difficulty re fitting my gearbox

Hi I have recently had to remove my gearbox from my 1972 series 3, ( thrust bearing seized ) . Decided to fit a complete OEM clutch. Everything lined up be cannot get the gearbox all the way in. Q, could I have the clutch plate fitted the wrong way round, this is the only thing I can think of. Would appreciate anyones thoughts and advice,
thanks Ian.

Cutch plate can be fitted the wrong way around. Also if not correctly aligned with flywheel the first motion shaft will no go into the spigot bearing/bush.

Probably dumb question: did you use a clutch alignment tool?

Can take a lot of juggling.....and verring the angle between box/engine....

Yes suppose you could fit the plate back to front...no idea if the pressure plate bolts would go fully home if you did....the plate is marked front.

I have an old gearbox 1st motion shaft for aligning but with eye you can do it by eye.

ipfewt said:

Hi I have recently had to remove my gearbox from my 1972 series 3, ( thrust bearing seized ) . Decided to fit a complete OEM clutch. Everything lined up be cannot get the gearbox all the way in. Q, could I have the clutch plate fitted the wrong way round, this is the only thing I can think of. Would appreciate anyones thoughts and advice,
thanks Ian.

Click to expand...

Had this once on a brand new Delph clutch plate even though the BP clutch plate was fine ( only replaced clutch as replacing gearbox ) and for the life of me i couldn't get the gearbox back in tried it a couple of times but wouldn't go in so i removed the clutch plate and tried it on the shaft in a few different positions it would start then jam on the shaft checked splines on plate and they looked fine so in the end i fitted the BP one back on and the gearbox went back in no problem

Before fitting the clutch plate its well worth checking it moves ok on the splines and yes it is possible to put the clutch plate wrong way round.
Have you got the engine supported under the bell housing on the chassis cross member ,if engine pointing downwards hard to get gear box to go fully home.

Ditto, did the clutch plate slide on the input shaft easily?

Had the same problem with mine took a lot of jiggling to get it to go in, In the end I put jack under box and lifted it slightly and in it went, pic shows how close I was before I lifted it up then it went in.