VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Any suggestions for installing the transmission

Hello, my car is a 33 Master 5 Window Coupe - I have installed a new throw-out bearing, clutch throw-out bearing plate and fork ball support. I am having trouble reinstalling the transmission. I have been able to insert the transmission mainshaft through the splines on the friction disk, but I can't get it into the pilot bushing in the end of the crankshaft. Does anyone know of an easy way or a trick for getting the mainshaft end installed into the pilot bushing? Its so close, but it obviously isn't into the bushing yet.
Thanks,
Dennis

Did you use an alignment tool when you bolted the pressure plate? You may be able to have someone push the clutch down while you wiggle the trans.

I'm more of a '29-'32 guy, but I believe the input shaft goes into a bearing in the crankshaft, not a bushing. If you changed the bearing, you may want to check the fit with a set of vernier calipers.

Did you center the clutch plate before you tightened down the pressure plate? The best way to do that is to insert an old input shaft through the clutch plate before tightening down the pressure plate. That way the clutch plate and the crankshaft will end up concentric.

Another good idea is to cut the heads off of 3 or 4 3-inch long bolts and then grind the head end round. You can screw them into the bell housing and use them to guide the transmission into alignment. Then replace them with the normal bolts.

Hope that helps.

All the Best, Chip

You might try spinning it while pushing if you can do that.

If you did use a tool to center the disc when installing the pressure plate then a good push and wiggle on the trans should get it to drop in.

It is the wiggle sort of a spin, push that gets it in there. Things got to line up on the splines. Re-align with the tool and then remove that line up tool and try again. Sometimes it takes several attempts to get it to go. After all this is a hobbie, but remember Chevrolet is made "so that the normal person can work on his own car."

In my '27 and '28 trucks, the thingee inserted at the end of the crankshaft is called a bearing, but it really is a bushing. Maybe it contracts a little during installation, thus causing a smaller opening that needs to be reamed out a little. Dunno.

Does this bearing/bushing need any lubrication before inserting the tranny input shaft into it?

Thanks, Dean

If the bushing/bearing was deformed or shrank on installation, then the first step is to ream it back out to size, but that is another topic.
If you have one, the very best "tool" to use for alignment is a spare input shaft. Seat it all the way in with the pressure plate loosened, then evenly tighten up the pressure plate. Remove the "tool", and check once again for proper fit. Then the transmission should go on with no problem.
John

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I was able to fit the transmission splines through the clutch friction disk. It wouldn't go into the pilot bushing so I got long bolts and tried cinching it into the bushing. It would only go in about 1/8" and stop. A little history here, when I removed the transmission I had to use a crow bar to work the transmission away from the bell housing. As I haven't worked on an old car since I was basically a teenager (I'm 66 now) I thought that was strange, but at the time I didn't give it much thought. Now I'm thinking there must be a problem with the pilot bushing. I will once again remove the transmission and try to find a way to measure the inside diameter of that bushing and see if it is large enough for the input shaft to fit into. And yes, I was in a hurry and I didn't remove the clutch from the flywheel. So I just assumed that as I hadn't touched the clutch itself the transmission should have just fit right back in. Live and learn, and be patient.

Possible some former "mechanic" used a hammer to install the bushing and mushroomed the hole a little. I'd put a new bushing in (check that it fits first...............).

Thanks to Harbor Freight.  I bought a slide hammer type puller that fit into the pilot bearing and was able to remove the bearing.  When the new pilot bearing arrives in the mail I will install it.  Then I will install the transmission without a clutch and without the clutch fork.  If it lines up and bolts up with no problem then that tells me the problem is either the clutch or clutch fork.  I will then install the transmission with only the pressure plate and friction disc.  If that goes ok, then I guess the problem is with the clutch fork.  So I'm going to take it one step at a time and see what happens.
Thanks,
Dennis

Yea....the 33 chevy is back together and everything works good. Thank you to everyone who took the time answer my questions. It was a learning experience.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af96/denjones55/20170129_221147_zpspkofbxsd.jpg

Dennis

It's probably my imagination, but it seems to run a little smoother now. Although I just found out that I "packed" the u-joint wrong when I put it back together. I coated the u-joint in grease before I closed up the torque tube. Now I just found out that I was supposed to fill the torque ball with 600 wt gear oil. I'm thinking that if I remove the speedometer cable I can pump some gear oil in through hole and put gear oil in torque ball that way. In the picture it looks like the oil would flow straight to the torque ball/universal joint. There are so many things about these old cars that I've just forgotten because it's been so long since I've owned one.

Jonda1.
If you look around the sides of the ball housing you will possibly find a bolt (may even have battery earthstrap attached) that I believe is the fill/level plug. Grease will work for a short time but due to centrifugal force wont stay in place for long and the rotating uni joint will only cut a track through the grease and do nothing more.
Tony

There should be a lube fitting or plug on the top of the rear housing that you can access by lifting the floor board. You can add the required 4 ounces there but also check the level of the main trans. Some oil will flow from the main section to the rear thru the bearing.

I wish I had looked at the chat forum before I started working on the car this morning. I removed the floor board and did see a plug on top of the rear of the transmission. I removed it and put gear oil in it. I didn't know how much to fill it with so I just kind of winged it. I'm just guessing, but I think I probably put about 4 or 5 ounces in that small fill hole. How often do you think I need to refill it? And how will I know if it needs refilling?
Thanks again,
Dennis

It only needs refilling if the transmission has been drained. There is no way to check the level but oil from the main case will flow in after some use. The four ounces is plenty and is just necessary for initial fill after draining. Check the main case level after filling and it will only be necessary to check and maintain the correct level in the main case.

Thanks for the good information. I appreciate all of it.
Dennis