anybody every rebuilt a 4 speed saginaw?

[71chevytruckguy]

took my truck to the dragstrip this weekend and blew up the 4 speed saginaw in when i hit 3rd gear. not a gear left in the thing so i had to get towed home. i haven't pulled the side cover off yet cause its been kinda cold and my parents kicked me off their insurance so im in no hurry to get it fixed. something tells me this one is way beyond saving thought. i do have another one sittin in my garage that needs a new front bearing, scyrnoizers, and a good cleanin to get all the meatl crap out from when the frint bearin went out. that gets me to my question. anybody ever rebuilt one of these and any advice or does and don'ts if you have. in case yall were wondering, 10.357 @ 72.16 mph. its 1/8 mile. thanks. chris.

[BarryB]

Yeah I have rebuilt them. But if your going to be drag racing the truck i would suggest a different trans, Like a muncie or an aftermarket Richmond, tremec. Something of that nature.
As for rebuilding. Lay everything out in the same order you take it out. Then you can put it back in the same order. Easiest way I know to tell you, rather than showing you.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

those are notorious for being weak trans.... if you gonna drag bite the bullet and get a aftermarket trans made for what your going to use it for. stay away from aluminum cases too. the hemi 4 speed is a good strong trans. want one ? 1750.00 plus shipping. bob

[71chevytruckguy]

i know i need to get a better one but im on a pretty tight budget. i thought it could handle a 305 in street tires. reckon not. i'd like to get a muncie but don't have the moeny rite now and need a cheap fix. its my daily driver. thanks. chris.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

put the old trusty 3 speed in it.

[VetteVet]

Here's the best I can do for you.

http://1968firebird.org/68sm/4spdsag/4spdsag1.html

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by BCOWANWHEELS

put the old trusty 3 speed in it.

if i hadn't have traded in my 2 old 3 speeds to get the the second 4 speed i have i would, but its a little too late for that. chris.

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

Here's the best I can do for you.

http://1968firebird.org/68sm/4spdsag/4spdsag1.html

thanks. that should be a lot of help. chris.

[CPNEJR]

even if you had the three speed i wouldn't put it in if you were gonna drag it because it would lock up the second you try to powershift it

[crazy longhorn]

I have rebuilt a chit load of those old saginaw's, & will say they are pretty easy to work on if you are a patient person. The biggest problem, is broken gears.....they cost more bucks to fix than they are worth! Afew yrs back, I blasted 3rd gear @ 6500 in the old longhorn, & took that old saginaw 4 spd out. My youngest "brat" , ridin with me at the time said"Dad you blew the engine"......My response was ..."Nope it was the trans". It sounded like a machine gun went off under that truck, took all the teeth off the input shaft , & the counter gear! The kid says " what do we do now Dad"? We gonna row this BIOCH till we find a gear that still works....& drive the FU@# home 4th gear was all that was left.....you should hear 40 degrees of ign lead takin off from a stop lite in 4 th gear(rattle, rattle, ping,ping)! Not a good feeling......he!! , when we got home the truck had to be pushed backward into the shop. What I am running for a trans now was a BIG AZZ OUCH......but it tougher than he!!. L

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by crazy longhorn

I have rebuilt a chit load of those old saginaw's, & will say they are pretty easy to work on if you are a patient person. The biggest problem, is broken gears.....they cost more bucks to fix than they are worth! Afew yrs back, I blasted 3rd gear @ 6500 in the old longhorn, & took that old saginaw 4 spd out. My youngest "brat" , ridin with me at the time said"Dad you blew the engine"......My response was ..."Nope it was the trans". It sounded like a machine gun went off under that truck, took all the teeth off the input shaft , & the counter gear! The kid says " what do we do now Dad"? We gonna row this BIOCH till we find a gear that still works....& drive the FU@# home 4th gear was all that was left.....you should hear 40 degrees of ign lead takin off from a stop lite in 4 th gear(rattle, rattle, ping,ping)! Not a good feeling......he!! , when we got home the truck had to be pushed backward into the shop. What I am running for a trans now was a BIG AZZ OUCH......but it tougher than he!!. L

i know the feeling. was headin down the drag strip and hit 3rd gear at 5000 rpm with 275/60/15 tires aired down to 20 psi. does sound like a machine gun when u think about it. atleast u had a gear left, i ain't even got that much. from the article vette vette posted, it doesn't lookt that bad. i've got another one in the garage with good gears but the housing is cracked from the front bearing went out in it. im gonna pull the trans on wednesday and see if there's anything left. chris.

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by CPNEJR

even if you had the three speed i wouldn't put it in if you were gonna drag it because it would lock up the second you try to powershift it

i've got a hurst cometition plus shifter in there know and all i have to do to make it work on a 3 speed is take off the reverse linkage rod and not look at what the ball says. but i like the 4 speeds a whole lot better than 3 speeds. more fun. i was shiftin the shiznit out of it when it blew. chris.

[lilpup69chevy]

why not just switch it to an automatic? cheap and easy to build for the drag racing

[pissonNOS]

if you do rebuild this would you mind letting me know where to get hard parts for these trannys maybe its a canadian thing but i cant find any of them and i have to keep buying new trannys and hoping there good

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by lilpup69chevy

why not just switch it to an automatic? cheap and easy to build for the drag racing

its my daily driver and i only got the track a couple times a year. and i love slammed threw the gears so no. but as much a i hate to admit it, automatic would be better from racing, whole lot easier off the line. chris.

[71chevytruckguy]

Originally Posted by pissonNOS

if you do rebuild this would you mind letting me know where to get hard parts for these trannys maybe its a canadian thing but i cant find any of them and i have to keep buying new trannys and hoping there good

i've checked with the local parts stores and look at like im crazy. looks like the best bet's gonna be ebay. chris.

http://motors.search.ebay.com/4-spee...w_W0QQfromZR40

[BarryB]

I also had one blow out on me just idling up the road. Went from second to third and coplam!!!! ract tact tat. Knock knock. Well you get the idea. But I also had a 4spd saginaw in my Nova I used to own. The motor was a worked over 350 dynoed at 435 hp 3.42 gear posi . one BAD AZZ ride. But I learned if you don't have the shifter linkage adjusted JUST right your asking for trouble. And another thing is on that last 4spd. I MADE sure I had it in gear before I let the clutch out. And no power shifting. No dumping the clutch to get the tires a smoking. So more advice, Don't drive it like you stole, till it's in your budget to get a good auto or better stronger manual trans.

[BarryB]

last I checked a new saginaw cluster gear was in the $400. range.