1989 Toyota 2WD pickup clutch replacement...

It took 3 people, but we got the transmission almost all the way in on my Dad's p/u. However it will not go the last 1/2" I just CANNOT get the trans all the way in. I've tried bench-pressing and using a jack too. Since it's only 1/2 inch out I can't imagine that the splines are not engaged, yet I seem to be able to pivot the trans left and right (not so much up and down)...which probably means I'm bending something I can't really seem to get the trans to move out either though I certainly don't want to have to insert it agains o I haven't tried very hard.

Now that I'm sitting here thinking about it, it seems the input shaft is probably engaged in the clutch disc teeth but maybe it's not fully engaged in the flywheel? Like maybe it's just not making it into the pilot bearing?

Something else: we had a REALLY hard time getting the clutch to clear the new pressure plate. In other words the new pressure plate is thicker than the old one. Is it possible the pressure plate is too thick? This is the Sachs KF628-02 clutch kit, several online sources validate that this is the right kit.

Really tired and really frustrated, I'm half an inch away from bolting everything back together but I'm too tired to keep going tonight

Thanks.

 

I would check that pressure plate. I had a hard time putting in back in but it eventually slid back in.

 

Check it how? I know the bolts are torqued all the way down. I'm not sure what else I could do. Thanks for the reply.

 

Did you use the clutch alignment tool?

 

Yes, definitely. I don't think it would be possible to install the clutch disc with that...I guess maybe you could install it in the pressure plate. But anyway yeah I definitely used that to put the disk on the flywheel and did not remove it until the pressure plate was fully torqued. I'm using the '93 FSM you can find on the 'net, fyi.

 

do you have the front of the motor supported by anything? I've done 3 clutches now on toyotas one on a 3vz and 2 22re ones (not saying i'm an expert just saying what helped me). get a block of wood put it on a jack and very lightly lift the front of the motor by the oil pan. without the transmission weight on the back of the motor the motor will lean towards the rad and make life hell to get the transmission to line up properly. while your trying to push the transmission into place lightly turn the drive shaft flange back and fourth while u push it in, the teeth even being off a hair will stop it from sliding in.

 

Motor is supported by a 1x4 between the oil pan and front crossmember, per Toyota FSM instructions.

The input shaft splines are well past engagement; remember the clutch disk is only the first bit you have to get through. After some more though and more replies I'm pretty sure my issue is that the tip of the input shaft isn't getting into the pilot bearing. I just hope I haven't damaged the bearing trying to get it in

 

unless you've physically tried kicking the tranny into place i doubt you would have wrecked the bearing. slide the tranny back a bit and put the alignment tool back in place. loosen the bolts wiggle everything around until your sure its in the pilot bearing as well then tighten it all back down, you could be out by even a milimeter. You should be able to slide it back far enough that you wont have to actually drop the whole trans. Sucks that it's happened to you tho, doing the clutch is a headache especially when your not doing it in an equipped shop.

 

Did you check the pilot bearing on your input shaft before installing it to verify it fit? They could of put the wrong pilot bearing in your clutch kit..

 

Got it installed. Pretty sure my struggle was as follows:

I pulled the trans and checked the alignment tool just to be sure everything was still ok, it was good.

First issue was just getting the angle right but this wasn't a huge deal. Once I had the angle good, I could easily slide the trans in and out on the splines.

Main issue: there are two alignment pins on the engine side of the connection. When I brought the trans forward and it contacted those pins I just couldn't generate enough force to get that last 1/2 inch. I wedged a breaker bar between the body and the trans and slowly worked it forward from right and left. It really didn't take much effort at all, I think I was just too tired and not strong enough to do it by hand.

Everything is back together. I can't say it feels a WHOLE lot better than what I pulled out but the old clutch had been in there for a really long time. No rivet contact yet but pretty close.

Anyway thanks for all the suggetsions.