Rebuild transfer case on truck (1 Viewer)

[lcolon]

I have searched around quite a bit and cannot find a really straight answer. How bad is a tcase rebuild on the truck without dropping the transmission? I have a pretty good leak between the H55 and the transfer case. I am trying to decide whether to farm this out or tackle it myself. Does anyone have an estimate for how long the process takes?

I was thinking of pulling it apart and taking the gear cluster to Georg to have new bearings pressed in, get a rebuild kit, then assembling it all back together myself. I just finished replacing the head, pan gaskets, and all of the cooling stuff.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

This one can give you a bit of an idea...

 

[OSS]

Generally all seals in the transmission & transfer case wear at approximately the same rate. There may be an early riser screaming for attention right now, but there's others right behind it that'll want your attention soon enough.

A good rule to go by when it's time to replace an ornery seal, it's time to replace them all. No point going to all the effort only to have a brat screaming at you a few months later.

That being the case, ( according to OSS) the input shaft seal in the transmission should be replaced during the overhaul. That requires dropping the transmission.

Also if the clutch pilot bearing has more than 80,000 miles on it, I'd replace it too as a preventative measure. And if other clutch stuff is getting on in years — well you get the picture.... Unscrewing one bolt often ends up with the entire engine being disassembled in the garage - so decide how far you want to go. The pit is deep.

 

[HemiAlex]

Grab some popcorn and watch this. I wouldn't do it on my truck. I bought a core splitcase from Georg, had him rebuild it and install a new h55f on it. Shipped it to me and we installed it in one long day on my 87.

We knocked out a new oil pan, rear main seal, clutch, pilot bearing and transmission mount at the same time. No leaks, issues or noises since.

I ran my t case/transmision on gl4 conventional oil for 1500 miles and I now run Mobil 1 SAE 50 synthetic and it has been 9,000 miles since that point.

 

[lcolon]

Thank you all for the responses. I had seen Georg’s Video but not the other one. I can’t remember the mileage on the truck when I put the h55, clutch, etc in but I presume the whole kit has at least 60k on it. I do have some clutch chatter probably from towing trailers.

Dissapointing that the transfer / transmission combo are leaking but I was hoping not to have to tear into the whole thing, especially since I have just come off of the project of replacing a cracked head.

No throw out bearing noise and I don’t believe the rear main or the front are leaking yet. I will pull the inspection cover again and take a look. If I tear into it on the truck, I will take some pictures for others.

 

[HemiAlex]

Thank you all for the responses. I had seen Georg’s Video but not the other one. I can’t remember the mileage on the truck when I put the h55, clutch, etc in but I presume the whole kit has at least 60k on it. I do have some clutch chatter probably from towing trailers.

Dissapointing that the transfer / transmission combo are leaking but I was hoping not to have to tear into the whole thing, especially since I have just come off of the project of replacing a cracked head.

No throw out bearing noise and I don’t believe the rear main or the front are leaking yet. I will pull the inspection cover again and take a look. If I tear into it on the truck, I will take some pictures for others.

I'd just let him do the whole thing if I was local to him. He was very reasonably priced.

 

[lcolon]

I'd just let him do the whole thing if I was local to him. He was very reasonably priced.

He is about an hour away. I might just do that to save the hassle. I talked to him last week and he pulls the whole combo out and builds the case on the bench. If I do that, might as well have the clutch and every thing else changed at the same time.

 

[HemiAlex]

He is about an hour away. I might just do that to save the hassle. I talked to him last week and he pulls the whole combo out and builds the case on the bench. If I do that, might as well have the clutch and every thing else changed at the same time.

I've tried my hardest to avoid situations like that in the past, and it was in vain. I've had complete peace of mind knowing that if you do everything a system at a time...you've avoided a lot of things that could go wrong.

I've had zero failures on my truck in 30,000 of daily driving. Do it right the first time or do it over and over and over.....

 

[Spike Strip]

It's an arduous job, even with help. Depending on your working condition and free time and tools, it could take a couple days or couple weeks or a couple months depending on what you find.

If the RMS is original, I'd certainly do that too, with everything out, but then you open up a can o' worms with clutch, etc ...

This is why people put that transfer tube between trans and t'case until they can do it all at once.

GL

 

[lcolon]

It's an arduous job, even with help. Depending on your working condition and free time and tools, it could take a couple days or couple weeks or a couple months depending on what you find.

If the RMS is original, I'd certainly do that too, with everything out, but then you open up a can o' worms with clutch, etc ...

Rear main has been changed once before when I put in the h55. Thank you for the feedback. My rig was down for about 2 months total when I did the head job between removing stuff, waiting for the shop to determine it was cracked, sourcing a new one, changing all the cooling lines, pan gasket, reassembly, etc. I might just send it out to get it done faster and not have another long downtime wrapped around my wrenching schedule.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I rebuilt mine of the truck twice. Second time was only seals because I had to swap the transmission. With an impact you can break down the whole thing in less than an hour. My truck had enough lift to not have to do it laying on my back.

 

[lcolon]

I rebuilt mine of the truck twice. Second time was only seals because I had to swap the transmission. With an impact you can break down the whole thing in less than an hour. My truck had enough lift to not have to do it laying on my back.

I have an OME with 33s but I don't think I can really sit upright under there without getting a head full of slung oil. I have a cornucopia of air tools and impacts, but I am thinking now after all the feedback of farming it out to save myself the huge hassle and mess. My 5th gear housing also has to come off for a full seal (leak between 5th and h55, leak between h55 and case, leak at case joints)

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Yeah I debated it as well. It took me a few weeks waiting on parts. Press is needed as well if your taking it all the way down to bare shafts.

 

[Spike Strip]

Ah, c'mon - Do it under the truck and make a video for youtube !