‘52 Flathead crankshaft end play

[Ross F-1]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

...Most rings have to be heated pretty well to get them on there due to the interference fit.

I'd think it might be best to remove the ring so it can be heated evenly in an oven, and fully seated. Not sure how to get it off tho, without damage anyway.

[rotorwrench]

One that's half off can be slowly driven off with brass or aluminum punch and a hammer by cross taping around the edges while the wheel is lying on something smaller and flat on a solid bench or stand. One that's all the way on can ground down a bit in one spot and then carefully split with a chisel. It would be the mechanics call about which will work the best.

[Mart]

Re the adaptor bush.
If you can find someone with a lathe just get it skimmed down enough to clear the area that is fouling.
if no lathe available just grind it down carefully. The face that is contacting is not a functional face. it is in free air and does not need to be a machined finish (if push comes to shove).
Mart.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

One that's half off can be slowly driven off with brass or aluminum punch and a hammer by cross taping around the edges while the wheel is lying on something smaller and flat on a solid bench or stand. One that's all the way on can ground down a bit in one spot and then carefully split with a chisel. It would be the mechanics call about which will work the best.

Just march it off the flywheel with an air chisel with a blunt tip. easy-peasy!

[cas3]

doesn't the flywheel have the tiny little ridge to hold the ring gear on like the early motors, or did ford drop that on the 8ba's ?

[swedishsteel]

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When I put the S10 tranny behind my '36 LB the adapter needed to be 7/8" thick for the input shaft of the tranny to be correct in the pilot bearing. I used aluminum for the adapter.

[Rembrant]

Yes that is the issue with this installation. The home made adapter plate is barely 1/4” thick, so the input shaft is too far forward. I’m working on putting it back together for now to get the rest of the season out of the truck. I’ll look at a better adapter set up over the winter.

One thing I’m having trouble with today is finding new flywheel bolts. I don’t have the old ones in front of me but can anybody confirm the length of them? I see ARP has a bolt kit p/n 240-2801 and they are .875” long 7/16”-20. Anybody know if they will work or can you suggest an alternative part number to get a better fit?

How long are the factory bolts? 3/4”?

[rotorwrench]

The ones that fit the early flywheels will work. Third Gen Automotive has them as well as others. They are set up to be safety wired to each other. The original 8BA ones have the large dimple in the center of the head and don't require safety wire.

If you use the ARP types make sure the bolts clear on the front side of the crank. The Ford & Chevy ones are 1-inch long. I'm not sure about the others. They generally have a relatively close shank fit in the bore. They can be shortened but it may be a pita if required for clearance. The OEM ones were short but I don't have one close by to measure.

[Rembrant]

Thanks for all the replies folks. Turns out the ring gear was cracked, so that explains why it was coming off. Cracked from a previous installation or just because it’s 70 years old? I don’t know. Anyway, I have a new one on order and it will be here next week. I’m scrambling to get this thing back together next weekend.

On the flywheel bolts I measured everything and it looks like everything stacks up to be 0.878”, so the bolts being 7/8” long makes sense. ARP kit 240-2801 listed for Chrysler seems like a good fit, and the local engine shop has them in stock.

On the pilot bushing. It is obviously worn from hitting the end of the splines on the trans input shaft, but it must have been from a previous install as all my measurements show that there should be at least 0.125” clearance with the transmission installed. However the bushing was only slip fit, so it may have moved around in there. I’m going to make a new one with a slight interference fit to keep it in place. It will only be about 0.400” thick, but should do the trick for now.

Still haven’t measured crank end play but I’ll get the dial indicator under there this weekend. I tried physically moving it and can’t see or feel anything, but the dial indicator might show something.

In any case, I’m on the road to recovery for now. Just have to hope that all the parts I have ordered will fit properly.

[Als48]

Hey, Rembrandt, Krylon 32 from Nebraska sells T-5 Adapter plates. I used one in my 48 Super Deluxe. Check the classified section. Good luck with your ring gear.

Al Hook

[Bored&Stroked]

Sounds like you're getting it sorted out - good for you! You'll be back on the road in no time!

[Ross F-1]

Originally Posted by Rembrant

...
How long are the factory bolts? 3/4”?

They are listed at 0.88" long

[Bored&Stroked]

The original flywheel setup used a metal plate that went under the bolts - to insure that the two dowel pins didn't back-out of the crank and fall out. Also, the bolts were tie-wired.

If you're going to use ARP bolts (which I use), then I suggest you use the stock plate underneath them and use red locktite on the threads. It is probably overkill, but I'm also super careful with flywheels and clutches . . . so I always do this.

[Rembrant]

Hi Folks,

As of late last night, I finally have the old '52 back in business, but it looks like I may have traded one problem for another. Transmission is back in with new 10" clutch and pressure plate, new ARP bolts, new throw-out bearing, new bronze pilot bushing, and new ring gear on the original flywheel (which I had re-surfaced at a local engine shop). It is now nice and quiet...ring gear is not hitting the starter shield, obviously...but now I have a bad shudder when pulling away from a stop in forward or reverse. Once the truck is moving, all other shifts are smooth, and driving down the road it's as smooth as it was before. The only issue is pulling away from a complete stop. If I'm already rolling, even just a little bit, it is fine.

I am usually really fussy about re-assembly...but I have to admit that I did forget to clean the surface of the pressure plate. It did have the preservative residue on there as I remember seeing it, but anyway...in my haste I forget to clean it off.

I did some Google searches, and it appears that some people claim that a shudder will go away as a clutch gets "broken in", but just as many people claim that the shudder never went away without replacing something.

I don't believe it is anything external as the issue was not present prior to me swapping out all of these parts, and the shudder starts before the truck even moves, so I can't blame bad u-joints and leaf spring bushings (I've read that some people found these to be an issue).

Any thoughts good or bad from the experts and the 'been-there, done-that" crowd?