[Chaparralman1974]

2/27/2023 - 3/5/2023
Frame assembly, Rear Disc Brakes, and Transmission
The past week saw several big wins in the overall truck project. First up, is the rear disc brake conversion for the Eaton HO52. Initially, I was going to go with a drum brake setup using the drums and backing plates off of the GM 14 bolt “corporate” axle, but after doing the math it was abundantly clear that from a time and money standpoint, it was cheaper and all around easier to go with a disc brake conversion. I picked up the caliper brackets from RuffStuff, and the rotors from Amazon. I will get the calipers down the road, but for now I need to put budget elsewhere in the project. Something worth noting in the conversion is that I was able to repurpose the wheel studs out of the 14 bolt axle. They were in excellent condition, so after soaking them in a vinegar solution for a few days, they shined up really nice and should work out very well. There is plenty of threads available and now I have 9/16” wheel studs front and rear. The rear hubs are off of a 71/72 C20 that I found on eBay and were setup for the larger wheel studs. I installed all new bearings, races, and seals for each hub. I do need to go back in later and install Speedi-Sleeves on the spindles as they had a little wear on the sealing surface. I will likely do that at the same time that I replace the pinion seal. I applied a light coat of grease to the bearing surfaces to keep them lubed, and when I do finally button up the rear axle, I will likely use a syringe to shoot in a few CC’s of gear oil directly into the hub as the axle shaft flange bolt holes are not blind.
Moving onto the frame, I was able to get the transmission / transfer case mount along with the engine mount installed. I went with new poly bushings for the mount that goes directly to the frame for the transfer case, but the original mounts that go on the crossmember look perfect, so I will clean those up and get them reinstalled.
I was also able to begin the teardown of the transmission. All in all, it looks to be in excellent condition except for the output shaft splines that are a bit chewed up. This appears to be a common issue with this configuration and I was able to source a NOS output / mainshaft on eBay for a reasonable price, so the plan is to replace the shaft and reuse everything else. The bearings all seem to be perfect, and the inside of the case was pretty clean. The gear oil looked clean and green, and there only appeared to be a small amount of sludge at the bottom of the case.
My process was to take everything apart, and then mix up a solution of oil eater and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and then soak the parts for a day or two. I then hit the parts with the pressure washer and they came squeaky clean.
I was also able to source a 1967 Chevy K10 transfercase locally for $100. I am hoping that the splines on the input shaft for it are better than mine, in which case I will transfer the shafts. I figured that for $100 I can’t go wrong with having a spare case around.
Lastly, I was able to get the bellhousing cleaned and painted. I have to say that I really like the Chevy Orange color.