In process of replaceing the three speed Saginaw in my 69 camaro. replaced the flywheel w/ 16lb nodular, centerforce clutchand pressureplate.
Have the clutch aligned w/ pilot bearing. Easily place the alignment tool in the assy. However i'm having a hell of a time w/the floor jack and m-20 getting th e proper angles and alignment to install the trans. I can get it close but it won't go all the way. This project has so far consummed an entire weekend and wore out my back, and shoulders are really sore. Is there an easier way to install from the floor with a floor jack ? Is there something that allows contol of the trans while it is on the floor jack? any suggestions or personal experiences greatly appreciated.
thx joe c

This may not be the recommended method but I'll tell you what worked for me once. While replacing the trans after a clutch change, the trans would go almost all the way in, but not quite.

I held the trans in place while a buddy slowly pushed the clutch pedal. As soon as the pressure plate came off the clutch plate, the trans slid right in. Only problem with this method is someone climbing into the car while you're under it with the trans!

Later I went and found an old Muncie input shaft that I used for clutch alignments, and it always worked perfectly.

Dave

Joe-
Try making up a wood crate to place on top of your jack (using 2x4 material & 3/4 ply), temporarily making it more of a box. Cut two sides to hold the tranny like a cradle. This will give you a little more control. I actually tied my tranny to this contraption to keep it from falling out any crunching an arm or hand. It's very crude but it worked out. It freed me up just enough to wiggle the tranny into place. Also if you have an extra drive shaft, try cutting it off after the U joint. If you leave the tranny in neutral, you can insert the severed drive shaft, and use it to align the front spine into the clutch, and ultimately into the pilot Bering. Hope I explained it clearly enough.
Again, very crude and unorthodox. Best of luck, you'll get it, it takes patients.

Tranny jack from Harbor Freight $39

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kobuzz:
Tranny jack from Harbor Freight $39<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>what, get under the car and drag the tranny with ya. work it onto your belly and bench that puppy right in.have i been doing it wrong.

figmandz302 is right! As I get older it gets easier! My belly keeps getting it closer every time!!

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67 BB RS, M22

I had the same problem. I was doing this in gravel. My brother and I dinked with this for 4 hours, had to dodge the falling tranny several times. The floor jack only had the real small sattle 2" diameter tops. I went out and bought the larger jack with a larger sattle and the tranny was fully installed in about 30 mins.

Camaro#8 has the way that I have used all of the time after hearing about it.

Never have tried it with a floor jack. It would be just the way you said. All but in.

I would fight it, call it some bad words, get out and kick the hell out of the fence, tell people what the hell are you looking at.

Take a break and curse in a slightly muted way. Then go back out, and it fell in nearly by itself. Good luck

If you have room to do it get two long 1/2 in bolts cut the heads off and screw them into the bottom two holes of the bellhousing. Use them as a guide by starting the two bottom trans bolt holes on them and slid the trans into place. You may have to wiggle a little but normally it will go right in.

FIGMANDZ's way is good too. hahahaha on your gut.

I agree with Oger, if you do it any other way and the transmission does not go completly in and is allowed to "hang" by the input shaft on the clutch (very easy to do!) then it will ruin your clutch. Lots of clutch chatter is caused by this.

[This message has been edited by Turbo_Jet (edited 10-01-2001).]

thanks to all that responded. I used the combination of methods suggested by Oger and camaro #8. Worked like a charm. Did not even need a floor jack at all.


thanks, joe c

Ditto on the headless bolts. I ground the heads off a pair of long SB headbolts and keep them in my tool box next to my homemade balancer press-on bolts and other like stuff. pdq67