Clutch / Torque Converter: Installing Bellhousing, ThrowOut Bearing, and Trans

[Rafe Hollister]

I'm ready to install my BellHousing and T5 trans on my 259/289 '56 PowerHawk. I'm using what I think is the original Bellhousing. It is aligned to 2 thousandths. As I understand it, I load the bellhousing with shift mechanism and the throw out bearing, then bolt it to engine. Next I push trans input shaft thru bellhousing opening, then the throw out bearing, clutch disc, and into pilot bushing, right?
Question one: I hook the two wire thingies on the throwout bearing to the clutch mechanism arms, right? This seems obvious, but couldn't find it in the manual. See first image blue arrows. (And yes, I realize that it is flipped backwards for illustration purpose)
Question two: the throw our bearing has the thin metal 'thingie' that the wire clips hook onto. But it holds the 'thingie' off center from the bearing. It's very difficult to hold it aligned, and I can't imagine how I would poke the trans input shaft thru it. See images 1 and 2 red arrows. Any tips for me?
Thanks,
Rafe Hollister

[skyway]

I’ll let others walk you through your “order/method of assembly” questions, but my tip is that you tack weld the 2 fingers (which hold the throwout bearing) to their operating shaft. They’ve been known to become loose on the operating shaft and compromise the adjustment and operation of the clutch.

[Rafe Hollister]

Thanks, I will check that out and fire up the TIG.
Rafe

[yeroldad]

OK, first, if there is room to get the trans in with the bellhousing on the trans, that's the best way to do it. With the throw-out bearing on the input shaft collar, and the clips (thingies) holding the throw-out in place, and holds the fork in place. It, if it is a circular clip, or the 2 clips, they only go on one way, and easily. Leave the bellhousing mounts off and install them after you jack the assembly in place and jack it up enough to slip them, or it. Be sure to remember to put some grease in the pilot bushing, and a bit on the throw-out collar, and the inside of the throw-out bearing, and just a touch where the fork rides on the bearing. If you don't, you'll have problems. Don't use a bunch, ya don't want it slinging all over the place, especially the disk, flywheel, pressure plate. I use EP Molly Lube grease. Might be a bit of a hassle to get the trans assembly married to the motor, but if you get it at the proper angle to go straight, it should slip right in. I don't think I left anything out.

[Rafe Hollister]

I don't understand "Leave the bellhousing mounts off ". Do you mean the part that mounts it to the frame?
Rafe

[yeroldad]

Yes. You want as much room as you can get, and align it as best you can so it will go in easy, maybe with some wiggling. If it's lined up real good, even bell to motor gap all the way around, it should slide right in. I forgot to say to put a smidge of grease on the input shaft teeth, where it goes into the clutch disc, just as thin as you can. Don't want grease flying all over your new clutch assembly.

[StudeRich]

I have never heard of doing it backwards as yerolddad does, I have bolted the Clutch Housing to the Engine, then assembled the Cross Shaft, Throughout Bearing, Bearing Collar, "spring attaching Plate" and Spring, greased it, then loaded it all in through the Trans Hole.

If you are careful to clip the spring properly to the Plate and the Cross Shaft it will all center and stay that way, and with the help of 2 Guide Pins in the upper Trans. Bolt Holes of the Clutch Housing, the Trans. will slip right in.

All of this is assuming that you have already Torqued the Flywheel to the Crank, also the Pressure Plate to the flywheel with the Clutch Disc while centering the Disc to the Crank Pilot Bushing with a dummy shaft or used/loose Trans. input shaft.

I would never try to attach that beast of a Trans. and Clutch Housing together to the Block.

I have actually heard of people "trying" to install a Flight-O-Matic Trans. and Torque Converter that way: Transmission, Converter and Converter Housing all together, then on the Engine, that just makes an easy job harder.

[yeroldad]

Ever heard of a transmission jack, or a floor jack, Rich? A good trans jack can be adjusted every which way, so you get a nice straight shot.

[oilnsteel]

I have oft wondered if the hole on top of the bellhousing was used during factory assembly to manipulate the throwout bearing assembly into alignment. JT

[StudeRich]

People here have said it is a Vent and for the Taxi, Police H.D. Vehicle grease Hose for the H.D. Throughout Bearing.

