| When I first started doing mechanic work in 1970 | | | | there so we could set the transmission back down on |
| (weweren't known as *technicians* then) I learned a | | | | it and rest our arms. |
| great | | | | We tried several times, and for several minutes (2 |
| *trick-of-the-trade*. | | | | days to be exact, I think), but the transmission just |
| My boss and I were replacing the clutch on this 1969 | | | | wouldn't go in that last half inch. |
| Chevy pickup. | | | | My boss had a large amount of tobacco in his mouth. |
| After he had put the line-up shaft through the clutch | | | | He motioned for me to rest, spit a long stream of juice |
| plateto get it lined up, so the transmission shaft would | | | | toward the left front tire, and said, "Let's go get a cup |
| gothrough it, we bolted the pressure plate up to | | | | of coffee." |
| theflywheel. | | | | He was the boss, who was I to complain? :-) |
| I pushed the jack, with the transmission on it, up to the | | | | When we returned from the café he said, |
| back of the engine. | | | | "Now it will go in." |
| The transmission still had the bell-housing on it. | | | | I thought... no, I won't say what I thought. |
| My boss was at the back of the engine. He guided the | | | | We returned to our creepers, slid back under the truck. |
| bell-housing up to the engine block. | | | | He took the tail of the transmission and raised it up just |
| We were very lucky; the transmission went right up to | | | | a little bit and pushed the transmission all the way up to |
| the block. | | | | the block. |
| Well, almost. | | | | "Now put the bolts in." he said with a silly grin. |
| It would not go the last ½ inch. | | | | "What did you do!?" I asked. |
| We put a couple of bolts in and tried to draw it up, but | | | | "Nothing, we were just too tired to get it lined up. That's |
| it was in a bind. | | | | why we got a cup of coffee...to rest up." |
| Removing the bolts so we could *shake* the | | | | Well, throughout the years, I've never forgotten that, |
| transmission; sometimes this will cause it to line up with | | | | and I've used that technique several times. |
| the pilot bearing. | | | | I'm not sure if I stopped working on a project to rest up |
| We pushed up and down, right and left. The | | | | or just show the vehicle that I'm smarter than it is. |
| transmission was off the jack but we left the jack | | | | |