3/15/2023
Transmission rebuild and assembly
I finally got the transmission rebuilt and reassembled. All in all it was not a very difficult task. There are several YouTube videos out there that show the overall process and as long as you follow the procedures in the overhaul guide, it is really a no brainer. The synchro’s in the case looked brand new as did the teeth on all of the gears except 1st as that gear is non-synchronized and a bit of wear is to be expected. The mainshaft / output shaft was ok, but the rear splines that connect to the transfer case input shaft were a bit worn, so I was able to source a NOS shaft on eBay. It had a little bit of surface rust on it, but after soaking it overnight in a solution of white vinegar, it cleaned up good as new. The rebuild kit consisted of all new bearings, seals and gaskets and I used all the bearings except for the front countershaft bearing. The reason being that the new bearing looked pretty weak compared to the original. The original was in good condition (as were all of the bearings for that matter) so I reused it after doing a thorough cleaning. I was also able to source a NOS rear countershaft bearing oil deflector (GM Part Number 591652) as mine came out in pieces.
I painted the case with Eastwood Imitation Cast Iron Grey as well as the transmission to transfer case adapter. Regarding the adapter itself, I also replaced the splined coupler with a new one sourced online and I am in the process of ordering the adapter oil seals. These have been rather challenging to source. After watching a YouTube video (Raybuck Auto Body Parts) doing the same rebuild, the guy in the video mentioned that he was able to find the original seals at a local drive shaft repair shop. I messaged him and he gave me the company name
https://pointspring.com/ and the part number is Meritor A1805E447. It is a difficult seal to find, but it is out there if you dig for it.