any tricks to line up the 4 speed input shaft so it goes in the pilot bearing

[70cuda440]

Been fighting this one for a while and I'm stuck- about ready to take the whole works to an engine shop- no matter how I try I cant get the input shaft into the pilot bearing- I have a tool from kragen but there is too much play up and down when I tighten the clutch plate so I cant be sure it's straight- I have the brewers pilot bearing that fits into the auto tranny journal and converts it to the manual sizing - when I test fit without the clutch plate in place it will fit perfect- I'm rethinking my idea of converting this car to manual- I'm way over my head and to think I had a running driving 318 auto car when I got it- a quick scuff and paint and I could of been driving this 3 years ago

[Chryco Psycho]

How close are you getting ? Often if the reatiner is almost touching the bel you can pull it in with the bolts. You can slide a yolk into the trans & rotate the input shaft to line up the splines through the clutch disc or if the clutch linkage is connected have someone depress the clutch pedal int he car so the disc will float as you slide the trans in . The other question is if you are using the auto flange for the dakota pilot brg is the hole in the back of the crank deep enough to allow the input shaft all the way in ?

[GranCuda1970]

I had the same issue but it was from a different cause wrong Clutch fork, Make sure you have the right Fork and the right Pivot bracket attached to the bellhousing for the right engine type / Big Block or Small block. If either are wrong your throw-out bearing is not gonna line up and your tranny will bind just before it gets to the bushing. I assume your are using the adapter bushing from brewers because your block is not drilled for a bushing and or it wont accept a standard bushing?

[7Dcuda]

Been fighting this one for a while and I'm stuck- about ready to take the whole works to an engine shop- no matter how I try I cant get the input shaft into the pilot bearing- I have a tool from kragen but there is too much play up and down when I tighten the clutch plate so I cant be sure it's straight- I have the brewers pilot bearing that fits into the auto tranny journal and converts it to the manual sizing - when I test fit without the clutch plate in place it will fit perfect- I'm rethinking my idea of converting this car to manual- I'm way over my head and to think I had a running driving 318 auto car when I got it- a quick scuff and paint and I could of been driving this 3 years ago

I had the exact same problem when doing my auto to manual conversion on my 70 Cuda 440 also.  I could get the trans. within about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from mating with the bellhousing but just couldnt get the input shaft through the pilot bearing to allow the trans. to mate with the bellhousing for nothing, no matter how I twisted and shoved the trans.    So what I did was I loosened the pressure plate bolts some to allow the clutch disc to move a little and then it fell right in place.  Then went back and retorqued the pressure plate bolts.       

Are you  sure the crank is drilled deep enuf and its not the input shaft bottoming out on the crankshaft thats preventing the trans. from mating with the bellhousing?  If you have a cast crank you either have to drill the hole in the crank a little deeper or cut a little off of the trans. input shaft.  I made measurements before I started installing mine and determined it would need crank drilling or input shaft cutting.  I chose to cut a little off the input shaft.     

[70cuda440]

Man I was so sck of fighting this I havent even looked at it for months- I did cut about 1/4 off the shaft so I should be good- the marks on the bearing show I havent gone into the hole, but keep ramming the sides like some beginning teanager trying to make love for the first time!- ok I'm going ot give it another shot with the pressure plate bolts loose and see how that goes- I'm guessing I can rotate the crank and get at the bolts once I'm mated. my other issue is I dont know if the flywheel I have is external or internally balanced- I think it might be nuetral, if so my engine should jump around a bunch- my plan is to start it up on the run stand and if it jumps, then I know I have the wrong flywheel- anyone know a better way?

[Chryco Psycho]

any large diameter holes drilled into the front of the flywheel ? if so it is offset balance

[70cuda440]

thanks chryco - I'll look next time- I think it was all the same thus I thought it was nuetral- It came out of a 383