4 speed re install wont line up

[Bigmanjbmopar]

We have been battling getting the 4 speed back in the 383 for the life of me It won't go in we have rotated the engine while wiggling it in but what the heck never had this much trouble sucks being on your back.

What's the trick here?

 

[Adam]

I assume you used a clutch plate alignment tool? I just went thru this with an NP435 truck trans (super heavy) took me hours of rechecking, tried about a dozen times but then it just went right in.. good luck.

 

[tonysrt]

If you keep pressure plate bolts loose, clutch is easier to line up but then you'll have turn trans to line up splines on both. Keep tranny in 4th to turn it to line up the splines. I've done it that way with the 833 and a 440. Never had access to the tool until I converted to a Tremec 5 speed and now I have the tool.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

If the clutch linkage is hooked up having someone depress the pedal can make the job far easier

 

[basketcase70]

Trying to get clutch disc alignment close enough to get the transmission to slide all the way in with most “alignment” tools can be especially frustrating, especially when using those cheap plastic ones often supplied with the disc. Even loosening and retightening the pressure plate multiple times won’t get it done at times.

I’ve had far better luck using an actual input shaft from a transmission. It just needs to match the disc splines and register in the pilot bearing correctly. While I prefer the weigh and “feel” of one that isn’t broken, a damaged one will work as long as the splines and pilot bearing area are unhurt.
“Wiggling” the shaft as the pressure plate was tightened seemed to help, but it was likely my imagination.

O T, but I tore up so many Muncie 4 speeds “back in the day”, I still keep a shaft from one of those in my toolbox.

Engaging two gears at once will lock the transmission and allow rocking the case around the main shaft axis to get through the disc splines if that is an issue.

I’ve tried all the tricks mentioned previously, and few more, usually with little success. Multiple tries of loosening/tightening the pressure plate to readjust the disc, with the attendant removal/reattachment of the bellhousing and attempted reinstallation of the transmission, frustrating as that can be (especially if you are laying on the ground bench pressing a 130+lb transmission into place), was usually the way it got done.

 

[tonysrt]

I've done the pressure plate loose on a 55 Chevy, 58 Plymouth, 68 Road Runner and a 71 Cuda. So it is definitely possible to be done that way if you don't have the alignment tool. The tool just makes it almost full proof to get it together. You are turning the tranny shaft to line up the splines in the clutch? It just wasn't convenient for me to buy the tool so I struggled with out it. Of course the 3 speeds in the 55 and the 58 were pretty easy, the 4 speeds being so heavy made it a little more difficult. Now I have a tranny jack and it sure helps a lot because at my age I'm lucky I can lift the clutch plate.

 

[terrywalker]

I've been there and done that. I've tried the loose bolt, plastic alignment tool, wooden dowel, etc. When my 4 speed needed to have a new input shaft put in due to the messed up gear, I asked for the old shaft from the guy who rebuilt it. It's been a life saver ever since. If you were near Washington state, I'd let you borrow it if what you are installing is a 23 spline. Find out if a transmission shop near you has one that's no good that you can get. Or maybe a Mopar guy near you has one you can borrow. I wish you luck.
Terry W.

 

[Steve340]

My one was also difficult to install. I found the rear side of the clutch plate did not have enough "lead in" for the input shaft on the pressure plate side. I compared it to the old clutch plate.
Ground it in and a little de--burr and the gearbox slides right in first go.

 

[kenelder]

I just had the same experience- I used the cheap plastic alignment tool that came with the clutch and simply could not get it to slide in. Finally found my spare input shaft and redid the pressure plate/clutch with it, then the trans slid right in. When there's an extra person available to push in the clutch pedal enough to slightly reduce the pressure plate that has worked well for me also in the past.

 

[bossmike]

We have been battling getting the 4 speed back in the 383 for the life of me It won't go in we have rotated the engine while wiggling it in but what the heck never had this much trouble sucks being on your back.

What's the trick here?

I think everyone has experienced this. Strange because sometimes it goes in first shot. I found a what I think is the best trick I can offer - I am on my back but use a tranny jack frm HF $40 then get the shaft in as deep as possible taking measurements to be sure you are coming in straight side to side and up and down. Then when it feels like it’s not going in further by hand I put two ratchet straps around the motor and tail shaft. Using the straps to apply a little constant pressure again being careful to check alignment as you go in - works every time. I am now able to remove and install a 833 by myself w very little effort. When your on your back u can’t get leverage to light wiggle push all while checking for straightness. Tranny jack and ratchet straps from now on!

 

[tonysrt]

Another trick I've used is grind or cut the head of a b block head bolt off, the long ones, and screw 2 of them into the bell housing. Makes installation so much easier.

 

[73Dodge]

Another trick I've used is grind or cut the head of a b block head bolt off, the long ones, and screw 2 of them into the bell housing. Makes installation so much easier.

This has worked extremely well for me in the past, you don't even need head bolts or all thread. Just go to your local hardware store and pick up some hex bolts in the appropriate thread size and a few inches long. Cut the heads off, grind a slot in them to make it easier to get them out after and insert them into the bottom two holes of the bell housing. it allows you to have the trans in the correct position without holding it while you move things around a bit and get the splines to line up. it's a 1 man job this way.

 

[tonysrt]

The good thing about the head bolt is there are no threads on the bolt after threaded in the bell housing and tranny slides in easier. Since I had a few 440's in my Cuda before the installation of a gen2 Hemi , I have plenty of left over head bolts, so a no cost option, and I think there grade 8.

 

[moparlee]

This has worked extremely well for me in the past, you don't even need head bolts or all thread. Just go to your local hardware store and pick up some hex bolts in the appropriate thread size and a few inches long. Cut the heads off, grind a slot in them to make it easier to get them out after and insert them into the bottom two holes of the bell housing. it allows you to have the trans in the correct position without holding it while you move things around a bit and get the splines to line up. it's a 1 man job this way.

I do the same thing, but I put them in the top two holes of the bell housing. The alignment tools work, but you also need to keep the tranny input shaft parallel and in line with the clutch and crank shaft.

 

[fasjac]

It’s just a PIA on the floor. This one isn’t quite as heavy as the 833 but, still a pain. Getting to old to do this by myself without a rack and trans jack. It will be the last time on the floor.