Pulling a '71T Transmission

[Stretch32]

I've got the engine/transmission of my all stock '71T on the floor and after looking at the manual it calls for some form of spacer to take pressure off the clutch springs so the throw out bearing can be rotated out the way of the throw out arm. The picture in the manual is vague and only says to use a spacer but its not specific. What are people using as a spacer to do this correctly? I've tried a few things around the garage with no luck. Any thoughts?

Stretch

[Frank Beck]

As long as the trans is bolted securely to the engine, poke a screwdriver into one of the inspection holes on top of the bell housing and rotate the bearing approx 90 degrees or until the ears of the bearing are off of the arm. At that point the arm should move freely.

Make sense?

[Stretch32]

Frank,

Thanks for the reply. We had already loosened the engine from the transmission thinking it would just come apart. Anyway, we made the spacers from steel tube and were then able to rotate the throw out bearing. Hopefully we didn't do any damage trying to pull them apart for 2 hours thinking it was stuck or corroded on. So on a '71 you can turn the throw out bearing without having to relieve spring pressure first?

Stretch

[Frank Beck]

"So on a '71 you can turn the throw out bearing without having to relieve spring pressure first?"

Yes. The moment you separate the eng/trans, even a bit, it puts pressure on the fork and makes the job much more difficult.