do you pull the Cluster up after the m/s is in?
yes, but
I install the loaded M/S into the tail; and the input HAS to go into the case first and be slid as far forward out of the case as it will go.
My workbench has a hole big enough to receive a 308 bearing, and at this point, I tip the case over and drop the loaded input into it. And drop the brass ring onto the input.
Next I "glue" the rear gasket onto the case with light grease, and then drop the loaded tail down into the input, indexing the brass to the struts, and making sure not to dislodge any rollers in the input..
When I do this, I install the tail upside down, which is to say, 180* out of correct. This usually leaves enough room to drop the clusterpin down into the lifted cluster. But not always! So I always clearance the tail before anything goes together.
After the pin is in, I rotate the tail into position, and install one bolt finger-tight; then recheck that the front brass is still correctly indexed to the struts. If yes, then the remaining bolts go in, tight
Now comes the tricky part;
I lift the trans straight up, until the input comes out of the hole in my bench, and push it up until it stops on the snapring, then lay the trans over. This is tricky because that darn trans is heavy, and I only have one arm available, cuz the other is gonna push the input up. So because my last name is not Hercules, I crush the trans against my chest, and lift it with my legs. The whole point of this exercise is to guarantee that the rollers in the back of the input, stay in their proper orientation. If the hole in your bench is big enough to receive the retainer, or if you have mounted the case on an engine stand, then just install the retainer instead.
There is a cavity in the back of the input, than can actually receive two rollers , so I am perhaps overly cautious to make sure that does not happen.
The factory MOPAR snapring on the input bearing, is thinner than the one that comes with a new bearing. Do not use that fat snapring; I have never tried to, but my guess is that if you did, you would break the retainer. And if it doesn't, then it will for sure leak.
There is a way to do it your way, but I have not had much success with it, unless you can install the input after the loaded M/S is in, like on a Saginaw, or a Ford. On the 307 bearinged A833, I usually end up exploding the front synchronizer assy and having to start all over.
Ok so best of luck to you.
