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A 521 in Massachusetts


Crashtd420

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Minor update, bearings on order.... 

Oil pan is reinstalled using the form a gasket, hopefully that leak is done....

I also felt the drain plug was weeping so I used a flat stone where it seats on the oil pan , and the on the copper gasket....

Used some old oil to test if it would leak onto the bench and nothing.... so hopefully no more leaks

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So I got the oil back in yesterday, ran it for a little while then put some paper towels under the motor.....

So far no drips,  drain plug looked like it was trying to but I was able to snug that up a little and make that go away.....

Hopefully when I go out in a little I am drip free, so I can reinstall the crossmember and cross rod for the steering... 

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Still drip free for once,  we will see what happens after I take it for a few rides....

I got everything back in under the front end, and turned my attention getting the 4 spd out....

Slave is off, starter is out, rear bracket is out, the shifter removed, and i got the 4 - 8mm bolts for the engine plate.... all that should be left, I think l, are the 4 bolts that attach it to the engine.... waiting for some help for that final removal....

 

I also got started hacking up the rear bracket... 

I know it has to drop approximately 3/4" so I cut the original mount off ..

 

20190103-160217.jpg

 

Then made a plate to attach to the rubber mount...

 

20190103-160244.jpg

 

I'm gonna leave it in 2 pieces till I can bolt things up and see where the transmission actually sits.... i should be close but I'll probably need to do some adjustments.... I'll just grind back the bracket or shim the plate as needed.....

 

20190103-160237.jpg

 

so I will bolt the bracket to the frame, then the plate and rubber mount to transmission... i will be able to let it down and then once I get things where i want it i will tack weld it in place then remove and strengthen the bracket....

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The transmission mount will have to move back a little ways also along with lower.

You could use your existing mount if you left enough sticking out from it to weld to, as the part mounted to the frame cross member would be cut on the upper corners, then the center pounded down and the sides trimmed and pounded slightly in, but if you cut it in such a way as to leave as much sticking out as possible then you connot likely do what I just mentioned.

Didn't Mike or Charlie post a photo of an original transmission mount modified, the one with the yellow or white lines?

I found one photo but it didn't address the lowering part.

Edited by wayno
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I dont think in my thread but I know what your talking about... I remember seeing that somewhere...  that's why i was leaving it in 2 pieces.... this was originally modified from those wierd 521 mounts to the flat style like the 720.... 

This was purely just a starting point, as I had absolutely no idea where its gonna land.... 

Ok I just ran out to the garage to measure and it looks like 3/4" back too..... 

I should be able to cut the notch back that amount and still maintain those 2 pieces as a little shelf to rest the plate...

 

20190103-172141.jpg

 

Thanks wayno... for some reason I always believed those mods were only for the long tail transmissions..... 

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If your 521 has a bench seat, remove it, and the plate that holds the shift lever boot.  This allows the transmission to slide straight back, and the input shaft on the transmission to clear the pressure plate.  Then the front of the transmission can be lowered, rotating the transmission enough to clear the starter hump through the torsion bars.  The transmission is then moved forward, under the engine until the tail shaft clears the cross member, and then the transmission is removed from under the truck.

I have four ramps you can drive up on, that raise the wheels about 10 inches off the surface the ramps are on.  It has been a while since I removed and replaced a transmission in a 521, but if I remember correctly, I only need to run the front wheels up on the ramps, to raise the truck hight enough to swap transmissions.

I took a drive line to a shop to get shortened, and have the flange on the front end replaced with a slip coupler for a five speed last week.  They called today, and I am going to get the drive line tomorrow, and hopefully do the five speed swap on one of my 521 trucks tomorrow.

 

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No bench, and my transmission tunnel was a bit hacked up from the original setup.... I took one cover off that holds the boot.... but I had made a second one that's underneath the carpet to cover a larger hole that was there. It is removable but a pain to get to, I would have to get under the carpet.... 

I do remember sliding trans back and getting it out like you described , hopefully the transmission tunnel doesnt put a wrench in my plans..... 

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I got that bracket cut back a little more and finished drilling the holes in the plate.... should be good for the test fit....

 

Bearings should be here Monday, which is good I have to go back to work Thursday..... so I'm hoping it goes together smoothly,  because I have a friend willing to come by next Saturday and do the heavy lifting... 

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I decided to get the garage and my tools cleaned up and organized today, it was starting to become a real mess, and I got my bench setup for the bearings to show up tomorrow....

