Today was the first time I used a propane torch to heat the metal prior to banging out a dent. I said "banging" because with no formal training, that's about what it amounts to. I just do my best. I've said it many times, "Yes, I'm doing it all myself. It's a truck, not a Ferrari." My grille support is in great shape but has a few small dents. Nothing too serious. Unfortunately, the dents are along the body lines, making the work more challenging. Here are a few Before, Half-way, and After pics. A skim of body filler and it will be good enough for me.
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Having finished my transmission rebuild, I need to keep my momentum going. I only had a few hours today, so I started on my grille support. A needle scaler is really efficient at chipping off old undercoating and getting into corners and tight places. It's one of those tools I can't seem to live without. BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER After using the needle scaler to remove the undercoating, I used a 4.5" polycarbide disc to remove paint down to the bare steel.
I had a free Saturday today so I put the time to good use. This T5 is all back together and ready for storage. Before I put it on the truck, I'll need to install shims inside the front bearing retainer to eliminate any shaft endplay. Then I'll need to seal the case with RTV. The countershaft is already inside the case, so I will install the reverse gear next. Just a few simple parts. A roll pin holds it all together. The reverse gear shaft goes in until it's flush with the case. Now is a good time to lay the reverse shift fork into place. I have temporarily installed the 5th gear slider part way so you can see how it slides through the reverse shift fork. It will not be as easy to see once the main shaft is installed because it will partly block your view. I will now remove the 5th gear shift fork until I am ready for it. This washer goes up against the countershaft rear bearing. The main shaft is carefully slid into place and the rear race slid over 5th gear in readiness for installation. Using transmission lube to make them sticky, 15 roller bearings are placed inside the input shaft. The kit had 17 bearings but I am certain only 15 are used. See the 2 extra roller bearings on the table next to the needle bearing and race? Next comes the needle bearing and then the race. Carefully install the input shaft taking care not to dislodge any of the roller bearings. Put the race inside the input shaft bearing retainer. Then align the inner notches correctly with the case notches and bolt it on. The new inner seal was installed last night. Assembly of the 5th gear slider is very similar to the other sliders. New springs and key inserts are installed. The 5th gear shifter fork gets new pads. The slider gets a new brass blocking ring. Slide the 5th gear shifter fork partially into place and then install the countershaft gear that drives 5th gear. Slip the 5th gear slider into the fork, Push the 5th gear slider onto the countershaft and simultaneously guide the fork rod through the reverse fork and spring and finally into the guide hole at the front of the case. Not difficult to do, just hard to explain. I used a large socket as a mandrel to fully seat the slider onto the countershaft splines. Here's a look at the 5th gear shifter fork rod after installation is complete and the spring is secured. To finish up the 5th gear slider, I need to install the larger washer and a snap ring. The reverse/5th gear lever goes in next. It slides over the 2 rollers. One roller is on the 5th gear shifter rod and the other is on the reverse shift fork. All held together by a bolt and clip. Install new shifter fork pads. Install a 7 tooth Drive Gear and clip. I might change to a different tooth count depending on tire size. The tail shaft is tipped up in the air for this photo. The bearing and race go onto the end of the countershaft and surround the snap ring. The oil funnel is then inserted into the end of the countershaft. During assembly of the tail housing, these pieces must line up with the corresponding areas inside the tail housing. (See the circles just to the right of my hand.) The tail housing is carefully slid over the shaft while simultaneously connecting these final parts to the shifter rod. After installing the reverse light switch and drain and fill bolts, I don't have any parts left over. I started with a rebuild kit and all of this stuff. This is what I ended up with. A V8 Camaro NWC T5 that has been modified with an S10 case cover and cable speedo drive S10 main shaft and tail housing. This will be perfect for my 1965 Chevy C10 truck with a bench seat and original instrument cluster. Thanks for following along.
My good friend and fellow hot rodder helped me press all of the bearings into place tonight. He's an awesome guy and has a ton of experience. More photos tomorrow too. The front countershaft bearing is pressed flush with the front of the case. The thrust bearing goes in with the bent tab in the hole (facing down in this photo). The other end of the countershaft also gets a thrust washer. The rear bearing is pressed in after the countershaft is in place. It does NOT press in flush. All the other gears and sliders went on by hand. However, 5th gear needed a press. The new bearing has been pressed onto the input shaft. The input shaft bearing retainer now has a new oil seal. The tailhousing has a new oil seal too.
