Need Opinions

[Tony_Farson]

Okay guys, so as I have mentioned I've got a 4-speed and transfer case from a 78 I want to put under my 68. In the way way back when I worked on Mustangs and other V8's, we'd simply bolt the transmission to the block and install them at the same time with hoist, that way we didn't have to play contortionist to get the top bolts on the bell. I have never put in a L6 or a transmission/transfer case, so I am curious the best way to do it on my 40. Should I wait and put them in at the same time all bolted to the engine when I get it back or should I just go from underneath and get em in?

 

[rusty_tlc]

My preference would be to install the engine with bell housing first. Then install the transmission and tcase as a unit. If you remove the interior sheet metal it's a lot easier to get the transmission in.

 

[lelandEOD]

I've done it both ways and I think it's easier to install the engine/trans/transfer case at a complete unit. You just need to have a good quality engine leveler (not the HF POS) and a good quality heavy-duty engine hoist. I'm sure it's easier with help, but I've always R&R'ed my engine by myself.

 

[Tony_Farson]

I've done it both ways and I think it's easier to install the engine/trans/transfer case at a complete unit. You just need to have a good quality engine leveler (not the HF POS) and a good quality heavy-duty engine hoist. I'm sure it's easier with help, but I've always R&R'ed my engine by myself.

Excellent!

 

[WILLD420]

The Toyota 6 weighs 700 lbs all by itself. 200-250 more for the trans and t-case, pretty easy.

Hanging 900+ lbs 6’ in the air by yourself is a good way to spend time in urgent care or break an unobtainium cruiser part.

Just my .02

 

[lelandEOD]

The Toyota 6 weighs 700 lbs all by itself. 200-250 more for the trans and t-case, pretty easy.

Hanging 900+ lbs 6’ in the air by yourself is a good way to spend time in urgent care or break an unobtainium cruiser part.

Just my .02

I also tend to do it in flip flops.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I have never removed the 2F from my 40 but I've had the transmission/tcase in and out a few times.

The Toyota 6 weighs 700 lbs all by itself. 200-250 more for the trans and t-case, pretty easy.

Hanging 900+ lbs 6’ in the air by yourself is a good way to spend time in urgent care or break an unobtainium cruiser part.

Just my .02

You let the toddlers help right?

 

[Tony_Farson]

I also tend to do it in flip flops.

I don't think steel toes would do you much good in that particular situation anyway.

 

[Krusty Krab]

Just a note since your changing things up on the t-case. First the 78 4-speed case is better due to it being stronger metal. You will lose some of your lower crawl speed due to the gearing is not as low as the 3-speed case. I hardly noticed a faster crawl in my granny gear and 1st gear 4 low since I have changed mine. The 4 speed case is bigger and while the mounting holes are the same on mine, I lost 2 inches of up travel on my drivelines (longer cone? wider box?)and the rear drive line appears to be offset about 1 to 2 inches further to the passenger side. Had to retube the front(it needed it anyway-from candy striping) the rear is fine but the angle makes the CV joint at the case side closer and I worry about binding.

Also the space between the body is closer(worse if you have a case saver on it). If I hadn't of done a 1 inch body lift it wouldn't have fit. My setup is different than yours. The first thing I had to do so the crawl box would fit(in 2003) is the body lift and that was with the 3-speed case. I have an sm420 to marlin crawl box to (new to me) 1972 4-speed rebuilt t-case. So all seems to be working well with the new case. Hope this might help when you go to install.

I have a transmission jack on wheels that I use so I have always loaded from underneath. Have done it 3 times. It is a real pain. Rusty has done it from the top which I think is easier but requires the hump out and some sort of apparatus to hang it from. He is an engineer and has the abilities to do that kind of stuff. Not me

 

[Tony_Farson]

Just a note since your changing things up on the t-case. First the 78 4-speed case is better due to it being stronger metal. You will lose some of your lower crawl speed due to the gearing is not as low as the 3-speed case. I hardly noticed a faster crawl in my granny gear and 1st gear 4 low since I have changed mine. The 4 speed case is bigger and while the mounting holes are the same on mine, I lost 2 inches of up travel on my drivelines (longer cone? wider box?)and the rear drive line appears to be offset about 1 to 2 inches further to the passenger side. Had to retube the front(it needed it anyway-from candy striping) the rear is fine but the angle makes the CV joint at the case side closer and I worry about binding.

Also the space between the body is closer(worse if you have a case saver on it). If I hadn't of done a 1 inch body lift it wouldn't have fit. My setup is different than yours. The first thing I had to do so the crawl box would fit(in 2003) is the body lift and that was with the 3-speed case. I have an sm420 to marlin crawl box to (new to me) 1972 4-speed rebuilt t-case. So all seems to be working well with the new case. Hope this might help when you go to install.

I have a transmission jack on wheels that I use so I have always loaded from underneath. Have done it 3 times. It is a real pain. Rusty has done it from the top which I think is easier but requires the hump out and some sort of apparatus to hang it from. He is an engineer and has the abilities to do that kind of stuff. Not me

Excellent info, thank you! I have had the 2F sitting on the stand for a week waiting for the snow to melt so I could get it on my trailer and to Douglas... Delays!

I have a boat load... Well 40 series rear cago area full of parts and need to prioritize everything now. I think I'm going to hoist everything in with the hump removed to help guide the case and trans into place. I'll order the rebuild kits for the case and trans in April, get em buttoned up to wait for the 2F and keep my fingers crossed on fit. I don't think I have a body lift, so I am concerned about the clearance you mentioned.

I was planning on having new shafts built anyway, so I'll make sure they are built to properly fit the new transfer case position.

I'm planning on offering inducements to some folks in the club who might be able to help me with some of this when the time comes... I'm not to proud to beg or bribe!

 

[lelandEOD]

When I did mine separate, I removed the steering wheel, seats, fuel tank, and transmission cover. Then I maneuvered an engine hoist arm into the cab from the side. I pushed the gearbox/x-fer case underneath and picked it up with some corny arrangement of cargo straps connected to the hoist and lifted it into position. In flip flops.

 

[rusty_tlc]

When I did mine separate, I removed the steering wheel, seats, fuel tank, and transmission cover. Then I maneuvered an engine hoist arm into the cab from the side. I pushed the gearbox/x-fer case underneath and picked it up with some corny arrangement of cargo straps connected to the hoist and lifted it into position. In flip flops.

With the engine divorced from the transmission I was able to get away with removing the seats and trans cover. I used 4x4 across the roll cage and a chain hoist to raise the transmission/crawl box/orion tcase into position, everything went together smooth. I did this three times because of issues with the Orion T-case. The set up is very safe, stable and easy for one person to do it.

 

[WILLD420]

If you are in a time crunch you might not have to rebuild everything. Seals yes, otherwise if they took reasonable care of it these things are pretty resilient. I've rebuilt a lot of perfectly good things over the years and missed out on good vacation time fixing what wasn't broken...