TRANSMISSION INSTALLATION HELPERS

First off...

A Clutch Alignment Tool is a great thing to have... proabably more of a NECESSITY. My first, I carved out of a broomstick... this is one I found at Pep Boys form MotorMite... about 5 bucks... details below.  Lots of ESTABLISHED parts houses will have one of these still on a hook if you look for them.  My label was printed in 1991.

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Secondly... these are some of the TOOLS I used to install my trans myself... without which I know I hadn't the strength or patience to do.

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On the far left is a length of nylon rope in which I use to make a sling to hold the trans.  If you make a loop and wrap it around the trans just behind the bell housing... and hook it between the right hub and the differential... the trans is almost perfectly balanced when lifted straight up.  Practice this on the floor first and make sure it is aligned properly... not rocket science... but works extremely well.

To the right of the yellow rope is the clutch alignment tool that I mentioned above

Next to that is a "Hoelscher Stud"... Its the silver stud made from a 3 inch long 12 x 1.25 bolt with the head ground ROUND and a screwdriver SLOT sawed into the end.  Install this stud in the TOP RIGHT (1 O'Clock) mounting hole.   (3 bolts, 1 stud mounts the trans to the engine.)  With this stud in the top right hole, and the stud in the trans at the lower right... the trans can be positioned more accurately so the input shaft slides home into the clutch plate easier.  Worked like a CHARM twice for me... but only when placed in the top right mounting hole!  Once the trans has slid home... secure it with a nut on the lower right stud and remove the Hoelscher Stud with a flat blade screwdriver.

Next is the the "Mortero Hoist" made from a couple of ganged pulleys and about 30 feet of Dacron Cord.  Some can be purchased at Harbor Freight and other stores for under 10 bucks or made like I did from things I had laying around.  To the right of that is a "bicycle hook" to secure the hoist to a ceiling joist in the garage... or just about any screw-in eyelet will do.  Test the hook by hanging from it... the trans weighs about 98 pounds full of lube.

Rudy Mortero first tried this with a series of pulleys so he could lie under the car and hoist it himself... I did the same but dropped the dacron line straight down the engine compartment. 

If a ceiling joist in your garage is not in the proper position... you can install two hooks and a line between them and with a sling on the pulleys... use the line as a "gantry" to position the pulley system where you want it.  Sounds like a lot of trouble... but unless you do these installs all the time... I think you'll find this is the best method.  It only took a few minutes to drill a hole, install the hook and mount the pulleys.

With TWO people this process becomes a SNAP.  Anthony Giangrande and I hoisted the trans... aligned it on the studs, turned the flywheel once or twice and ran the trans home in just a few minutes.  I remember heaving and hoisting manually on several occasions and it took literally HOURS without these two tools!  I admit I'm just a hobbyist... but no one needs that kinda frustration!  It took me about 20 minutes to install mine by myself this way... I recommend a helper... but you CAN do it alone.

Hope this helps and encourages others... let me know if you need further explanation.

 

 

My best,



Tony

Black Tooth and me... since 1983!

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