I recently picked up a full clutch kit for my 3 speed (avoiding markup) should I endeavor to do it myself or let a shop work out the kinks? I'm probably a 7 out of 10 on mechanical ability, but do not have a lift or trans stand. I ask cous the local trans shop quoted 425 out the door to install the clutch, bit I do have a 3 day weekend coming up... Thoughts?

 

Get a friend, and have one person guide the transmission while the other does the heavy lifting. I pulled my 3 speed out without help, and then got help to put it back in. The 3 speeds in these trucks are not really heavy.

Make sure it is in gear when putting it back in, and then the person who is guiding can turn the tail shaft to get the gears to line up. If you have all the parts and the flywheel is in good shape you can do it in less than an hour.

 

Is there any step by steps available here or elsewhere? Iv got the shop manual and chilton on order, and iv never attempted this repair. My experience is with parts I have done solo, carb, brakes, water pumps and valve cover replacements. Trying to decide before the weekend gets here. Il put up a pic of the kit I have this eve, maybe y'all can let me know if there's anything else I should get ready.

 

You can do it yourself. make sure you pull the flywheel and have it milled... commonly overlooked mistake! Mark the orientation of the flywheel, as the bolt holes to the crank shaft align only one way.... Use a sharpy to make a mark either on the top or the bottom of the flywheel on the ring gear, not on the surface to be milled.... Did your clutch kit come with the alignment tool? If not get the proper one. A lot of tool rental places rent trans jacks, for $20 buck or so for a day... Also is your cross member riveted in or welded, that may play into how hard a job it is. On my truck the only way to get the trans out is to pull the engine, due to the location of the cross member.... Good luck with it...

 

There are different sized clutches. I hope the OP bought the correct size, otherwise....

 

Steps to get everything out.

1) Remove the drive shaft by removing the 2 u bolts holding the rear u joint to the rear end. The front will come out with the tail shaft attached.
a) This is a good time to check the U joints and replace if necessary
2) Remove all clutch and shift linkage. (be careful with the clips on the shifter rods, they are not the easiest thing to find if you are in a hurry. It looks like e clips would work but none fit, I tried)
3) Remove the 4 bolts holding the transmission to the bell housing. (The transmission has a 4 inch shaft going through the clutch so it won't fall out easy)
4) Pull the transmission straight out, and be prepared for the weight.
5) Remove the throw out bearing and the shift fork. These are just clipped in so figure out how the wiggle loose and get them out.
6) Remove all bell housing bolts. (The top ones are the hardest, but you can get a ratchet in there, it is just tight. Be prepared for the weight when the final bolt is loose it falls right out. )
7) Remove the Clutch pressure plate bolts. (Again be prepared for the weight, it will fall when loose, the clutch plate will fall with it.
8) Check the surface of the flywheel. (If it is anything other than perfectly flat remove the flywheel bolts, and get the flywheel resurfaced.)
9) Check the ring gear, and decide if you need to replace this also.
10) If the flywheel needs resurfaced, or a new ring gear remove all bolts in the center, and remove the wheel. (BTW this is the heaviest part of this whole deal, be ready) As stated before, mark on the flywheel and the end of the crank with a sharpie to make reinstall faster.



Compare the new and old clutch plates, and pressure plates. There were at least 2 options on the 6 cylinder in 66, and I don't know if there were more for the V8.

Once the flywheel is good, and you are ready to reassemble.

1) Put the Flywheel back in and torque the bolts down
2) Put the new clutch plate and pressure plate together, and reinstall, being careful to keep the clutch plate as centered as possible.
3) Torque all bolts to spec.
4) Put the bell housing back on, and be sure to get the ground wire replaced on the bolt near the top.
5) Torque all bolts to spec
6) Reinstall the Clutch fork, and new throwout bearing. Keep the bearing as centered as possible.
7) When you get ready to put the transmission back in, get one person flat on their back with the transmission right side up on their chest. The second person is only a guide.
8) Push the transmission up and line up the input shaft to go through the throwout bearing, and into the clutch plate. If it doesn't go through, (most of the time they don't) wiggle and have the guide turn the shaft on the back of the transmission until the gears line up and the tranny slides in. (This is the hardest part, and bad moves and the throw out bearing will misalign or fall out.) You can't really damage much, but patience could get tested if it goes bad. )
9) Bolt the tranny back in, and tighten to spec.
10) Reinstall the front, and then the back of the drive shaft, and then reinstall the u bolts.
11) Reattach the shift linkage, and the clutch adjustment bolt and tighten the bolt to just past hand tight.
12) Get in and test the clutch. If it feels like it is not engaging soon enough, then tighten more. If it feels like it is partially engaged from the start back the bolt off.

This is the point I realized my linkage was bad. I pulled the rod coming through the floor and it was notched bad. The z bracket, (Under the cab, the Adjustment bolt attaches to the other side of it.) and the top clutch bracket were both horribly oval. I took them to a local fab shop, and they made me a new rod, and they welded the hole shut at both ends, and re punched them. The pin for the adjustment rod was notched too, so they cut off the old one, and punched it and inserted a new bolt, and welded it in place. These steps may not be needed, but you may want to look while you are at it.

Everyone else. Please feel free to note any details I missed.

 

1965/67 F100/350 352: 11" clutch / Flywheel 12 3/8" bolt circle.

 

I just did this on my '63. Broomfieldbum, those are great instructions. The only thing I would add is during step 2, to unbolt the speedometer cable from the transmission and pull out the speedometer cable.

I used a floor jack to support the transmission which helps.

 

NCF 1107229 Thats the NAPA part number for the set that I have. Sorry the link isnt working or i'd post that directly... Anyone mind confirming that its the correct fit?

 

@Broomfield - honestly with those instructions I feel confident I could knock this out myself and save the 400 and change...

 

KJ, years ago I had a 64 F-250, and the clutch went out right before Thanksgiving. You could get that clutch out without removing the bell housing. I used a piece of metal to avoid dropping the transmission, and just moved it back. It had a 4 speed, and I did the clutch before 10:00 am on Thanksgiving day alone.

 

I didn't remove the bell housing. I had the wrangle the clutch out. The bell housing is big and bulky but I still think the job might be easier removing it.

I taped the clutch to the pressure plate to make installation easier and removed the masking tape after it was bolted up.

Go for it. This was my first clutch and it's not so bad. You'll find something else on that old truck to spend that $400!

 

Pburess, you didn't have to remove the belhousing because the 223/262 I-6 and the Y blocks had an inspection plate on the bottom. The 65-66 engines have a 1 piece Bell housing that requires removal.