That is one way to get the bolt hole spacing right the first time.
Thrashing is never afraid of doing some manual labor to get it right.
Kinda like pushing the motor on the engine stand UP his driveway when he installed the 12V in his crew cab.

Glad to see you are back to working on the truck Mark.
I use the same style motorcycle jack / lift to install transmissions as well.

 

I was going to do it that way. But The more I thought about how hard it is to get to the holes in the top frame rail the more I didn't like the idea.

 

The weather has been so nice I had to get some done on it

 

The puddle of water under the truck excuse isn't going to work this week?

Did you find a bronze bushing for your flywheel yet?

 

No puddle now but it was a little damp when I took the tranny out last week. I had to keep avoiding the wet spot

Yeah One of the board members is going to send me one. Thanks Tim
(MrFusion)
odd that they come in the kits but finding just the bushing is next to impossible. Vick at Capitol Clutch can't find one at any of his suppliers.

 

Well I guessing MrFusion's signature yellow bushing is better than no bushing.
I just hope, for your sake, that the paint isn't too thick

Seriously, though I am glad something little like that isn't going to hold up progress.

 

That's ok I have some industrial strength paint remover

 

I put a new bushing in my flywheel before popping the tranny back in. I just ordered one for a 2nd Gen NV4500 set-up...fit perfectly with no issues.

Are you getting one specific for a Getrag, or NV4500? Or are they same?

 

We tried first gen and second gen several years then by dimensions.
I thought a standard oilite bushing from McMaster car would work but the dodge appears to be .002" bigger OD.

 

Today I jacked and blocked the cab up and got the holes drilled for the trans crossmember braces.
That sure sounds a lot easier than it was. Locating the holes was the toughest part. I drilled the holes in the top of the brace out to 1/2" and pressed a 1/4"ID 1/2" set collar. The idea is to use a short 1/4" spot(center) drill in a 3/8" air angle drill motor to locate the holes. I then took the brace off and drilled the holes through with a 1/8" drill followed by a shortened 3/8" then a shortened 1/2"

 

Yeah those upper inside holes are a PITA....I was sure glad I bought that shorty 90* air drill. I drilled the pilot hole, then used a step drill to finish opening them up....I love those step drills!

 

yeah they are the only thing that works on sheet metal.


And to think how many years I avoided them, thinking they wewr a gimmick

 

One thing that really helped was I have my truck up on high stands so I can sit on the ground and have head room. it makes a huge difference not having to lay on the ground and holding stuff over your head Not to mention drilling over head

 

I thought the same think....only started using them when I did the 4wd conversion. Now I can't imagine not having them around.

Well you suck then! I had to do it all the hard way.....

 

I am just getting older and maybe not wiser but achier