My lengthy Borg warner T18 rebuild thread

Just a quick update. Sourced another bell housing locally. Thanks Don. Ordered the front bearing retainer and pilot bushing yesterday. That stuff should be here next week. Then, hopefully, I can get back to it. Also got the correct bearing to replace the incorrect one that came in my rebuild kit. No hassles there.

Been hanging drywall here at home and getting some OT so, free time has also been at a premium. Remember, I warned you guys that this would take me a while. Now I just have to deal with a cold garage. Brrrrrrr chilly heading this way.

 

This arrived yesterday. Front bearing retainer with bolts and the pilot bushing. I've been trying to get the bell housing cleaned up but it's being stubborn. Hopefully get some time to really concentrate on it over the weekend and get this project moving again.

 

I may get a chance to get back to this over the holidays so...........I am thinking of having the bell reinforced around the area where the 4th hole has to be drilled and tapped. I have some aluminum in the garage that seems to be of suitable thickness but, I have no idea of the quality or grade of the stuff. Does it matter in terms of how it will weld or work with the cast bell housing?

 

Yes it matters..............dissimilar grades of metals will give whoever is welding on it fits............If you know a professional in the trade I would suggest that you talk with them.
I would use the TIG method of welding while Pre-heating and post heating the part but again finding & using the proper filler rod and a piece of aluminum to add will be the biggest challenge. The part has to be absolutely dead clean...........most times I will de-grease first then use brake clean and wire brush in the area and finally wash it with a light solution of dish soap and then compress air dry it.........also the area should be lightly ground off. Sometimes I will experiment with a weld off in an area of the housing that has no value...........Problem is these manufactures used many types of aluminum casting materials while building parts without the thought of ever needing to weld on it.........this was mostly bottom of the barrel material!

 

quick question... do you happen to have the bolt hole to bolt hole measurement for the factory adapter plate shown above?

 

That looks like a factory Scout adapter. Scout adapters clock the transfer case down. If the top two bolt holes for the transfer case are horizontal, it's Jeep. If not, if they are angled down to the right, it's Scout or similar. Could be why you are having a hard time finding the right mount.

 

thanks... that more than likely the issue....

 

It is a Scout adapter. Since Nick pointed out the clocking thing, I am thinking of trying to find the Jeep adapter. Not sure how much of a difference it would make it terms of ground clearance. I'm sure the T18 will hang lower than the t-case. Still, curious about the total benefit with the Jeep adapter, though. Can't wait till it warms up and I can get back into garage and back to this.

 

We'll not for nothing.. I found a scout mount online.. Getting my hands on it just to see how it would all play out...
I have heat in the garage so I'll be sure to post some pics so you can avoid the same pitfall I'm in..

 

Please do. I haven't thought too much about the crossmember yet, and mount. I was figuring on a custom crossmember and who knows what mount. I'm still at the point of adapting the trans to the Buick bell. That's where I'll pick up again.

 

A quick note about the factory adapters. They are specific to either small or large bore D18 transfer cases. I hadn't really thought of that but, it makes sense now. Not sure specifically how many different ways they could be made, considering whether a particular one was slated for use in a Jeep, or an International, a small hole case or a large hole hole case, or with a T98 or a T18.

These differences, are of course, evident on the transfer case side of the adapter plate. I have not looked at or measured anything on the transmission side of the plate, as yet.

Side by side, you can clearly see how the jeep T98 adapter keeps the transfer case more level (as does the jeep T18 adapter) compared to Scout adapter, on the right, which has the 5 bolt hole pattern for the transfer case, clocked slightly in a CW direction.




The JEEP T98 plate, made for the small hole Dana 18 transfer cases.




The Scout T18 plate, made for use with the Dana 20 transfer cases and, also large hole Dana 18s.

 

I will be messing with my jeep adapter this weekend. I will take an imprint and try and make a drawing out of it.


Fired my phaser at my abacus and it now hoses my grammar and spelling

69 Dauntless CJ5 - The Heep
Resto-Mod
(heep and jeep are four letter words)
http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/showthread.php?99079-69-Dauntless-Project-the-Heep

 

The transmission side of the T-18 and T-98 Jeep adapters are all the same. It's the casting for clocking the transfer case, the mount, and step for centering the transfer case that is different.


Sent from my iPhone

 

I'm going the other way, though. I have the one for the small hole and need the one for the large hole. Found someone who is willing to trade with me so, all is good. No hassles.

 

So.........spring has sprung and there is some warmth in the air, and in the garage so today, I figured, it's too nice to be cooped up in the house painting some stupid ceiling. So, instead, I cooped myself in the garage and, with round file in hand, opened up the two top holes of the T18 case to make them fit the bell housing. Boy, do I miss having a compressor. But, with patience and frequent breaks to check the fit, the task was soon done. Next, I will locate the lower left hole onto the corresponding lower left ear of the T18 and drill the hole.










Also, I now have the correct adapter in hand so, that end should be good.

Boy, this looks like a lot of transmission for this bell housing. But, fear not, it's been tried and true by many others before me and so it shall be once again.

 

Exciting, I look forward to next part.

 

"I had a large hole adapter machined down to fit a small hole D18. Works fine. "

That's a tough process. Machining down a large hole to a smaller hole...It can be done though!

 

Not that hard. You are simply machining the alignment step on the adapter smaller to fit the small hole case.

 

Maybe I should clear this up if I was unclear before: I am using a large bore Dana 18. The problem was that I had an adapter for a small bore case, meaning that a lot of material, or maybe a sleeve, would have to be added. Instead I got the correct adapter to match my large bore Dana 18.

Not much done tonight. Snugged up the two top bolts, flipped the unit over and located the 3rd hole (bottom left) on the ear of the T18 case. Next I'll take it apart and drill the hole for the bolt to pass through.

With the top 2 bolts NOT snugged down yet, I was able to "spin" the T18 case on the bell a little (rotationally I guess you'd say). Guess I got sloppy filing out the top holes on the T18 case. Is this a problem? I thought they were fairly good and tight when I was done filing them out the other night. Wrong.





The fourth and final hole, to be drilled and tapped into the bell housing, looks like it is going to fall right on the web in the bell. I do plan to have someone weld some material inside the bell to strengthen the area around the bolt hole.