IMO you must have some kind of alignment tool. If you are off much, the input shaft will bind in the clutch disc, and it is possible to damage it, or otherwise cause horrible things to happen. I was recently pointed out as a drama queen, but trust me, if you want to see your truck scooped up by a front end loader and the smoldering remains dropped into a 40' scrap hauler headed for the haz mat landfill, go ahead and try to stab that trans in without alignment. Pay up your life insurance first!

 

 

I this instance 85 is not being a drama queen at all! That alignment tool is almost 100% needed in my opinion. You may be able to get one for a local NAPA Parts store or maybe check one of your local service stations. Just a thought. One of the members here that is close may have one to loan you?

 

10-4. I've always done the bolt/stud align. It really helps.

And 10-4 on this also.

 

haha now that I understand how a clutch alignment tool is used I understand why it would be needed. The plan was to put it back on exactly like kenny talks about, after getting the tranny nose lined up and the bellhousing, etc all bolted down.

Kenny, tried using heat, still didnt wanna budge. hate drilling stuff like this out. lol.

 

If I had a eng.bell housing dowel pin stuck in the tranny I'd, just heat the area up good an try tapping it out with a hammer, Get a can of Freeze out may help also,
YOU MAY HAVE TO WORK both ways to get it out. I'd use a propane torch using Map gas gets hotter.. Heat an let cool a few times may work also.
Orich

 

The tranny's input shaft goes through the throw out bearing, through the clutch disc, then in to the pilot bearing in the back of the crankshaft. So the I.D of the clutch disc and the pilot bearing has to be lined up for the input shaft to go in both.

 

I always try to have the clutch linkage at least partially connected before installing the trans. I've run into too many instances where even the alignment tool is not exact (just the cheap ones though. The expensive ones work well) and the disc is not perfectly aligned.
Because of the slop in the cheap tools, some of the actual alignment comes down you eyeballing it anyway. As the others have said, you need to have the clutch disc perfectly centered between the clutch cover and flywheel, or the trans won't slide in that last half inch or so.

What I've always done, and it has never failed me yet, is if the trans goes in almost all the way, but still has that last 1/2 to 1 inch to go, I simply push in the clutch part of the way. Doing so releases the pressure on the disc and let's it float into perfect alignment because the transmission shaft won't let it do anything else.
Once that little bit of pressure is released, the trans will literally pop right in that last little bit.
As said too though, if it's that last 1/8" or so, you can pull it in with the bolts. But I've never had one not seat fully when using the clutch-release method.
I even had to do it myself once on the Bronco. From underneath, I pulled the clutch fork with my foot, and then my hand, and then I think I resorted to a long bar as leverage. But I got it to move just enough to relieve a bit of pressure and the trans slid right in. That was back when I had strong legs and back, and could push a trans at the same time! Now I could probably never get the fork to budge. Much less have enough left over to push a transmission home!

It does work though. And everyone that's tried it that I know has got it to work as well.
Well worth a try at least, before pulling the trans back out to try a Plan-B

Good luck. Or did I hear you say you already got it in?

Paul

 

aw good write up but was to lazy to do it myself, I do it petty much the same way as you other then just have my wife push the clutch pedal in as, I push the tranny all the way in. Those plastic alinement tools fit pretty loose plus it ends up kind of eye balling it in.
Orich

 

I've always used old input shafts as a clutch plate aligner.
Never failed me yet.