Quote:
Originally Posted by joshhirst13
Hey guys. Does anyone know of a book/manual I can purchase that shows the step by step process of installing a bell housings/clutch on an 8ba as well as the process of mating up a transmission. I have an 8ba with a bell housings/starter plate & 1939 Ford top loader trans. I just want to make sure I do it right as I’ve never done this before.
Thanks
Josh
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Hey Josh! It's actually a pretty straight forward process.
1....Install flywheel. It MUST be a '49-'53 8BA-type flywheel. The six threaded
clutch bolt holes are drilled all the way thru the 8BA flywheels. Earlier
flywheels, these bolt holes are 'BLIND'. Also make sure you haven't forgotten the PILOT BUSHING.
2....Using a 'dummy' alignment tool or a spare input shaft from an old transmission, align the clutch disc as you bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel.
3....Then, you will bolt-on either your STAMPED STEEL (RED) half bell from a '49-early '51 Mercuty with STARTER Plate, or a CAST IRON (BLACK) half bell with it's correct Starter Plate. Note....the cast iron allows 11" clutch use, whereas the stamped-steel Merc piece only allows a 10" clutch.
4....Place your throw-out bearing on the snout (bearing retainer) at front of trans. Don't forget to attach the small return spring at top of throw-out bearing, as seen in picture below, complements of Mac VanPelt.
5....Now, only a simple matter of lifting that heavy trans and stabbing the splined input shaft into the splined center of the clutch disc. Some folks take two long bolts with the hex heads cut-off and hand thread them into the 1/2-bell holes at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock to help support and guide the trans into position. It helps (SOMETIMES) to put the trans in gear to prevent the input shaft from turning as you attempt to mesh the trans/clutch splines. That is a precision fit that sometimes takes a couple of cuss words to make things mate. Make sure you slide the trans all the way up to the 1/2-bell BEFORE running the bolts up tight.
This should get you there, and this last pic shows about what you should look like! DD
........