[Rafe Hollister]

StudeRich, I'm not understanding much of what you're saying:
(I have bolted the Clutch Housing (that's another term for Bellhousing, right?) to the Engine, then assembled the Cross Shaft (is this the shaft inside the Bellhousing with the two fingers that push on the throwout bearing?), Throughout Bearing, Bearing Collar(what is bearing collar?), "spring attaching Plate" and Spring (what is Plate and spring), greased it, then loaded it all in through the Trans Hole.

If you are careful to clip the spring properly to the Plate and the Cross Shaft it will all center and stay that way, and with the help of 2 Guide Pins(do you mean the dowel pins that align the engine with bellhousing?) in the upper Trans. Bolt Holes of the Clutch Housing, the Trans. will slip right in.

All of this is assuming that you have already Torqued the Flywheel to the Crank, also the Pressure Plate to the flywheel with the Clutch Disc while centering the Disc to the Crank Pilot Bushing with a dummy shaft or used/loose Trans. input shaft. (I have torqued the Flywheel to crank, and the pressure plate to flywheel, with disc centered with crank bushing using plastic splined tool that mimics input shaft)
Thanks,
Rafe Hollister
PS: When you respond, please keep this saying in mind "I would explain it in a way you would understand, but I don't have any crayons"!

[Rafe Hollister]

Also, no one has replied about the off centered 'thingie' on the Throwout bearing that I marked with the red arrows.Thanks,
Rafe

[Rafe Hollister]

WCarroll responded to my question about the 'thingie' in the 'personal message' place. He suggested it may be a manufacture mistake. He sent text and a picture, but I can't see them together, and I can't see them when I tried to reply. If you could, would you repost here? Thanks.
And do some of you like the PM feature? Does it work well when you get used to it? Is it just me or do others find it confusing?
Rafe

[yeroldad]

No, I don't like the PM. Too complicated, and it seems to not work half the time I try to use it. I'm sure there are many people that have no trouble using it. I feel the whole web setup is antiquated and way too complicated.

[rkapteyn]

I think you have the shaft in backwards.
The fingers point up instead of down

[Rafe Hollister]

Yes, in the 1st photo. The second one should be correct?
Rafe

[Topper2011]

WCarroll responded to my question about the 'thingie' in the 'personal message' place. He suggested it may be a manufacture mistake. He sent text and a picture, but I can't see them together, and I can't see them when I tried to reply. If you could, would you repost here? Thanks.
And do some of you like the PM feature? Does it work well when you get used to it? Is it just me or do others find it confusing?
Rafe

Thom, that plate allows a certain amount of movement as the t/o bearing goes through its "arc". That plate should be held onto the t/o with a spring clip,IIRC It's been awhile as it's a similar setup to my Willys pickup with the T90/D18 and Buick even fire 3.8L.

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

If the plate is not centering atop the bearing and collar assembly with the retaining clip in place and the tangs slipped through the ear holes of the plate, and your retaining spring looks like this, with a strangely bent tang on one side (right side in photo), and the tangs are not 180 apart from one another, then you may need to straighten out the strangely bent side and re-bend to make the overlapping arcs equal in diameter so they stack nicely atop of each other and sit recessed correctly inside the groove of the collar.

Once you get that correct, re-bend the tang so that it is 180 from the other side, otherwise the retaining clip may pull or push the plate off center of the bearing and collar assembly.

[bensherb]

Wow, none of what anyone here has said makes any sense to me, nor do the pics. It's not at all what was in my car when I took it apart. It was pretty much the same as ANY other car I've taken apart from a'46 Chevy to a '82 Toyota. The only real difference was that the throw out bearing was pressed onto a carrier that rode on the trans snout instead of being made as one piece. That worked out well for me though as I pressed out the carrier and used the unused bearing in a PTO gear reduction/drive I made to drive a hydraulic pump for a backhoe I built for my tractor. Anything unused is fair game around here! BTW, I replaced the Stude 3 speed OD with a GM 4L60 AOD. The 3 speed has issues, like the other three I have so gave up on them. My bad knees have been happy with that decision!