Does anyone have a trick to easily align the clutch disk and the input shaft teeth. I am doing the swap solo and could use a little help!

I usually pick out a deep socket that just slip fits into the clutchplate splines. This usually will slide all the way through into the flywheel, and hold everything in allignment until the pressure plate is torqued down. Then just slip the socket out and you're ready to go.

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Marc in sunny Titusville, FL

• 84 SE son's car, loaded
  
• 85 Coup w/V6 transplant
  
• 85 GT newly on the road
  
• 86 SE/GT "The Chameleon" - big plans!

Didn't yours come with the alignment tool? I used a wooden broomstick handle once to get a clutch disc to align. It was the right size diameter for what I needed. All you need is something of the right diameter to line things up.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 06-07-2008).]

I am not trying to allign the clutch disk in the pressure plate. That was done with an allignment tool. I am trying to allign the teeth on the input shaft with the teeth on the disk.

I usually call out my little sister to start rocking the crank back and forth... I can get a trans in (with the motor still in the car) in on the first or second lift up.

Putting long bolts in the block where the bellhousing bolts helps with alignment. Cut the heads off and screw them into the block and make sure you get them long enough to align the transmission before the input shaft touches the clutch disk. Then all you will really have to do is get the splines lined up on the input shaft and the disk, and it should pretty much slide in like butter. Helps to get the angle of the dangle just right on the input shaft.

quote Originally posted by afRaceR: Putting long bolts in the block where the bellhousing bolts helps with alignment. Cut the heads off and screw them into the block and make sure you get them long enough to align the transmission before the input shaft touches the clutch disk. Then all you will really have to do is get the splines lined up on the input shaft and the disk, and it should pretty much slide in like butter. Helps to get the angle of the dangle just right on the input shaft.

I used this same method. I had a friend rock the crank shaft back and forth with a braker bar.

I usually put the transmission in fifth, then twist both the axle cups by hand one direction, this spins the input shaft allowing the clutch to line up with the splines and the engine slides right in. If you don't have axle cups in the transmission I would hand ratchet the shifter lever through the gears, the input shaft will nudge a little, hopefully catching the spline in the process.