4-speed trans won't go back in all the way

[ChaseDale3and8]

Having trouble getting my 465 trans and 208 transfer case the rest of the way back into my 86 K10. Got it where it's 1 1/3 inches from the bell house and can't get it to go any further. Something must not be quite lined up where it wants to be but I'm having a time trying to figure out what the hold up is. If its this close are the splines on the input shaft lined up with the clutch, or could that be the problem? When I put the trans in gear I can't turn the drive shaft, but in neutral I can. It will help narrow it down if I know for sure whether the splines are lined up and engaged as its sitting right now. I haven't had to work on one of these manual trans trucks like this since about 1995 so I've forgotten a few things along the way. I can't remember for sure, but it seems like once a long time ago we had to have somebody sit in the cab and push the clutch pedal then wiggle the trans to get the shaft to go into the bronze bushing but that's been a long time ago. Anybody ever had this happen? I tried to load some pictures but it says file size is too big. I'll keep trying. Thanks in advance!  .....Joe

[80Chevy4x4]

first...did you check the clutch disc and make sure it slid over the input shaft before you bolted it up under the pressure plate?   also maybe a little grease on the input shaft?...just enough to make it shiny so the disc will slide on it.....did you line the disc up with a clutch line up tool?.....also did you put the right size pilot shaft bushing in?.......hopefully these ideas will help.

[74 C-10 Shorty]

Sounds like the disc isn't lined up, did you use the line up tool when you installed the clutch and pressure plate??..

[ChaseDale3and8]

Yes to all of the above. I actually had it all together but realized I had put the throw out bearing in backward when I put the engine in late last summer. Rather than pull the engine back out to fix the bearing problem I opted to pull the trans/transfer case. It all slid out just fine no problems. Just having trouble getting it back that last little bit. This truck has been down since Memorial weekend 2012 and I'm ready to get it finished and back on the road where it belongs! It's been one hurdle after another since I started this. If I ever get the transmission back in the rest is easy! ....Joe

[74 C-10 Shorty]

Well, should just slide right in if everything is lined up then, if you have someone push the clutch pedal the disc will move though, should just be able to rotate it a tad and the splines should slide right in..

[80Chevy4x4]

ok first make sure the clutch fork is on the pivot completely.....also apply some grease on the inside collar of the throw-out bearing....i am just naming off things i have seen before....it is also possible that the clutch fork could be slightly bent....hope this helps...i know it can get frustrating.

[ChaseDale3and8]

I greased up everything well before reassembly. I also put a brand new fork in while I was at it, so it better not be bent or O'Reilly is going to have one irate customer on their hands! Something has to be out of line somewhere. I think I'll get under it this weekend with my machinist calipers and measure trans face to bell house at all 4 corners and see what I come up with. I thought that I had it straight enough to get it started in the bushing but maybe not. I'm not even sure if its into the clutch disc. I have pictures on my phone of what I've got but can't upload them because it says file size is too big. I'll see if I can get some with my camera to post up when I get the time. Thanks for the suggestions because I might forget about something simple that's fuggin up the whole thing! ...Joe

[rich weyand]

Are you sure the bushing is the right size?  Too small an ID and it's not going in for anything.

[zieg85]

At 1.33" off you are into the splines on the clutch disc but not into the pilot bushing.  Could someone have pushed the clutch in and the disc is off center now?  I have had a third person help by pushing the clutch in while under the truck pushing the trans into place. My $02...

[gildardo01]

At 1.33" off you are into the splines on the clutch disc but not into the pilot bushing.  Could someone have pushed the clutch in and the disc is off center now?  I have had a third person help by pushing the clutch in while under the truck pushing the trans into place. My $02...

hey ive done that two... idk about a "third" person usually a clutch job is a one person job... anyways the trick with pressing the clutch is to press it ever so slightly.. just enough to get it to move... if you press it all the way it may just fall and youŽll have to take out the tranny again and reposition the clutch... been there done that... 

[zieg85]

By meaning 3rd person,  I am an old man and being a 4x4 that would be a lot for just me to handle..  So I would enlist a 2nd person under the truck

[ChaseDale3and8]

The bushing is the right size. This whole thing was all together at one point. After I didn't have enough clutch pedal and trying to figure out why, I discovered the bearing was backward from some of my disassembly and reassembly pictures I took when I pulled out my stock but worn out 305 and installed my 355. That's how I got into this mess! I replaced 2 bad parts (clutch fork and throw out bearing) and now I can't get it to go in all the way. Not yet anyway. I measured with my machinist calipers what felt like a thousand times today and actually got it in there a little bit more.  I'm in at 1.125 (1 1/8 inches) and we have stopped moving again. I measured one last time before I called it quits today and I'm off center again side to side. Passenger side is at 1.094 now so I need to straighten that out before I try to move it any further. I ran some longer bolts in it, one on each side, left at the top, and right at the bottom to help coax it in. I don't like doing this since it would be easy to strip the threads in the aluminum bell housing. Once the driver side started getting too tight, I quit. Think I'll start next time with leveling and straightening it up best I can then see if I can somehow get a straight pull on it from the back end around the transfer case and see if I can pull it in the rest of the way with my come a long. Wish me luck, and I'm always open to suggestions!  .....Joe

[ChaseDale3and8]

Oh yeah BTW the clutch isn't hooked up yet. Had to take it off to get the fork out of the bell housing which was NO fun since I had to take it off the engine block!

[80Chevy4x4]

ok another thing to try(don't know if you did this yet)...put the transmission in gear...keep a jack under the transmission....put your foot or feet on the back of the transfer case.....while bracing yourself so you don't slide back shake the transfer side to side and up and down as you are pushing it with your foot...alot of times the problem can be is that the transmission isn't lined up perfectly....it might look straight but it really isn't....wish you were closer...i would come help....let me know.

[ChaseDale3and8]

I haven't tried that yet but I will just to see what happens. I know it has to be getting close. It's just a matter of getting it lined up straight and into the bushing I'm sure. I'm not sure when I'll have time to mess with it again but as soon as I do I'll post what happens. Thanks!  .....Joe