. I got my transmission to slide back in like butter on my first attempt. Make sure all the dowel pins are clean and just take another shot at it.
As your tightening it down, torque a bolt a bit, remove alignment tool rotate the alignment tool 90 degrees and then reinsert and tighten another bolt. This will make sure the clutch is perfectly aligned. I got my transmission to slide back in like butter on my first attempt. Make sure all the dowel pins are clean and just take another shot at it.
yea sounds like the clutch my not be aligned correctly. i would take the trans back down and check the clutch again. also you can try putting the driveshaft back in and turn the input shaft to make sure the splines are meshing correctly.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: DFW, TX
Okay, transmission is IN!
Never could get the transmission much closer, it was simply just the shim that came with the RAM Powergrip HD was large enough to raise the slave to the point that it was hitting the fingers of the PP and would not let the tranny get closer than ~ 1" or so, slight larger than the width of my finger.
After posting this, we went back out to the garage and just got the tranny as close as possible to the bellhousing and I was able to start the bottom left bolt - that pulled it in close enough for me to start working around the bottom bolts and to the pass side bolts and then back up the drivers side, MAKING VERY CAREFUL THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THE BOLT ANGLES WERE CORRECT AND LINED UP WITH THE HOLES, AND THAT THE BOLTS WERE NOT GOING TO BE STRIPPED OR BENT. This caution took a lot longer but was worth it. Eventually we pulled it in with the bolts.
Just a heads up to anyone who is installing a RAM Powergrip HD and using the supplied 0.15" (I think) shim - you may run into the same problem with the slave cylinder contacting the pressure plate fingers making it hard to get the tranny close enough. The only solution I see is to do what I did, get at least one edge close enough to start a bolt and pull it in.
My new question is - is the slave cyl. now pre-loading the fingers of the pressure plate to the point that it will cause engagement issues down the road, and/or cause the disc to wear quickly? Or is this something that will even itself out?
As a data point, the engagement is between the middle and top of the clutch pedal throw.
Never could get the transmission much closer, it was simply just the shim that came with the RAM Powergrip HD was large enough to raise the slave to the point that it was hitting the fingers of the PP and would not let the tranny get closer than ~ 1" or so, slight larger than the width of my finger.
After posting this, we went back out to the garage and just got the tranny as close as possible to the bellhousing and I was able to start the bottom left bolt - that pulled it in close enough for me to start working around the bottom bolts and to the pass side bolts and then back up the drivers side, MAKING VERY CAREFUL THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THE BOLT ANGLES WERE CORRECT AND LINED UP WITH THE HOLES, AND THAT THE BOLTS WERE NOT GOING TO BE STRIPPED OR BENT. This caution took a lot longer but was worth it. Eventually we pulled it in with the bolts.
Just a heads up to anyone who is installing a RAM Powergrip HD and using the supplied 0.15" (I think) shim - you may run into the same problem with the slave cylinder contacting the pressure plate fingers making it hard to get the tranny close enough. The only solution I see is to do what I did, get at least one edge close enough to start a bolt and pull it in.
My new question is - is the slave cyl. now pre-loading the fingers of the pressure plate to the point that it will cause engagement issues down the road, and/or cause the disc to wear quickly? Or is this something that will even itself out?
As a data point, the engagement is between the middle and top of the clutch pedal throw.
Glad to hear you got it in. What flywheel are you running with that HD? I had a similar problem with a Centerforce a while back, and it was hitting the slave. I run an adjustable master, so I let it out all the way and tweaked engagement/dis-engagement from that point. Now I have a bucket load of hydraulic problms with it, but that is beside the point.
Most of the time the problem is that the alignment tool needs to be an actual input shaft. I had this problem with the Twin Disc when I was putting the tranny back in it as well. The plastic alignment tool will bend and scrape. I used the input shaft with the correct spline and boom! Went right in.
Most of the time the problem is that the alignment tool needs to be an actual input shaft. I had this problem with the Twin Disc when I was putting the tranny back in it as well. The plastic alignment tool will bend and scrape. I used the input shaft with the correct spline and boom! Went right in.
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: DFW, TX
Originally Posted by orangeapeel
Glad to hear you got it in. What flywheel are you running with that HD?
I had a similar problem with a Centerforce a while back, and it was hitting the slave. I run an adjustable master, so I let it out all the way and tweaked engagement/dis-engagement from that point. Now I have a bucket load of hydraulic problms with it, but that is beside the point.
Most of the time the problem is that the alignment tool needs to be an actual input shaft. I had this problem with the Twin Disc when I was putting the tranny back in it as well. The plastic alignment tool will bend and scrape. I used the input shaft with the correct spline and boom! Went right in.
Someone please tell me I'm wrong, but I'm starting to think I need to pull it back off and remove the shim. I would hate to do that though, and then find out that the clutch will not engage at all without the shim. Anyone have any thoughts on that?
Last edited by Chilly Palmer; Nov 13, 2006 at 10:26 AM.
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I too just installed a RAM Powergrip HD. I installed a remaned flywheel from Autozone (only $59!), a new slave cylinder/throw-out bearing from Advanced Auto, and pilot bearing. I used the shim that came with the clutch. Upon installation, I was able to get the trans in far enough to just get the dowel pins lined up. I also had the problem with not being able to push the trans in farther. I pulled it in with the bolts, like I had heard NOT to, but I couldn't get it any other way.
I now have about 530 miles on the clutch. I am waiting until 600 to really pull on it. My shifts have become smoother within the first 500 miles, and it is getting easier to get into reverse.
However, my clutch would start to engage AS SOON as the pedal was lifted off the floor. That has also gotten slightly better.
In my opinion, you need to Mityvac your clutch master cylinder.
I would not remove the shim; it is put in there for a reason.
Good Luck!
I now have about 530 miles on the clutch. I am waiting until 600 to really pull on it. My shifts have become smoother within the first 500 miles, and it is getting easier to get into reverse.
However, my clutch would start to engage AS SOON as the pedal was lifted off the floor. That has also gotten slightly better.
In my opinion, you need to Mityvac your clutch master cylinder.
I would not remove the shim; it is put in there for a reason.
Good Luck!