Aligning zf5?
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 47
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Aligning zf5?
Pulled my tranny to swap a new clutch in. Now i can seem to be able to get the tranny lined up. I can see that the input shaft is at the friction plate splines, but when i give it a good push, it doesnt move. My clutch should be aligned correctly as installed it while keeping pressure on my alignment tool while i was torquing the pressure plate down. Anybody ever run into this problem when reinstalling a zf5
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,206
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From: Oakhust NJ Jersey Shore
Those plastic clutch alignment tools that come with a clutch kit are awefull. they have alot of play in them and it may take several tries to get the disc in line with the pilot bearing. some times after I install the pressure plate I remove the tool and stick my head in and look to see if the splines are close to the bearing, yea it is a judgement call but you can tell. Did you replace the pilot bearing?? Did it get damaged at all??? Sound like an alignment problem to me, double check!!
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 47
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Those plastic clutch alignment tools that come with a clutch kit are awefull. they have alot of play in them and it may take several tries to get the disc in line with the pilot bearing. some times after I install the pressure plate I remove the tool and stick my head in and look to see if the splines are close to the bearing, yea it is a judgement call but you can tell. Did you replace the pilot bearing?? Did it get damaged at all??? Sound like an alignment problem to me, double check!!
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,791
Likes: 99
From: Ashland City, TN
replaces pilot, did not get damaged. After my first try lining up the tranny with no succes i dropped it back down and re assembled the clutch again keeping pressure on the tool to keep the disc in line. Eyeballing it it seems pretty straight. Would spining the input shaft helpit catch the splines to slide in?
When I stab these transmissions I just let it sit on the motor mounts. I put a jackstand and 2x4 under the oilpan when i pull it, but let it float when I stab it to give the motor some room to wiggle while lining up the transmission because it has to be almost perfect to get it to start then you can wiggle it home
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 47
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Me and a buddy got the input lined up and a mm in the spline. Gonna try to push it in further, maybe loop a heavy rathevt strap on to help it in. Hopefully it works. Any other ways to get this heavy transmission in
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,121
Likes: 3
From: Orrville, Ohio
I would recommend against pushing it in there under force (ratchet strap). It should slip home pretty easily. If you force, it, I think you're going to cause issues for yourself.
f it doesn't I'd pull the clutch disk out and make sure it slides easily over the splines of the transmission out of the truck. If you're not able to get the splines started at all, they just might not be lined up. Leave the transmission in a gear and spin the output shaft, which will turn the input until you can get it all lined up right. It should slip in quite a ways before the alignment with the pilot bearing becomes an issue.
Make sure it slips on easily when out of the truck, then it's just a matter or wiggling and rocking things until you hit the right angle, then it should slip right in.
It's all about the angle of the dangle, if you know what I mean....
f it doesn't I'd pull the clutch disk out and make sure it slides easily over the splines of the transmission out of the truck. If you're not able to get the splines started at all, they just might not be lined up. Leave the transmission in a gear and spin the output shaft, which will turn the input until you can get it all lined up right. It should slip in quite a ways before the alignment with the pilot bearing becomes an issue.
Make sure it slips on easily when out of the truck, then it's just a matter or wiggling and rocking things until you hit the right angle, then it should slip right in.
It's all about the angle of the dangle, if you know what I mean....
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