Project Sixtysick UPDATE 2/18/06, bought a 72 to transfer my goods... gave up on 66

[sixtysick]

Alright, I finally decided to start my own thread for my project.

Currently I am working on getting the front drum on the passenger side off to determine why it locked up when it was at the sandblaster.

A 3.5 in Cage offroad kit is coming Friday as well as the tranny adapter kit for the pretty NV3550 you see.

Also, you can see the 5.0 HO waiting patiently... that will hopefully be on the frame in a little while.

For now, can anyone help me out with this front hub? Does anyone have an easy way to get the hub internals out?

Regards,
Jeff

 

[trailpsycho]

Hey man I am not trying to bring you to a panic, but it looks like your tranny has an integrated bell-housing...which makes it the sister transmission to the NV3550--an NV3500...similar but not suitable for you. I hope that I am just missing the bolts on the bellhousing and they just didnt remove it before they shipped it to you and that its not the one-piece unit. Come back at me and tell me it aint so!! Otherwise, I hope you can return it. Best

John

 

[sixtysick]

Well... I frigging hope not. I thought that when I got it, but it looked like there were bolts on the inside of the bellhousing to take it off. Is this not what a NV3550 has?

Regards,
Jeff Niedens

 

[sixtysick]

Hey man I am not trying to bring you to a panic, but it looks like your tranny has an integrated bell-housing...which makes it the sister transmission to the NV3550--an NV3500...similar but not suitable for you. I hope that I am just missing the bolts on the bellhousing and they just didnt remove it before they shipped it to you and that its not the one-piece unit. Come back at me and tell me it aint so!! Otherwise, I hope you can return it. Best

John

John TP,
I started looking for pictures of both the NV3550 and NV3500... and it looks like I do have the NV3550... I think. To take the Bellhousing off, are their bolts on the outside of the housing or the inside on yours?

Regards,
Jeff

 

[sixtysick]

Picture 1 shows my tranny, where you can kind of see the lumps from the bolts going into the tranny from inside the bellhousing, more importantly you can see the fin cross pattern, Picture 2 is a NV3500 where the bellhousing takes up almost half of the entire tranny, Picture 3 is a NV3550 with similar fin cross patterns and the lumps from the bellhousing bolts... let me know if I am incorrect in saying that I do have a NV3550.

Regards,
Jeff

 

[sixtysick]

Hey man I am not trying to bring you to a panic, but it looks like your tranny has an integrated bell-housing...which makes it the sister transmission to the NV3550--an NV3500...similar but not suitable for you. I hope that I am just missing the bolts on the bellhousing and they just didnt remove it before they shipped it to you and that its not the one-piece unit. Come back at me and tell me it aint so!! Otherwise, I hope you can return it. Best

John

Trailpsycho,

Ran home from work, and took the bellhousing off... thankfully it is the nv3550. Don't think I could have returned it. I am going to go clean my shorts now.

J

 

[trailpsycho]

Jeff-

Sorry to scare you. Not my intent. I was looking at it, wondering where the bolts to mate the tranny to the bellhousing were and started to worry for you. I never saw mine with the bellhousing on it...in your pics there is just enough build-up to not see the break between them. I forgot when I posted that the adapter bolts from the inside, then the adapter is bolted to the bellhousing. My apologies. I am glad that you have what you intended. I guess I owe you a new pair...or a bottle-o-bleach. Keep us posted on your progress.

John

 

[sixtysick]

Update 9/9/05 AA kit came today

Hey everybody it's like Christmas morning over here in Mid MO. Too bad I will be at Black Belt Training all next week(not the karate kind) and won't be able to install this.

I will be doing a detailed write up do to the fact that the ones out there so far are a little vague in places... I'll post when it is complete.

Jeff

Also the best price on this full kit is from a place called High Impact. Their website has old prices on it, but they granted me them due to incorrect advertising. Let me know if anyone wants further details.

 

[sixtysick]

Cage Offroad 3.5" full kit plus u bolts

I told you it was frigging Christmas... Advanced and Cage all in one day, man do I have a lot of work. Free Beer(domestic) for helpers in Missouri.

J

 

[trailpsycho]

I would think with a bare frame that it shouldnt take too long to do...a weekend of diligent work. However, I am 360 miles away and with gas what it is.... Hopefully, you can find some St Louis folks to come help you. Seriously, without having to mess with the body and exhaust, the NV3550 should go in pretty quickly. I would look into getting your TC rebuilt or doing it yourself prior to the installation. You may want to also look into the modifications to modify your T-shift to a true twin stick. Looks like you have the makings of a nice ride there...cage springs, F250 mounts, 5spd...what other goodies are in the works? Best of luck.