The countershaft spins on straight roller bearings that are pressed into the case. Here is the front countershaft bearing before it's pressed flush with the front of the case. A special thrust washer will be installed between the countershaft and the inside of the case. Two different sizes came with the kit. The correct thrust washer is the one that slides over the bearing case. Although similar in appearance the other thrust washer will not fit around the bearing case. The bent tab at the 12 o'clock position has 2 functions. It keeps the washer from spinning and it allows lubricant to flow on both sides of the washer. By using the S10 mainshaft for my rebuild, I can leave the DRIVE GEAR in the factory location. If I use the Camaro mainshaft, I would need to relocate the DRIVE GEAR. The tail housings are the same length but the shifter box and the DRIVEN GEAR locations are different.
Today I started a NWC T5 rebuild. It will be a hybrid T5 - part S10 and part Camaro. I'm using 1984 V8 Camaro gears and a Camaro input shaft in combination with an S10 tail housing, case cover and S10 main shaft. Assembly of the main shaft.The Camaro and S10 main shafts are both non-world class and are identical except for the speedo drive gear location. I will be using the S10 tail housing so it makes sense to use the S10 main shaft so my speedometer Drive Gear ends up in the right position. New springs and keys for the 1/2 slider. The 1/2 slider installs with shift fork slot closest to 2nd gear. The new brass blocking ring for 2nd gear has a big notch that matches the key size. 2nd gear is on. A special thrust washer and then a C-clip are installed to lock 2nd gear in place. A good quality expanding clip pliers is very useful. 3rd gear comes next. The 3rd gear blocking ring is installed and then the 3/4 slider is assembled and press fit onto the splines. Now it's time to put a new blocking ring and then 1st gear on the other end of the main shaft. Next a special thrust washer goes between 1st gear and the main shaft output bearing. The output bearing slides onto the shaft, followed by 5th gear. I will need to use a shop press to get 5th gear into position.
For a cable driven speedometer to be accurate, it requires the correct combination of 4 different things - DRIVE GEAR, DRIVEN GEAR, TIRE DIAMETER and REAR END RATIO. A T5 with a cable style speedometer output has a plastic gear on the output shaft called the DRIVE GEAR. The DRIVE GEAR turns a smaller gear called the DRIVEN GEAR which turns the speedometer cable. DRIVE GEARS and DRIVEN GEARS come in different colors. The different colors usually indicate how many teeth the gear has, however I don't really trust the internet charts. This is the correct method for counting the teeth. This method is NOT correct. When I rebuild my T5, I want to install the correct DRIVE GEAR so my speedometer will be accurate. My options include 7, 8 or 9 teeth for the DRIVE GEAR. The easiest and least expensive variable that I can change is the DRIVEN GEAR. My tire size will likely be anywhere between 27" and 29", but not larger. Some Driven Gears are no longer being made. I have a 22 tooth driven gear already. Research tells me that 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 teeth Driven Gears are available from vendors. Some friends bought a 24 tooth Driven Gear from a transmission shop but general availability may be limited. This chart shows some possible combinations for my 3.73 rear differential. I have underlined my 6 best options.
Here are the options for a 3.42 rear differential.
My 1984 Camaro T5 has a 3/4 slider with inserts, called "keys", that are different than the inserts that came with the new rebuild kit. It seems that improvements were made in the design and the parts supplier just sent the older design. So I ordered new inserts to match the ones I removed. The inserts I need have a small flange in the center. The photo below shows the newer design. Tomorrow I will begin the rebuild. These original inserts have a small flange in the center section. These new inserts (they're upside down) do not have the flange, so I have ordered a new set with the flange. The slider hub on the left will not accept keys with a flange. The slider hub on the right uses keys with the flange.
The new parts arrived today on schedule. I noticed that the new inserts for the 3-4 slider did not have a shoulder like the ones I had removed. The solution to this puzzle might be simple. Maybe some of the parts inside the 1984 Camaro T5 are not all original. Maybe newer parts have been exchanged for worn out parts. I need to solve the puzzle before I begin the rebuild.
I'm pacing like a father waiting for the delivery of a newborn baby. My T5 rebuild kit will arrive tomorrow. Meanwhile, I have been cleaning parts. Everything is ready to rebuild.
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See my BLOG entries from prior months below:
March 2024
My Hobbies are:Auto Restoration Categories |
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T5 Info Page
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- Complete T5 Driveline - Installation from Engine to Rear Axle
- S10 T5 Transmission Jeep Shaft Swap - DIY and skip the adapter plate.
- Camaro Drive Gear Relocation
- T5 Tail Stock with a Cable Speedo Connection
- World Class and Non-World Class versions of the T5 - How to tell them apart.
- How to determine the T5 gearing
- A possible solution for cable speedometers.
- T5 Transmission Identification - What the Tags and Markings Mean
- What's the difference between a Camaro T5, an S10 T5, and an Astro T5?
- T5 Transmission Tear Down
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