Trans. trouble

[jskupien]

I just bought a 87 toyota pickup. It needed a clutch so I attemted it. No prob. with replaceing clutch components but I can't get it back in, I think the prob. is the shaft and pilot bearing isn't lined up, yes I used the alinement tool that came with kit. Any sugestions?

[natenelsen]

well congrats on your new truck, have you ever done a clutch or is this you first one?
If this is your first one then stabbing the trans is a little tricky the first couple of times you do one. you will definatly need a partner or two. you will have to just wilggle and jiggle and twist the whole trans as you stab it to get the thing in there, and it helps if you put the trans in gear and have someone rotate the output shaft (the part the rear driveshaft bolts to) slowly, this will get the splines lined up for you. If this is a 4x4 truck I feel for you, i did mine and It was a heavy SOB.

I dont recall how the 87 is set up but on my 94 I had to drop the sway bar and I even tilted the motor back just a bit to make things line up easier. Good luck and let us know how things go.

Nate

[jskupien]

This is my first clutch but my second trans. drop, but thats a hole nother story. No it's not a 4x4, thank goodness. Thanks for the advice, I'm going to try again this weekend and I thought if I couldn't get it in, then I would just pull the damn motor (never done that) and then match it up and put them back in together, what do you think?

[natenelsen]

Boy that would be my absoulute last choice, are you man handling this thing or do you have some kind of transjack setup? The key for me has usually been the assistance of a buddy. You may want to use a chunk of lumber and a jack on the front of the motor to apply a *little* pressure to titlt the back of the motor down for you. Its is usually just one of those things where you have to hold you mouth right as you do it.

good luck----Nate

[jskupien]

I've got 2 floor jacks and the use of a buddys motorcycle jack. My brother-in-law is coming to help this weekend, he's a BIG boy, he can man handle it in place. He's done transmisions before. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks John