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frscke1
Total Likes: 4
Original Post (Thread Starter)
Converting to manual trans with hydro clutch #798604 11/17/2022 12:37 AM
by jcd74
jcd74
Today I found my phone. When I get it sorted I will show you how I converted to manual trans. My biggest hurdle will be posting pics. I got lucky and someone was selling a NV4500 locally. My van came with TH400 and the two share the same footprint. I have a 89 beau', BBC with the Dana/Spicer package. This will help for anyone who has manual trans and wants to switch to hydro clutch. Funny thing, if you looked the new release bearings are self adjusting now. I have now drove over 25k miles with no hang ups on the clutch and trans.
Liked Replies
Re: Converting to manual trans with hydro clutch #798784 Nov 22nd a 01:18 AM
by jcd74
jcd74
With it all apart I started get it together. I had a hard time asking people for help on a clutch. No one wants to tell you the wrong thing and installing something that was never there in the first place only makes it worse. Sema was happening at the time and I never got a response from the aftermarket until a week or two after. This ended up being to my advantage I didn't spend 900 on a clutch I'm not ready for, or hell if it was even going to work. I went with a LUK package and new flywheel of the same brand. I believe it was 250 to the door.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

This is the new flywheel installed, you need to take the time to understand what motor you have. The one you have may not be the one that came in your van. Find if your external or internal balance and if external how much force do you need. I used ARP throughout this project. Be careful with aftermarket hardware they do little things in the name of strength. In the past I had seen flywheel bolts where the head does not fully go down to the surface because the add fillet or chamfer under the head to increase strength. Take the time to look and follow the directions from the maker. Don't forget the lube and torque wrench

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Clutch kit installed. Count the number of splines you have, check the size of the input shaft, understand what you have. I spent a week just making a final decision. Keep in mind this took me about a year and a half to do. I never moved forward until I solved a problem or had high confidence in my choices. When installing the clutch be careful and take your time. Don't use power tools unless you know what your doing. Grease the input shaft splines, the pilot bearing if needed, Figure out which way the disk goes on (I had no frame of reference and used my best judgment, 50/50 chance) You can use the alinement tool to help hold it up, don't trust it to stay. Hold up the pressure plate and start a couple bolts. Keep checking the disk, seat the tool and the disk and add more bolts. When you have all of them in and you believe the disk is centered start tightening the bolts a little at a time working evenly your way around. Go to fast and you can break something.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

The bellhousing got the strip tease and new coat of paint.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

The same for the tranny. Here we go first attempt. This is a warning pic don't buy this jack.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I can not tell you how much fun it was to get to this point. My first thought was to make pins for alinement, I should have listened to my self! I wasted 1 weekend day and 2 moments after work. I was like I did this before, this is easy. Nope! I had bought the repair manual for 87 up C/K truck and book says buy two long bolts, cut the heads off, chamfer, install in two top holes of bellhousing and slide tranny on. Yes it was that easy. Also if you can put it in gear and turn the output shaft it helps line up the splines. The jack was a lot of fun it wobbles all over and at one point if fell backwards on the tail.
1 member likes this
Re: Converting to manual trans with hydro clutch #799279 Dec 4th a 06:59 PM
by jcd74
jcd74
So the computer died and I am once again searching for pics.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I drilled new holes in the crossmember for the tranny mount

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I had the driveshaft cut.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Located the spot for the shifter. it was 16" from the mating surface of block and bellhousing.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I jacked it up where I believed it needed to be. I used 2 thoughts here, 1 driveshaft angle. I have the 2 piece shaft so the back half angle is the most important. I did not alter the length of the back, the support bearing and back shaft went back where I found it. The 2nd is the difference in space between the mount and the center of the output shaft. I found it to be 3 7/8". I went with 4" in theory to take a little angle out of the driveshaft. If both thoughts where in agreement I moved forward.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I made some spacers to drop the crossmember down. I used 4x4 1/4 thick steel post from the steel yard. It's overkill but it's all I could find. I capped both ends in 1/4 plate and added more 1/4 plate to the sides for mounting. Feel free to make fun of the welding, I do.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I located the holes and had at it. This is the result.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Dragged it home and did a "on the try", measured the angle and was happy with the result. Transmission installed, time to move onto the hydro clutch.
1 member likes this
Re: Converting to manual trans with hydro clutch #799537 Dec 12th a 12:23 AM
by jcd74
jcd74
So hydro clutch. I can find no example of it being installed in any 73-95 Chevy van from the factory. Everyone that ever posted a pic thank you for the help. With all the searching I did there are two things that convinced me of this, one was I saw they offered a cable around 90 up and the second was a guy in England on fake book that said his van used the cable. At that point I gave up looking for it. The parts sites will show you a master cylinder and the repair manuals will give an example how to bleed it.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I started with this, the lower is said to be from 78 and the upper is from my van.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I took it apart and slapped the clutch pedal on for some measuring.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I went to the store bought a cheap plastic miter box, plastic sheet and some grease pencils.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

If you look up ticking stick, joggle stick, it is a old method of measuring and copying shapes. This can be useful for interior work where you want to find the shape-curves on the wall of your van.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

You trace around the stick and get your points of interest.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Lay the pattern and stick down, line the stick to your marks and connect the dots.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I now have a drawing and start filling in the blanks. It only gives you a 2 dimensional point of view but it helps. I wanted the clutch rod to be straight with the cylinder at the end of travel for no side wear of the piston. I could find the length of the clutch rod and so forth.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Slightly better pic.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Slapped this together.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I ordered some 3x3 aluminum block and made a wedge to line up the master with the rod.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Seems good?

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Drilled some holes.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Made it up to here so I could go outside and eyeball things.
1 member likes this
Re: Converting to manual trans with hydro clutch #800889 Jan 24th a 01:10 AM
by jcd74
jcd74
I ground the weld off the pedal arm and shaft from the donor and drove out the shaft, sorry no pic. I got the best 5/8 rod I could find, I forget the material it is for axle shafts and cold rolled finish. It was still a little thin but it was the best I could get my hands on. I do not have the means to finish machine an axle. I milled a flat spot in the new shaft to fit the pedal arm.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

The upper shaft is the donor

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I started roughing the clutch rod

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

[Linked Image from https]

I could now go and eyeball and try some more.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Slipped the lever on.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

More eyeballing.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I marked it checked a million times and gave it a light tack to hold it in place.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

I used a ball mill to open the hole and cut a slot into the shaft for the cross bolt-pinch bolt. I had planned on using a clevis but it did not work out and ended up using a rod end with a shoulder bolt.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Another shoulder bolt to hold it together.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52542719556_8f47f0bdef_c_d.jpg

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]

Result. Little tight I did have to do some trimming on the support.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]
1 member likes this
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