VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 can't remove transmission _need help or advice

Have a 35 half ton pickup. has not been on the road since I purchase it . Got it running, but developed a noise at the throw out bearing. Dropped drive tube, made two upper trans long bolts to slide the trans out (inspection found the throw out bear dislodged (looks like a spring came loose from pres plate finger) unbolted two lower bolts, all going smoothly until the trans slid about 1 1/2 to 2 inches out on the upper slide bolts. Trans stopped dead like it is hanging up on something. What am I missing????? Do I have to remove the throw out fork?????I can't figure out why it won't slide out all the way. Any body got any ideas???? Sure could use some help on this one as right now I'm stumped.

35truck, I suspect the long upper bolts allow just enough misalignment of the front shaft that it's sticking in the hub of the clutch disk. Try supporting the rear of the transmission so it moves back straight in line with the crankshaft and flywheel.

The only thing I can think of is possibly the tip of the input shaft
may be stuck to the pilot bushing. The pilot bushing is a brass bushing in the rear of the crankshaft that supports the tip of the input shaft.

Thanks for the feedback. The trans stops as if there is a snap ring on it preventing the shaft from pulling out (which I pretty much knew wasn't possible). I did lift and jockey the transmission, which makes me think is may be the pilot bushing you referred to. If so, any ideas on how to proceed? I pulled the trans out quickly (it slides quite easily on the slide bolts) but it stops sharply. Am I going to damage the trans or clutch if I really pull and pry, or am I in a "no choice" position?

'35 truck,

I'll venture a guess that the pilot bushing is seized to the transmission shaft pilot and pulled out of the back of the crankshaft, and it won't fit through the clutch plate splined center.

Check this article out for converting that 4.11 rear gear to 3.55 for less RPM and interior noise and slightly faster highway crusising:

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/334876/1936_Chevy_3.55_rear_gear_conv

Ray W

I know that the '32 transmission needs to be rotated 90 deg. to get past the frame. Don't know if the '35 has a similar problem.

Assuming it is the pilot bushing, I would procede by installing 2
more threaded extensions in the bottom 2 transmission holes for added support and keep the transmission as square as possible to the bell
housing. Next, remove the bolts holding the pressure plate to the fly
wheel and slide trans back as far as you can. When the clutch disc is
clear of the fly wheel, you should be able to see if the pilot bushing
is stuck to the input shaft. If that is the problem, soak the devil
out of it with a known good penetrant and see if you can get it to break loose The worst case scenario is possibly warping the clutch disc which would mecessitate replacement!

Will try your suggestion. It must be the pilot brag. Trying to figure out why it seized on the trans shaft. Are the pilot bearings an of trans shafts s different sizes for different years. Is it possible the trans was replaced with another year and forced on. My truck is a 35. It has hydraulic brakes that look like from a 36. Master cylinder bolts to bell housing which is different than 35 with mechanical brakes. Anyway, how do I replace the pilot bearing if this is the case? Any special tooling required? Do I have to pull the crank shaft to get it press fit

If you have the trans back 1 1/2 to 2 inches back you should be clear of the pilot bushing. It may be stuck on the splines of the input shaft or like Chipper said needs rotated. I would take all the bolts out so you can wiggle it around then it may come out.

Well now I'm in all the way. Used four long fully threaded bolts with nuts to pull(or push) the transmission back. Moved trans back to where it was hanging up and kept slowly driving each nut evenly. No luck as it stopped about where it was hanging when free for 1 to 2 in he's free play. NOW it's stuck at that point. I can t move it forward, or backward bolted or without bolts. Trans is completely free otherwise and I can shake/wigglenit around, but in place. I 've pbnj blasted the check out of it, but still no movement yet. This s__ks big time. Everyone still think it's a rusty/ corroded spline shaft? I'm guessing so, but have never had a trans stick like this.

'35 Truck,

Hydraulic brakes suggests it's a '36. If the windshield bottom corners are curved and if it has "skirts" on the front fenders that further indicates '36.

My '36 title says "Year sold 1935" but it's a '36 "High cab". Yours may be one of those. As for your immediate problem it's hard to imagine that you pulled the pilot bushing into the clutch splines, which is the only way I can think of to stick the trans shaft in the clutch so it won't go forward.

Sometimes it helps to take a break from a problem like that and come back to it fresh. It helps to remember that you're human and it's an inanimate object and no inanimate object is going to outsmart you.

If the front bearing retainer is exposed you can remove the 6 screws that hold it on and that will release the input shaft from the rest of the trans, a step forward. An offset screwdriver will probably be required.

Ray W

You read my mind. All tools put awAy. Hit the shaft with a dose of pb blaster. Just not enough room to take the input shaft screws out. Any chance that I can damage the trans while trying to pull it through the clutch ?

