Rat 3 Speed & Dana 20 Install

[dprio34]

Well, the rig is back from the paint shop. 3 Speed Transmission and Dana 20 have been rebuilt. Now is the time to get them back in. It's been several months since I pulled everything out, and my memory isn't as good as it use to be. Anyway, this is where I'm at.

I dropped the 302 in yesterday. I bolted on the Luk Clutch and Bell Housing in today. Now I have more of a technique question.

It seems most people bolt the transmission to the spud & the cross member all as one "assembly" and then jack these up all together and bolt into the frame.

Then stab the Dana 20 on last by itself.

I just want to confirm this is the best/easiest way to do things by oneself on the garage floor with a transmission jack.

If there is an easier way or preferred way, I'm all ears, especially for any "gotchas".

If there is any special gear the transmission needs to be in, or hints on how not to loose needle bearings, or any other suggestion, most appreciated. Gonna try to get it all in tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.
Don

 

[DirtDonk]

I've always put the extension housing on the t-case instead. This way you don't have to worry about the roller bearings falling out while you're muscling it around up there in an awkward position.
Yes, the grease holds them in very well, but it's not hard to knock them out of place under these conditions.

If you do it this way though, just make sure you lock the transmission in first gear like the instructions say. So you don't have to worry about that other set of roller bearings!

Obviously, be sure that the clutch release fork and throwout bearing are installed first, and rig up a way to release the clutch in case your disc is not perfectly aligned and the splines don't let the snout of the input shaft slide into the pilot bearing perfectly.
If you have a 1/4" gap or less, you can use the bolts to pull things up tight. But if it's a 1/2" or more gap when it stops, do NOT pull it up with bolts. It's not aligned correctly.
Releasing the clutch manually will let things line up and the trans slide home 100% by hand.

Paul

 

[dprio34]

Paul, Thanks as always for the prompt and informative reply.

Based on your advice, I will install RAT transmission first and support it with some some blocks. Then I'll lift the X-Member, spud, and Dana 20 all as one unit.

One a side note, The 302 went right in the engine bay fine. The engine somewhat "teeter-toters" on the Engine mounts. The driver's side head/valve cover, is significantly closer to the firewall than the passenger side head/valve cover. Currently, the engine is tilted back toward the rear of the car as not attached to anything at the moment. If I lift up on the engine, there is about an inch of clearance between the firewall and driver's side head. There doesn't seem to be any play in the motor mounts.

Is that sufficient clearance between head and firewall? I don't recall this asymmetry prior.

 

[DirtDonk]

The teeter-totter is normal. I usually support them with something, rather than leaving the mounts to take the twisting stress. But I don't think it really hurts them.
I've used boards, or jacks underneath, but more often just a strap hooked to the top of the firewall/cowl area as support.
The jack is handy because you often have to fiddle with things to get the trans and other things to line up. But overall, the downward tilt in the rear can be a help when installing from underneath. Gives you extra clearance under the gearboxes without the body getting in the way (as much).

When tilted back, it will almost always stop because the driver's head is hitting the firewall. That is always the closest spot with the engine-to-body clearance and has caused many a headache when trying to work behind the cylinder head. When all is installed, you can barely get your fingers between the cylinder head and firewall. If at all...
So yeah, sounds normal.

I've done the install with both the trans and transfer case mated up, but that was a royal pain when doing it from a simple jack on your back in the driveway scenario. Not fun at all, and I much prefer the one-at-a-time method.

I've never tried it with the crossmember installed to the intermediate housing before. Makes sense in some ways. But I think it's probably going to be easier to maneuver the junk around underneath there on a jack if you leave the crossmember off until last maybe?
Worth a try, but don't hesitate to remove it, if moving around becomes a pain with it as part of the assembly.

Good luck!
(oh, and watch out for those fingers!)

Paul

 

[thegreatjustino]

Take the engine back out. Assemble the transfer case, adapter, transmission, bell housing, and cross member. Jack this entire assembly up into place and bolt it to the frame from below. Put a 2x4 across the front for support.

Put the engine back in. It is 1,000 times easier to put an engine in and mate it to an installed transmission than the other way around. At least in my opinion.

 

[dprio34]

@thegreatjustino Sorry, I just read the post as I walked in from the garage. It was a rather painful 2 days, but it is all in correctly, I believe. 2 very hards days on the floor. Wow. After the fact, I can see the advantages to lifting everything at once, and then dropping the engine.

Wish I had know this option/ technique, prior.

 

[dprio34]

There is quite a bit of information out there on removing the stock transmission and transfer case for an Early Bronco, but I found little info for the shade-tree mechanic on getting everything together in an orderly fashion, especially after you walk away from the dis-assembly for 6 months or more due delays at the paint shop, driveline shop, vacations, job, and family time. So here goes it.

Here is what I learned from doing by myself on my back on my garage floor solo. First recommendation, would be not to do it solo… but global pandemics and quarantines have a way of screwing up the best laid plans for incentivizing friends to come over to the house for free beer.


1. Starting with the Driveline at the Crank Shaft – New Pilot Bushing. I hear some folk swap it out for the Pilot Bearing, but not sure about that. I opted to remain old school with the brass Pilot Bushing, which is what I believe was stock on the original 1972 Ford.


2. Hang the Engine to Bell Housing Plate on the lugs at 3:00 & 9:00. I used the top (2) Bell Housing Bolts to prevent the plate from dropping down while I bolted up the Fly Wheel. Ensure the Starter Ring is located on the passenger side!

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=497854&d=1586083007


3. Bolt on the Fly Wheel (6) bolts with Blue Loctite, Torque to 75 ftlbs. If you are working on a 289 or 302 make sure you have the 28oz Fly Wheel, not the 50oz which is for the 5.0 HP Roller Motor.


