I couldn't see it when I pulled it out, and I don't really know how the whole system works...

So when I push it in, where's it go? I have about 1/2" before I mate the tranny to the bell...

 

The clutch fork should go over the throw out bearing.

Here is how I found the easiest way to do this. Mate the bellhousing/tranny/etc together. Leave the clutch fork for last. When you're ready for the clutch fork. Have a friend go to the front of the engine w/ a breaker bar.. and start rotating the crank pulley. While this is happening.. position the clutch fork on the throwout (fairly easy to do.. if you need practice.. try it before you fully connect the tranny/bellhousing. After around 20 seconds of turning over the engine.. you should feel the throwout fall into place. That is how I managed to do it. Works really easy for me.

EDIT:

Here's a very 'man' way of thinking how the throwout/clutch fork work. Imagine a woman wrapping her legs around your waist. That is how the throwout/clutch fork should mate up.

 

LOL thanks!

I'm just trying to understand how it works. I looked at the animation on howstuffworks.com

When I press in the clutch pedal, the OUTSIDE of the fork lever is pressed forward correct? Wouldn't that in turn make the fork end go to the back of the car, not pushing on the TO bearing like it's supposed to to disengage the clutch?

I'm lost.

 

There isn't any need to turn the engine over to put the fork on the TO bearing, you just have to push it on there.

 

The LT1 style clutch is a pull style, not a push style. Otherwise everything works the same as a "normal" clutch setup.

 

how does taht little ball pull back on the outside of the fork arm then?

 

It doesn't always 'push' on there if the throwout isn't aligned correctly. Especially on an LT4 pressure plate where parts of the throwout are shaped with squared sides. One easy way to rememdy it is by turning the engine over which will spin the pressure plate/throwout.

The ball on the clutch hydraulics pushes on the balled area of the clutch fork. That motion then causes the clutch fork to push/pull (depending how you look at it) the pressure plate away from the clutch disc through the use of the throwout bearing.

 

I have never had a problem pushing it on, but I have a LT1 style TOB, (which is tear-drop shaped BTW).

Instead of going through all the trouble of rotating the engine, I would instead turn it with a screwdriver or whatever I could get in there.

Regardless, either way will work.

It's still better than taking out the bolt while the tranny is attached like I have heard of some people doing here. lol

 

Thanks guys!

Man, this last 1/4" is KILLING me. Stupid dowels!!! I've got a major freakin headache

Can't get the damn thing to go in.

 

Here's a tip. Put the bolts in finger tight. Then install the clutch slave cylinder. Push clutch pedal down and the tranny should drop right in.

 

I did a no-no, and "pulled" teh tranny to the bell via the adjacent bolts

Seems to have worked, I dunno. I didn't want to do it that way, but it was the onlyway I could get it to go.

 

I've done that twice. The tranny/clutch really doesn't like it. Both times the car will start perfect.. but won't immediately go into gear too nicely. After a minute or so it should go into gear. I'm thinking this method pushes the clutch out of alignment.. but when you switch the car on.. it gets it back into place.