I am doubtful that you would damage the trans. worst case scenario is
warping or damaging the clutch plate. I have been in a similar situation a few times, and usually it has been due to input shaft
splines being rusty and not allowing the trans to slip back!I have
once or twice encountered a pilot bushing that was stuck to the tip
of the input shaft. One question I must ask, is, have you driven this
truck? did the clutch release cleanly to allow putting it into gear?
If the clutch was normal it is unlikely the pilot bushing is the problem. One other trick you can do is,remove your long threaded
guide stud one at a time, and install a nut on the stud between the
bell housing and the trans case.Do this to all four guide studs, and
now you have created a 'puller' and by turning each nut one at a time, you will effectively move the trans back out of the bell houaing!

"Any chance that I can damage the trans while trying to pull it through the clutch ?"

35 truck,

The front bearing retainer is a fragile piece. I'm guessing that using the nuts on the guide studs as a "puller" may break the bearing retainer before the presumed stuck pilot bushing releases. Those bearing retainers are on ebay all the time. Also getting rough with it may bend the clutch disc, ruining it.

Ray W

I purchased the truck last year. It was not running but now is. I've never had it on the road, but once running, I was able to smoothly shift into gear. The problem stArted when the throw out bearing springs dislodged and the bearing dropped down on the input shaft when running. I don't have much knowledge of the bearing, how it mounts with the pressure plate, so I thought I should remove the trans, pressure plate, throw out bearing and clutch, inspect, clean and replace parts as necessary. To remove the trans, I removed the drive tube swivel connection from the trans. No problem. Had to unhook and move the rear aXle to shift the drive tube from the rear of the trans. No problem doing that. Next, removed upper trans bolts and made/installed to upper slide bolts. No problem. Unbolted the lower bolts, and trans slide about one to two inches back, than it stopped (like the trans was hitting something). Checked for any interference hits, none found. Was able to shift trans forwArd and back easily, but could not figure out why it was " hard stopping" at the two inch mark. After some on line feedback, I set up four fully threaded bolts so that I could evenly pull the trans back with even pressure. I used a little bit of force thinking it would break free, but no luck. Trans only moved to about where it stopped before and maybe a little more. Stopped and tried to move trans forwArd but now the trans seems to be stuck at that point. It no longer moves freely back and forward the one to two inches. Now I' m using pb blaster in an attempt to free the input shaft back to the free movement point I first started with, but can get it to move forward or back at all. I' m at all stop right now and trying to figure out if I can unholy the press plate to get to the forward side of the input shaft and see if the pilot bearing might be teen issue. But because it no longer moves forward I think it may be rust and corrosion, not the bearing.

I think the clutch disc is rusted to the input shaft. It may be time to get serious and use the 4 bolts as you last had it sit up to slowly put pressure and continue to force the transmission to the rear.

You may lose the clutch disc and perhaps the pressure plate may be damaged, however you can't use the truck in its current condition.

Keep us posted.

Good morning Antique Mechanic.

Do you think that if he removed the screws that hold the front bearing retainer the trans could then be removed leaving the input shaft in place?

Couldn't he then take off the bellhousing and then take out the input shaft, clutch disc and pressure plate together? Then he would have access to the problem area and be able to "bump" the splined shaft back and forth while supporting the clutch plate center on a piece of pipe or tubing to keep from damaging it.

It seems that avoiding ruining the bearing retainer, clutch disc and pressure plate is desirable. What do you think?

Ray W

I not sure about your trams but every manual teas I had had apart you have to drop the cluster gear for the input gear to clear. Maybe some knows 100 0/0 if the input shaft will come straight out.

"I not sure about your trams but every manual teas I had had apart you have to drop the cluster gear for the input gear to clear. Maybe some knows 100 0/0 if the input shaft will come straight out."

Dens,

Here's what the 1935 Chevrolet Repair Manual Master De Luxe, New Standard and Truck Models says under the heading Disassembly of Transmission:

"Drive the countershaft from the REAR to the FRONT. This allows the counter gear to drop into the bottom so that the second speed gear can be removed".

I don't recall having to drop the cluster gear to pull out the input gear on my '36 PU, although at age 70+ I don't recall much of anything.

Ray W

SUCCESS!!!!!!I reinstalled the four bolt set up that drove the trans back evenly. This time I held my breath and kept tightening the bolts even though I was worried that something was going to break. Then POP!!!!the shaft came free from the clutch. As many of you surmised, the input shaft was just rusty enough to cause it to stick quite a bit. Not a lot of rust, but just enough to make removal interesting. Thanks to all for the feedback and suggestions. I appreciated all the support, even the advice to take a break and put the thinking cap back on!!!! That may have been the best advice of all!!! Thanks again. Now on to rebuilding.

Good to hear that you have won the battle.
There are times when you need to bite the bullet and get brutal hoping to do no damage.
Tony