 

I also put these in the door today....

 

20190106-132400.jpg

20190106-132528.jpg

 

Most of the small things on my to do list are done now.. I was gonna start doing the door seals, but those seem like they will take some finessing... plus I dont feel like dealing with door and fender alignments right now if that's needed to seal the doors properly..... save that for another day...

Gonna keep my focus on the transmission rebuild and swap and get the truck back down on the ground and driving.... 

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Excited for tomorrow....

Bearings showed up.....

I also needed a new snap ring plier, broke mine removing the last snap ring.....

 

20190107-150327.jpg

 

I also bought a couple of 2 foot PVC tubes, I'll cut them down to an appropriate lengths so I can install the 2 bearings on the main shaft... hopefully that will work out... the others I should be able to use a socket or something..... 

 

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It's the deep ones that have me wondering... the large bearing on the main shaft was a bitch to get off, that's the one that concerns me the most....

 

I was wondering if I could heat them up or not...... 2 could use the help the other 2 I think will be ok.... 

I could always use my propane heater in the garage to warm them..... it looks like this...

 

Screenshot-20190107-180412-Home-Depot.jp

 

I even have a small torch I could warm the center of the center of the bearing ...

Not sure if any of that is a good idea or not.... worse case there is a local transmission shop that I should be able to get a little help from if needed..... 

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You need a steel pipe large enough to slip over the spline and drive the rearing on using the inner race. Never hit the outer diameter as the force is transmitted through the balls and both races. Plastic is not going to do it.

 

Do NOT heat them to fit them. Drive them on with a maul.

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19 hours ago, datzenmike said:

You need a steel pipe large enough to slip over the spline and drive the rearing on using the inner race. Never hit the outer diameter as the force is transmitted through the balls and both races. Plastic is not going to do it.

 

Do NOT heat them to fit them. Drive them on with a maul.

I didnt heat them up, just drove them on like you said.....

And the PVC worked perfectly, had nice thick walls...

20190108-152849.jpg

 

First bearing in the middle plate I just used a block of wood....

 

20190108-123419.jpg

 

Next was the 5th/ rev shaft....

20190108-125313.jpg

 

I used a piece of PVC braced against the wall to hold the bearing inner in place....

 

20190108-125319.jpg

 

After I realized this gear was in the way, so off it came.....

20190108-141257.jpg

 

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I have rebuilt a hundred or more of these transmissions and I have always tapped them on with a brass hammer...on the outside of the outer race.  Just rock them on a bit at a time.

 

Never had a problem.

 

Funny how rules affect the direction we go. Break the rules.

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2 minutes ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

I have rebuilt a hundred or more of these transmissions and I have always tapped them on with a brass hammer...on the outside of the outer race.  Just rock them on a bit at a time.

 

Never had a problem.

 

Funny how rules affect the direction we go. Break the rules.

Considering this is my first I think i did pretty good..... 

I'll get the cases together tomorrow and hopefully get it installed sat.....

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I know Stoffregen has a lot of cred, but it's still wise to drive/press a bearing by the loaded race.  If you drive the free race you can end up brinelling the race surfaces (in other words, dent the races with the balls).  Of course the tighter the tolerances, the more true this is, and you may not damage the races if the bearing slips on/in easily, but...

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I’ve always used an induction bearing heater. The key is to evenly heat it all the way around and not so hot as to anneal the steel. It only really works on bearings that are going to be in an oil bath, since they usually have any grease in them to begin with.

 

I replace bearings on axle shafts this way and they slide right on. Once cool, they’re locked.

Edited by mainer311
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On 1/6/2019 at 12:44 PM, Crashtd420 said:

I decided to get the garage and my tools cleaned up and organized today, it was starting to become a real mess, and I got my bench setup for the bearings to show up tomorrow....

 

I also put these in the door today....

 

20190106-132400.jpg

20190106-132528.jpg

 

Most of the small things on my to do list are done now.. I was gonna start doing the door seals, but those seem like they will take some finessing... plus I dont feel like dealing with door and fender alignments right now if that's needed to seal the doors properly..... save that for another day...

Gonna keep my focus on the transmission rebuild and swap and get the truck back down on the ground and driving.... 

Excellent progress on that trans. Nice to have that peace of mind knowing that all the internals are in great shape.

re the window fuzzies- I just ended up with a set that came with a 521 parts stash I stumbled across. Any tricks to changing them out easily?

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