72 sb clutch install
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
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72 sb clutch install
What is the best way to change a clutch in a 72 sb. Pull the engine or take the tranny and bell housing out from below? Will the trans come out because it looks like it might not come back far enough before hitting the cross member. Both look like a difficult job.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
It's been a long time since I did just a clutch job on my '69, but it came out easily from the bottom. I only had a bottle jack and four jack stands. Get the car up high enough to give yourself some room. Even with the welded-in cross member, the trans can be moved back far enough to get it out of the car. The bell housing and clutch come out easily too. I think you have to remove the shift levers and of course the clutch linkage comes out too.
Chilton says the shifter alignment tool, or block gauge, should be 1/8" thick and 41/64" wide. I think I made one out of sheet metal, the 41/64" dimension being the critical one. The factory service manual doesn't give the dimensins, just a tool number.
Your '72 should be similar.
Cheers,
Pete
Chilton says the shifter alignment tool, or block gauge, should be 1/8" thick and 41/64" wide. I think I made one out of sheet metal, the 41/64" dimension being the critical one. The factory service manual doesn't give the dimensins, just a tool number.
Your '72 should be similar.
Cheers,
Pete
Last edited by PeteZO6; Sep 16, 2008 at 09:15 PM. Reason: typed '73 by mistake
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
The trans will come back far enough. You have to remove the shifter and linkage. As you are sliding the trans out rotate it slightly and it will clear everything. drop the nose of the trans when it clears the bellhousing. Done it many times, much easier than pulling the motor.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Pete,
My 71 GM CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL does have a diagram of the 'locating gage'. It's in the transmission section, 7-17 fig.21. I'm not much of a metal worker so I made mine out of a plastic paint scraper. I've used it a few times and the linkage doesn't seem to realize it's plastic.
Regards,
Alan
PS: I did the adjustment with the body off so it didn't need the bend in it to clear the underbody. If I have to use it now I might crack it putting the bend in the scraper?!?!
My 71 GM CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL does have a diagram of the 'locating gage'. It's in the transmission section, 7-17 fig.21. I'm not much of a metal worker so I made mine out of a plastic paint scraper. I've used it a few times and the linkage doesn't seem to realize it's plastic.
Regards,
Alan
PS: I did the adjustment with the body off so it didn't need the bend in it to clear the underbody. If I have to use it now I might crack it putting the bend in the scraper?!?!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
Hi Alan,
There is a small line drawing in the 1969 GM Chassis Service Manual on page 7-12, Fig. 13, but it does not give any dimensions. I suppose with the body off, you could easily see the space the gauge goes into and make one to fit. The thing that surprised me was that the usually mostly useless Clinton book had the exact dimensions for the gauge. A pair of tin snips and probably a piece of plumber's tape was all I needed to make my gauge. A metal worker I am not.
Cheers,
Pete
There is a small line drawing in the 1969 GM Chassis Service Manual on page 7-12, Fig. 13, but it does not give any dimensions. I suppose with the body off, you could easily see the space the gauge goes into and make one to fit. The thing that surprised me was that the usually mostly useless Clinton book had the exact dimensions for the gauge. A pair of tin snips and probably a piece of plumber's tape was all I needed to make my gauge. A metal worker I am not.
Cheers,
Pete
