I am on my back under my car with two jacks and a crow bar trying to line up my t-56 to my mcleod dual clutch. It was definately hitting somthing inside. Does anyone have a clutch alignment technique that works. the clutch alignment tool lined the splines up but I dont think the splines are centered to the pilot bushing... I was thinking of taking it all apart and aligning the discs so the alignment tool is facing downward at the loop end slightly to line everything up in a way like the transmission would be coming in with the tailshaft slightly lower then the input shaft... I am going to tackle it again tomorrow with my new idea. Does anyone have any input as to an easy way to do this. after 4+ years without my car it is at the point wehre I just need it to go together... I have all the parts! It just needs to go!!! AHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

i've had it take as little as 5 mins....and as long as 2 hours to get the damn thing aligned.

keep trying is all i have to say...and get some help.

i usually use a couple bolts to "ease" it in...but not putting alot of pressure on them.

 

This is what happens. When you pack excess grease into the pilot bearing or bushing it will tend to cause the input shaft to have a great deal of resistance to slide in properly. This is because a difference cavity volume and air pressure.

I can pack my bushing and stick the alignment tool into it and it will try to spring out. The trick is to stick the tool several times in order to squeeze out any excess grease.

I discovered this when I was certain I had things aligned right but this wierd thing above was happening, I was only needing 1/4" more to have things back together. Even though you are not supposed to use bolts to draw it together, I did this in very small increments and everything was good. Its just the grease causing an air bubble and some unwanted resistance IMHO.

 

I wish it was that easy but at one point I had it sliding in and out of the throwout bearing. and hitting inside on somthing solid. when I had a roid rage and heaved the transmission down onto my chest to peer in and see what was causing the problem it looked like everything was lined up but more at an upward angle. I am going to try to throw the alignment tool inside and use some kind of tool to pull out on the throwout bearing. This should allow the discs to fall into place. Anyone know what tool might work? I dont want to remove my bellhousing and pressure plate bolts just to re-adjust it. In theory that wouldn't help anything because getting the throwout bearing to release would allow gravity to pull those discs back down and into better alignment to have the input shaft slide in. NExt problem is finding a tool that won't hurt the throwout bearing but can create enough leverage to pull it out for a few seconds. The crowbar might work~ I definately can't get the trans up easy enough to use its own clutch fork. I am going to have to find a way. I am just afraid that if I take it apart and re-adjust the plates then tighten it back up.. I will find that I have to do the same thing with the throwout anyway so my goal is to try that first before taking everything apart....

 

Buy a tranny jack. It makes things 10X easier and your back will thank you. Theres nothing worse than trying to be a cheapa-s to save $75-100 on a tranny jack only to end up spending hundreds maybe even thousands at a chiropractor (as well as the back pain).

 

i'm a personal trainer and I was deadlifting my t-56 no problem. I carried it out of my garage.... But that isn't the problem. not having a trans jack makes things harder because the trnsmission is not level on the bottom and trying to slide somthing that is 185 lbs and gravity isn't helping.... You want to keep it level as possible. I am going to get my father to borrow one from his friend. Can't afford my own for one project..

 

got it in, just now. Took me about 3 hours to line everything up perfect and get the thing in with the help of my dad and my muscles. Who needs a transmission jack when you can bench press 250

 

If you want to do it cheaper, get some 2x6 wood scraps and build a u-shaped cradle to fit the tranny, then screw the cradle to the rotaing pad on your floor jack. Works like a charm and is usually free.

I once bought the tranny adapter to fit the floor jack but the car has to be very high for the damn thing to slide under, the wood cradle requires no additional height.

 

yea that is a good idea. I would have done that if I had the patience..... I just had it balanced ona floor jack and had somone help me with the "up!" "DOWN" "iN" ETC. and when I was close I got under it and benched it up into place... kicking at the tailshaft with my feet and a lot of wiggling...

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! with the mcleod setup was aligning the discs perfectly center and then tightening the pressure plate bolts EXTREMELY EVEN to not throw off the alignment. It took me two days total of about 8 hours and I got it right. It slid right in when it was setup right....