Li'l Red Rides Again

[Critter]

I'm back on track! Guinness just left, they confirmed I set a record for the longest transmission rebuild process in history! It is well documented here but I warn you its a painful read...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=580569



It was nice to get it back together and on the road. There is still a laundry list of small things that need to be done, the trans cooler lines leak a little and I might adjust the springs in the valve body eventually. For now though its driveable. My next item of business is to get the V belt Vintage air setup swapped out to multigroove so I can run it on the LSx 6.0. Custom built compressor brackets for the Sanden are in order. Hot weather is just around the corner, even if it is 31 degrees outside as I type this.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by Critter

I'm back on track! Guinness just left, they confirmed I set a record for the longest transmission rebuild process in history! It is well documented here but I warn you its a painful read...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=580569

Attachment 1370119

It was nice to get it back together and on the road. There is still a laundry list of small things that need to be done, the trans cooler lines leak a little and I might adjust the springs in the valve body eventually. For now though its driveable. My next item of business is to get the V belt Vintage air setup swapped out to multigroove so I can run it on the LSx 6.0. Custom built compressor brackets for the Sanden are in order. Hot weather is just around the corner, even if it is 31 degrees outside as I type this.

Glad to hear you are back at it. At least you didn't throw in the towel. Building a complete project is like getting a degree. Once you get done and have it, it really doesn't matter how long it took to get it.

[Critter]

I've made a little more progress. I had originally planned to work on the A/C now that the trans was finished up but I headed down a different path. The rear axle under the truck is presumably the original. A couple weeks ago I heard something "clink" out from under the truck as I was turning into my shop parking lot and I noticed a vibration. Turns out it was a u joint cap from my NEW driveshaft. After further inspection I realized that one of the cap straps was stretched (actually they both were, but one more than the other) which had allowed a cap to escape. The pinion yoke itself had also broke, the little tab that keeps the caps from moving outward had snapped off. I'm not sure what went first and caused the other one to fail but the yoke and the straps both had issues when it was all said and done. I had another 12 bolt pinion yoke laying around so I threw it on and drove the truck for another week or two but I knew something had to be done. Not to mention the fact that the pinion bearing itself has been sloppy to say the least. I knew it needed to be changed but I guess I had been putting the whole thing off. Enter my buddy Jtrux from here on the forum. He has been doing axle and gear work on the side for a few months now and having great success. He convinced me that now was the time...the truck needed a limited slip of some sort and different gears.

The axle currently had 3.07s and with the overdrive of my 200-4r I barely could get into overdrive. I went back and forth between 3.42s and 3.73s, ended up choosing 3.42s. Also, the crown jewel, we ordered a brand new Eaton posi unit.

THIS ONE

So all this stuff arrived and Jtrux went to work packing it into the stock housing. He also changed out the axle seals and outer bearings. Perhaps most importantly we used a NEW pinion yoke that has the u bolt style cap retainers instead of the strap kind...didn't want to go through the ordeal of stretching one again. Some pics...


the old 3.07s




So PRETTY^^^




New 3.42 set

[Critter]

More pics


Test fitting everything


Here everything is assembled, I skipped a few steps, need to get the assembly pics from Jtrux




Some paint


I know, this is a horrible pic, but it shows I at least got the axle back in the truck

Today I was able to put the gear oil and posi additive in it, bled the brakes, and went on a break in test drive. It drove like a dream! And I'm actually able to get into OD at around 55 mph now instead of the 63 that it was before. Mission accomplished!