Took my clutch apart last year to clean the mud out and fought with it for 6 hours just trying to get the transmission back mated up to the engine (finally did it after messing with it all day but don't remember what I did). I did my Mustang last summer and had no problems, mated right up (input shaft easily went through disk and pilot bearing and everything bolted up quickly). Well now I bought a centerforce clutch and flywheel for my jeep and everything went great, except, again I can't get the tranny to mate back up with the engine. I get the splines through the disk but can't get the last inch to get into the pilot bearing. tried 8 million different angles, messed with it for 3 hours and my shoulders gave up. I have the transfer case still on the transmission and I'm sure thats not helping, this weekend I plan to separate them and try again with just the transmission.
Anyways, long story short, and trickery to get this thing back in?

 

Have you tried a clutch alignment tool? It's used to position the disc as you tighten down the clutch plate so the disc splines are lined up with the pilot bearing.

 

I have no Idea yet. But eventually I'm going to have to change out the clutch and I'm going to take notes on how you do it .

On a side note My parents live off of Bow Lake RD in Northwood. I'm going to visit them this summer on a Jeep-cation. I'm going to try and hit as many trails and class 6 roads as possible. I know I few where I had to turn back because I didn't have a chainsaw.... Lesson learned I'm bringing a chainsaw... I'm going to Cut and Drag the trees this time

 

Oh cool, I live off Bow Lake as well! About a mile from Rt 4.
Let me know, I can tell you a few places to go.

 

Thanks man, yes I used the alignment tool.

 

I used a flywheel wrench to get everything lined up and rocked the trans back and forth while shaking the flywheel wrench and it went in after a while of fighting it. You might have to put it in and out of gear a couple of times and mess with the yoke, too.

 

Ok thanks. I tried messing with the yoke but it's difficult to turn and fiddle with the transmission by myself. I'll try messing with the flywheel, thanks for the info.

 

Yeah, it would definitely help if you had someone to help move it around. Once you get it mated, bolt the first couple of bell housing bolts at the top before you reinstall the trans crossmember. Once the engine is tilted back to it's normal position, it's near impossible to get the top 4 bolts in.

 

Thanks man. Yeah I remember that from the last time I did the clutch. I actually got one or two of the top bolts in from the engine compartment. Was a lot easier.