Triumph Repair: Installing front and rear oil seals., thrust washer, spitfire 1500

Question
QUESTION: I'm encountering a problem reassembling the transmission on my 1980 Spitfire 1500. I finished rebuilding the gearbox, and could go through all the gears on the bench with no problem. When I bolt on the bell housing, the input shaft is locked solid. The input shaft thrust washer and circlip are jamming up against the front seal. It looks like the seal is fully seated. Since the large external bearing circlip and the small input shaft circlip are engaged in their grooves, the spacing must be right. My question is what is the proper way to install the oil seal? The Haynes manual doesn't even address that, and I haven't done enough auto repair to know for sure. I used a socket with the same diameter as the seal, and a rubber mallet to tap it in with the open side toward the gearbox. Is that the best way?

ANSWER: Hi Tom,
Everything sounds correct except one thing. I know of no thrust washer on the input shaft.
The shaft goes into the bearing and a cerclip holds it in place, then the large circlip goes on the outside of the bearing so that when the shaft and bearing go into the trans case the large clip hits the case. The lip seal goes into the back of the bell housing until it seats into the sleeve that supports the release bearing. then the bell housing is bolted solid to the trans case.
Now when it is bolted to the engine the end of the shaft must fit into the pilot bearing. At that point if it locks up the shaft "with no clutch installed" then the problem is in the pilot bearing.
I do take it you are doing a "fit check" without the clutch installed?? If the clutch is installed how can you know if the shaft is free or not?
Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: If there is no thrust washer on the input shaft, then you have solved my problem. In the VB catalog, they show a thrust washer between the inner race of the input bearing and the circlip, but what you are saying makes a lot more sense. http://www.victoriabritish.com/ICATALOG/SG/full.aspx?Page=117 (part # 32)

ANSWER: Tom, I stand corrected, there is a thin washer between the clip and the bearing but none between the clip and the seal. Just as long as there is no free play between the clip and the bearing and nothing between the clip and the seal. The lip of the seal must have clearance between the seal and the clip when bolted up.

You didn't answer me about how you are determining that it is locked up. Are you doing "fit checks" with the clutch not installed?
Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The thickness of that washer is obviously too thick for the clearance between the clip and seal. I need to see if perhaps I'm using the wrong washer. I can turn the input shaft in all four gears and reverse until I bolt on the bell housing, then it won't budge.

Answer
Tom, why do you keep saying "Between the clip and the seal"? NOTHING goes between the clip and the seal. The ONLY place a washer goes is between the clip and the bearing. And even though VB calls it a thrust washer it is NOT a thrust washer it is just a thin spacer that goes between the bearing and the clip.
Howard