4. Place Clutch Friction material up to the Fly Wheel with the side stamped “Fly Wheel” facing the Fly Wheel. Although I generally like to go old school, I decided to upgrade the original 3 finger clutch to a more modern LUK Clutch. (LUK REPSET 07-027 – 11” Clutch Kit). If you decide to do this make sure your Fly Wheel and Clutch are compatible. There is info on the forum regarding this upgrade/conversion.


5. Place Clutch Centering Tool through Clutch Friction Material into Brass Pilot Bushing.

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=497855&d=1586083007

6. Bolt up Clutch Pressure Plate (6) bolts with Blue Loctite, Torque 35ftlbs.



7. Place Clutch Fork inside Bell Housing. Install new Dust Boot & new Pilot Bearing.


https://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=497856&d=1586083007

8. Bolt up Bell Housing (6) bolts, Torque 35ftlbs. (2) of the (6) bolts are shorter than the other (4) and they go at the top of the Bell Housing.

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=497857&d=1586083007


9. Remove Clutch Disc Centering Tool.


10. Here is where the advice with vary depending on who you talk to. I think it would have been easier to install everything one at time, but my driveline guy had already bolted the “Intermediate Housing-Spud-Adapter” to the RAT 3 Speed Transmission. I didn’t have a spare gasket, so I left it as-is, meaning I didn’t break it apart. I decided to lift the Transmission and Adapter as ONE Unit. Other DIY mechanics lift the Transmission solo, and lift the Dana 20 and Spud as ONE Unit. I can see advantages to both. But I took the first route.

 

[dprio34]

11. Bolt Transmission Cross Member to the “INTERMEDIATE HOUSING-SPUD-ADAPTER.” There are (2) holes in the center of Transmission Cross Member on one side only. You want these 2 holes on the Cross Member facing the rear of the Bronco. The Transfer Case Snubber, will bolt there later on. ***



12. Big thick Poly Urethane Cushion goes on top of the Transmission Cross Member. Thinner Cushion goes on the bottom. All Bolts are dropped from the top. Nuts go on the bottom. Top bolt for Top Cushion is 21mm and bottom nut is 22mm.


13. If you are opting to go “TWIN STICKS” with your Bronco, now is the time to verify what size hole you have at the top of your “INTERMEDIATE HOUSING-SPUD-ADAPTER”. Most Directions on Twin Sticks recommend the use of the larger bolt of ½” diameter for your Twin Sticks. My hole was 7/16” at the top of the INTERMEDIATE HOUSING, so I missed this step. I wish I had caught it, but I did not. 7/16th will have to do for now. Not really easy to drill once inside the tunnel.


14. Bolt Driver’s Side “L” Bracket to the Transmission Cross Member. The Fuel Line, Brake -Line, Fuel Tank Sending Unit wires, and Electric Fuel Pump line all run along the frame in the vicinity of this bracket which will make dropping in the Bolt for “L” Bracket at a later time more problematic or easy to damage something. Easier to do it now. (On a side note, I saw a video were a guy put the “L” bracket upside down. It is called an “L” Bracket, but up want the “L” upside down. You need to access the bolts. So really it is an inverted “L” bracket). Drop Cross Member bolts from the top into to the Inverted “L” Brackets; ¾” socket to tighten these up. (4) 9/16 Socket bolts, bolt the inverted “L” Bracket to the frame when the time comes.


15. While I hate to say that Harbor Freight has any high-quality products, I am rather surprised at the quality of their transmission jack. Lifting the RAT 3 Transmission and Intermediate Housing and Transmission Cross Member as one unit was rather easy with this lift. The tray on the HF Trans Lift was, it seems, custom made for this job. The HF lift tray fits exactly between the Cross Member and the front of the RAT 3 Transmission.


16. Place RAT 3 Transmission, Spud, and X-Member on the Transmission Jack Tray. All components roll right under the Bronco with a 2.5’ Wild Horses lift on stock rims and tires. No need for additional jacking or stands under the vehicle…Sometimes we catch a break! Life is good!


17. Line up the Transmission Shaft with the Throw Out Bearing and push the Transmission Jack forward. Push the Clutch Fork several times to ensure the Bearing moves easily over the Transmission Shaft.


18. Torque (4) Bolts Transmission to Bell Housing to 40ftlbs. (Originally, I was worried about the 302 Engine leaning back toward the rear of the vehicle. Driver’s side Head/Valve Cover kisses the firewall). In the end, this is actually an advantage when pushing on the transmission forward toward the engine. You want a little play to slide the transmission shaft into the pilot bearing. If it is too stiff, you may have problems rocking the transmission into
place.


19. Line up “L” Brackets with Frame and tighten. (4) each side 9/16th bolts. Use Rubber mallet as necessary to take L Brackets into place so the (4) nuts align.


20. Remove Transmission Jack and tighten top Cross Member (2) ¾” bolts. Re-Tighten Motor Mount Bolts and Transmission Cross Member Bolts, if you had to loosen them for additional play in order to rock the transmission into place. (I did).

 

[dprio34]

EDIT.. Still trying to post some pics. I'm seem to be having difficulty doing some very simple things lately, or maybe my chest was still sore from the Dana 20 being on it all afternoon. Sorry for the outburst.

For those technically challenged like me. In order to post pics:
-Edit
- Go Advanced - Scroll all the way to the bottom
- Additional Options - Upload Photos
- Save Changes

Still working on how to write a description / caption under a pic instead of having all the pics clustered together or how to break up a cluster of uploaded photos.