Who else has had this happen before? I am not the only one

[Moparal]

Why is it that it seems everytime I do a 4 speed job, the last inch is a beast. Always on my back with a floor jack looking upside down sideways and crooked, always by myself and the whole job always goes perfect coming out and going in untill the last inch or so to the bellhousing. Then eeeerrrrttt. It just wont slide. I know the tricks to gettin it the rest of the way, but everytime?  Tomorrow is another day and it will fix itself

[Super Blue 72]

Tomorrow is another day and it will fix itself

You have a great attitude, Al! 

If it were me the big sledge hammer would be doin' some pounding! 

[Moparal]

Came from being a single parent and putting 4 kids through college. 

Mississippi one,-,   mississippi two,--..,   mrs sippy threeee.... 10

[Bullitt-]

Yep yep, been there once anyway, has to do with gettin the input shaft into the pilot bearing, gotta get that sucker jest right. Hear tell of a tool called a clutch alignment thang. Recon if I ever find myself in the same predicament I'll hafta get me one o them.

[Chryco Psycho]

often using some 4" bolts to keep it aligned while you wrestle it forward helps a lot

[loco440]

DONT go any further,I just stuffed my pilot needle bearing by doing the same,I got a dummy clutch plate alighning tool from a clutch shop that was said to be the rite one,tried to force the box in by drawing it in with bolts,after a bit of cranking I felt it was not rite so removed the box had a look up inside to the bearing and it was crushed out of shape,took the preasure plate and bell housing off and bearing was stuffed,did an autopsy and discovered the dummy alighning tools bearing end was to small allowing the clutch plate to drop down about a 1/4in and stop the input shaft from slipping into the bush.If you have some one that is good with a wood lathe measure the I/D of your clutch plate and I/D of your spigot bearing and turn up 6in of an old broom handle or such and it works a treat to alighn every thing.

[Super Blue 72]

Came from being a single parent and putting 4 kids through college. 

Mississippi one,-,   mississippi two,--..,   mrs sippy threeee.... 10

  

[Moparal]

To align the clutch, I used a 4 speed input shaft, it is aligned ok. Sometimes I do the longer bolt thing..(alot) but for the most part, I just wiggle and adjust untill it gives that nudge feeling of ok I give up, then its all smooth sailing from there. It's just a tight fit with everything being new.

Now where was I?  mz ippy fo, mist it slippy 5ive, missed it sippy sick, auh darn, mississippi one, mmmmm  waaaa

[basement]

I've been there before and about to be there again, as soon as I get my tranny back. I like the 4" bolt idea though think I'll try that one.

[ShelbyDogg]

Had 4 speeds since the beginning.  One thing that always works for me. I never had an alignment tool.  I eyeball-centered the disk when tightening down the pressure plate.    During that last inch, if the clutch disk isn't exactly centered, it wont go in, so I realized if I push the pressure plate in with the fork, the disk alignment will center on your input shaft direction, and allow movement.   Use the clutch linkage and have a friend push the pedal or use a bar, pipe, big screwdriver, or anything that lets you pull that clutch fork arm back if you're by yourself.   Even a come-a-long to the rear end could work.   Works everytime and I've had to install many by myself in the middle of the night.
Rob

[moper]

Use a tool or shaft on the clutch, and teh longer studs on the top two bolts. I also polish the input shaft end where the pilot will seat and use a tiny amount of antiseize so it slides in nice. Then its basically grab the tail, support the center of the case with my other hand, and wiggle. I also find having it in 1st gear and using a spare slip yoke helps if you need to jiggle things a bit.

[Grundy]

It's always the last 5% of the job that takes 95% of the time.

[dtedler]

 

True statement!

[torredcuda]

Even using an alignment tool it never seems to go in that last inch without a fight! 

[sleepychallenger]

happens to me every time. must have done a couple of hundred now and almost every one of them get stuck at that 1/2 inch area/ that is when i just start walking them in with a couple of bolts. never hurt any pilot bushings or any other part, sometimes, they just need a little forced persuasion.