Gettin' pissed over a ZF-5 install

[John_piv]

Hey y'all,
Clutch went out on my T19 a few weeks ago so I decided to go ZF-5 while I had the trans out. It was enough of a headache to get that heavy sumbitch under the truck, but now I got it all the way up and she won't slide into the clutch. I've tried shimmying, shaking, turning the crank bolt, and even a come-a-long. No matter what I do, it leaves about a 2 inch gap on both sides.

I don't reckon it's clutch alignment since I held the tool in place by hand while tightening the pressure plate to make sure it was squared. New pilot bearing, which was test fitted on the trans shaft before installation; and the clutch (tested same way, but fairly tight on the splines).

I genuinely have no idea what I should do. Of the 3-4 transmissions I've installed in the past, this has to be the hardest.

Any words of wisdom from y'all?
(I have tried the long bolt pulling method)

Thanks!

 

[Old Goat]

Here is the thread bulletpruf did back in April.

Pulling Hair Out with ZF5 Install - What's the Trick to Installing One?

Ok, so I installed the rebuilt 7.3 IDI in my '87 F350 a few weeks ago and now I'm trying to install the ZF5 that I rebuilt. I'm doing this in the driveway, by myself, using a transmission jack. I'm using a Luk clutch/pressure plate/flywheel kit. I got the trans lifted up and somewhat...

www.oilburners.net

Charlie

 

[Black dawg]

What tool did you use to align the disk?

 

[John_piv]

Here is the thread bulletpruf did back in April.

Pulling Hair Out with ZF5 Install - What's the Trick to Installing One?

Ok, so I installed the rebuilt 7.3 IDI in my '87 F350 a few weeks ago and now I'm trying to install the ZF5 that I rebuilt. I'm doing this in the driveway, by myself, using a transmission jack. I'm using a Luk clutch/pressure plate/flywheel kit. I got the trans lifted up and somewhat...

www.oilburners.net

Charlie

Read through that one first

 

[BlindAmbition]

Mine took less than 10 minutes to get in there using a normal floor jack. Raise the back up as far as it'll go, I used 6 ton jacks on wooden platforms.

I removed the transmission crossmember

Used two long pieces of all thread on the bottom bolts as guides

I marked a tooth of one of the top splines on the alignment tool and matched my transmission up to that mark before sliding it in.

Hopefully attempt number two goes as easily, dropping that trans for a 4x4 conversion.

 

[John_piv]

What tool did you use to align the disk?

Alignment tool that came with my clutch kit

 

[John_piv]

Mine took less than 10 minutes to get in there using a normal floor jack. Raise the back up as far as it'll go, I used 6 ton jacks on wooden platforms.

I removed the transmission crossmember

Used two long pieces of all thread on the bottom bolts as guides

I marked a tooth of one of the top splines on the alignment tool and matched my transmission up to that mark before sliding it in.

Hopefully attempt number two goes as easily, dropping that trans for a 4x4 conversion.

When I raise the back up, it just throw the alignment of the BH to adapter plate out of whack. I'm trying to make sure the gap is uniform all the way around before pushing in, is that not right on these transmissions?

I'm using 6 inch long bolts as my alignment studs, and I'm also using the bottom holes.

I thought I had my splines aligned before I started, but it's acting like they aren't. No matter how little or how much I spin the crank it never seems to line up right.

 

[Black dawg]

Using the black plastic alignment tool that most clutches come with takes a little messing around to get it just right. Just holding it while tightening the pressure plate wont be enough. I usually just check when done that the tool slides easily, in a few different clockings..

 

[John_piv]

Using the black plastic alignment tool that most clutches come with takes a little messing around to get it just right. Just holding it while tightening the pressure plate wont be enough. I usually just check when done that the tool slides easily, in a few different clockings..

Yep, I made sure to rotate it to just about every different spline location after getting the plate installed. Seemed to work just fine

 

[Jesus Freak]

If you still have the T19 floor board plate in, the ZF5 won't go up high enough.

 

[Jesus Freak]

And just to make sure, you might just check sliding the clutch on the tranny input shaft just to make sure it's absolutely the right one, or there could be a metal burr. Other than that yelling and throwing something in a safe direction usually helps.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Using the black plastic alignment tool that most clutches come with takes a little messing around to get it just right. Just holding it while tightening the pressure plate wont be enough. I usually just check when done that the tool slides easily, in a few different clockings..

This is absolutely true, usually got to lift it about a 1/8in to center it.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Instead of turning the crank, put the transmission in a gear. Turn the output shaft while pushing forward and wiggling the transmission.

I agree with @Jesus Freak I have always had to push the alignment tool about an 1/8" until there was enough tension on the pressure plate to bolts hold the disk.

I'm not sure if this will work on a hydraulic clutch as I have never tried it. On the older mechanical linkage when i was pretty sure the clutch alignment wasnt quite right. I used to put just a slight tension on a couple of bellhousing bolts, have someone push the clutch while i would twist the output shaft quickly back and forth.

James

 

[IDIBRONCO]

is that not right on these transmissions?

Yes. You want the gap to be as close to even as you can get it all the way around.

If you still have the T19 floor board plate in, the ZF5 won't go up high enough.

Yes it will. I have a Blue Truck out in my driveway right with a ZF5 and the T-19 plate. I pull the very top part (shifter tower?) off of the transmission and put rags, paper towels, etc inside the hole to keep the crud out during the install. It's a tight fit, but it will go. This is also the reason why I can't s c r e w my shifter boot down to the plate. The shifter sits too far back for the holes to line up.

Now, back to the problem at hand. Do you have the transmission in gear? If not, put it in gear. Then spin the output shaft of the transmission. Spinning the crank bolt will do NOTHING to align the splines if they're not aligned. Why? Because the pressure from the input shaft of the transmission keeps enough pressure on the clutch splines so that the input shaft will spin with the crank/flywheel/clutch because there's nothing to keep it from spinning. That only works when the driveshaft(s) is in place. By putting the transmission in gear and spinning the output shaft, you are spinni9ng all of the internals of the transmission but not the clutch/flywheel. That's how you align the splines when you're installing the transmission.

 

[hacked89]

It’s all about the approach angle. It can take 2 minutes at the correct angle or 2 hours of trying at the wrong angle. What you are describing is the angle being off.