 

[sixtysick]

Well I don't want to spoil everyone... so you will just have to stay tuned.
So far I have got the radius arms back on with the new C bushings. The stupid f'ing snow plow rig acetylened off and touched up the paint. And now I have to figure out what to do with the track bar bracket. As you can see with the bracket bolted over the old one, it leaves a gap. Should I weld the gap up or grind down the stock bracket so it sits flush? Any advice would be nice.

 

[Coob]

Should'nt be too hard to get the hub internals out. Just back off the nut and things should just slide on out. You may have to use a special slotted socket for the nut and you may have to tap the back side with a rubber mallet. Mine was a little more difficut on my pass side, the inner race and bearing had exploded and really caused havic on the spindle. I had to redo the entire thing (Spindle, Hub, Bearings...).

 

[sixtysick]

What nut are you talking about? I pretty sure there isn't a nut

 

[Coob]

If I remember correctly on my '77, behind the lock out pieces there is a retaining nut. Actually two retaining nuts with a washer in between.

On mine, all I did was remove the lock out cap, remove the eclip like retainer, pull the lock out guts out and behind it was a the nut. Once I remove that, the Hub slid off with some convincing.

Since you are working on a '66 with drum fronts, there is a chance its different? I would still think there is a spindle nut there somewhere.

 

[sixtysick]

If I remember correctly on my '77, behind the lock out pieces there is a retaining nut. Actually two retaining nuts with a washer in between.

On mine, all I did was remove the lock out cap, remove the eclip like retainer, pull the lock out guts out and behind it was a the nut. Once I remove that, the Hub slid off with some convincing.

Since you are working on a '66 with drum fronts, there is a chance its different? I would still think there is a spindle nut there somewhere.

How did you get the e clip retainer out... that is where I am stuck. I can't seem to grab it with anything? Help is appreciated.

Jeff

 

[trailpsycho]

I've used a couple of things, but very small (jewlers type) screwdrivers work well. As do the long more pointy needle type nose and or snap ring type plyers. One to hold it in place and one to get under the onther side, so it doesnt spin, get it up just a bit then slide the "holding" screwdriver in as a wedge and work it around. There will be a nut as well. It takes a 4-pronged Hub socket that you can buy at any auto parts store (uses 1/2 inch drive). Its a little frustrating doing it the first time or two until you get the technique down. Just take your time and try not to pick up the BFH. Good luck.

It just occurred to me that you may be talking about the clip that sits on the spindle...again very two small screwdrivers or the longer pointy needle nose work here too. I like the pointy needle nose pliers, but they were stolen some time ago wiht my first set of tools, so I have been doing the tiny screwdriver trick, think of putting each driver into a hole about 60-80 degrees apart and "Chopsticking" for leverage, it should slide off the nut and allow you to get your spindle nut socket on.

I hope I was on the same page. If not, give me more detail on your problem and I can tell you what I found as a solution. Best

John

 

[jbeyer]

How did you get the e clip retainer out... that is where I am stuck. I can't seem to grab it with anything? Help is appreciated.

Jeff

does your axles still look like that photo you posted? maybe if you show a pic of where you are stuck, we can tell what to do next.

 

[Coob]

How did you get the e clip retainer out... that is where I am stuck. I can't seem to grab it with anything? Help is appreciated.

Jeff

The retaining clip has two holes, one on each end. I use a set of reverse pliers that have thin ends. Sort of like needle-nose pliers but smaller, more narrow ends. These place into the each of the holes. Now, I call these reverse pliers (I'm sure they are technically called something else like retaining ring or snap ring pliers) because when you close the grip, the needle-nose end expands.

This is what allows you to expand the clip and pull it off. On the off chance that your retaining clip is really a snap ring without installation holes on each end, you will probably have to use a flat blade screw driver and perhaps some needle-nose pliers to grab the clip.

Warning - those retaining clips are stiff and can easily fly off the pliers. I had one travel 50' outside of my garage.

Attached should be an example of what these pliers look like.

 

[Coob]

Sorry - example picture was not attached. Huh - I guess I really am computer illiterate..

 

[sixtysick]

Sorry - example picture was not attached. Huh - I guess I really am computer illiterate..

this is the problem... I can't use these pliers due to the fact that my ring does not have holes on the ends of the C. I am not sure if they started using them in the later year models, but my early 66 does not have any holes or expansion areas on the end of the c or e ring. It looks like a ring that has about 3/4 of an inch cut out of it clean, and that is it. Has anyone else had this problem?\


j