Thread: Stabbin' the tranny...rookie needs help!

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OK, I've got my ring gear problems straightened out and am trying to get my tranny back into my '60 BelAir (it has a NPa833 4-speed behind a BBC). Taking it apart, I dropped the tranny from the bellhousing, then removed the bellhousing, without issues. But putting it together is a problem, I bolted the bell to the tranny, but due to my floorboard hump, there is not enough room to wiggle the tranny main-shaft pass the clutch fingers and into the pilot bearing. So then I tried to bolt the bell to the motor and then slide the trans shaft thru the throw-out bearing and into the pilot bearing, but that was like threading a needle, not to mention the pilot bearing keep falling off the clutch fork. Is it possible to get the tranny into the bell while its bolted to the motor...any one have any tips as to how to secure the throwout bearing on the clutch fork while I try to do this? I think I'm in a real pickle here...

Ive given up for tonite, time to crack a beer...will have back at it tomorrow nite.

if it was there once it will go again

pull the engine that car has the X frame not sure you can get the trans to go back that far with the frame in the way

Fortunately the x-frame is not in the way...its the tranny hump in the floor, its a tight fit. I originally dropped the engine and trans in, in one piece. It seems to not want to come apart or reassemble in pieces... I guess its just gonna be a PITA

well then tip the engine it should tip down with out the trans on the back of it.i did it that way many time s on my gto just watch the dist and cap they may get in the way of the fire wall

Yeah Pat...thats my other thought...Of course, I just lent out my cherry picker. Im may have to go break some hearts tomorrow and pick it back up.

you will have to brake the ex loose it could hold up the back of the engine i used a small bottle jack and a chunk of 2by4 under the back of the oil pan very carefully

My first car was a '60 chevy, and I had at least a dozen different tranny's in that car over the years. How do you have the back of the engine supported now? If you're hanging from the motor mounts and exhaust you've likely torn your motor mounts apart and will be replacing them - ask me how I know.... Like Pat says, a bottle jack or floor jack and a piece of 2x4 under the oil pan will work fine. There should be plenty of room for the bare tranny (no shift linkage) to slip into place, but like Pat says you can break the exhaust pipe supports and drop the back of the engine a few inches if you really need clearance. Again like Pat says, watch your distributor to firewall clearance. If you get the throwout bearing on the tranny shaft with the fork in place you're fine to stab it, and it is not a "gentle" process to get the tranny shaft into the pilot bearing and pushed up tight, even if you've used a pilot shaft to align the clutch disc. I don't think I ever had a throwout bearing come out of the fork - the fork is hooked at the fulcrum point and clutch rod, and once the tranny shaft is pushed through it cannot go anywhere, right?

You could use long studs( get long carriage bolts and cut off heads) screwed into the bellhousing to guide the trans into the bell housing then remove them one at a time and put in bolts. I have done this many times..even with automatics.

Originally Posted by cffisher

You could use long studs( get long carriage bolts and cut off heads) screwed into the bellhousing to guide the trans into the bell housing then remove them one at a time and put in bolts. I have done this many times..even with automatics.

The trick with that is to cut a slot in the stud so you can get a screwdriver in there to back it out if needed.

I tried to lift the front of the motor last night...only could so far, safely, without having my cherry picker...no dice. Im gonna try un-bolting the top two tranny to bell bolts, and loosening the bottom two. Im hoping to cantilever the bell and tranny into place.

Be very careful about the amount of angle you let the bellhousing tip if you decide to try loosening the bolts. There is the possibility that you could crack the ears.

I’ve never tried this, but it seems to me that the transmission would have to stay backed out of the bellhousing a fair amount (probably 4-6”) as it will have to be back far enough to clear the splines of the clutch disk until the bellhousing is tightened back up and square with the back of the block.

It really sounds to me like you need to raise the front of the engine (lowering the back) to get the tranny bolted on.

By the way how do you like the A833 (I assume it’s the Chevy overdrive version). I’m running Chrysler version in my Plymouth and have really enjoyed it). I was going to dig one up for my 68 El Camino to replace the Muncie but ended up selling the 68 a few weeks back

Originally Posted by Gusaroo

I tried to lift the front of the motor last night...only could so far, safely, without having my cherry picker...no dice. Im gonna try un-bolting the top two tranny to bell bolts, and loosening the bottom two. Im hoping to cantilever the bell and tranny into place.

(MikeP must have been finishing and hitting "send" as I started typing...)

Gus, you really don't want to do that. Your transmission input shaft has to align throught the clutch disc, which is held tight by the pressure plate and flywheel, and your pilot bearing has to be aligned to go into place. You have to have things aligned for them to fit together, and if you try go in at an angle you'll likely mess up your clutch or your pilot bearing. Lower the back of the engine instead of trying to raise the front - let gravity do the work.

Originally Posted by rspears

Gus, you really don't want to do that. Your transmission input shaft has to align throught the clutch disc, which is held tight by the pressure plate and flywheel, and your pilot bearing has to be aligned to go into place. You have to have things aligned for them to fit together, and if you try go in at an angle you'll likely mess up your clutch or your pilot bearing. Lower the back of the engine instead of trying to raise the front - let gravity do the work.

yep that what i was trying to say