Aligning the Bellhousing TKX 5-Speed

Aligning the bellhousing on a TKX 5-Speed transmission in a 77 Corvette.
#TremecTKX
#MichMotorSports
#AmericanPowerTrain

[@trunkmonkey9417]

I appreciate videos like this. Nearly 80 years of family professional drag racing, engineering and mechanical work in military/civilian aviation, motorcycle, automotive presence, your "teaching" is prescience to those that decide to pursue this craft. Always follow the instructions of the engineers that create/supply the components. If the fastener engineers specify using a specific lube (or not) and the co-responding torque value or "stretch" values, then follow them to the letter. No "ugga dugga/elbow clicks" are permitted. Always clean the threaded holes/and fasteners and use specific lube (or not) per the specs supplied with the components. Always follow the recommended torque patterns and increments or (think logically) and torque in a manner that loads the fasteners with equal distribution and increments to prevent high loading one fastener over the others in an assembly. While it may not seem to matter, it does and is critical to proper loading and ability of assemblies to distribute loads and forces between joined components in extreme stress conditions. Most Tremec (and similar) transmission front bearings are cone style and not roller bearing, capable of greater loads and speeds of input cannot tolerate the side loading that a ball bearing style front bearings and will fail. Similar to a wheel bearing capable of tremendous load from the weight of the car and the dynamic forces encountered, the ball bearing is not capable of supporting those forces. The tapered bearing can carry those greater forces and loads, but only when they are centered, and angular loads are detrimental. That is the reason of dialing in the runout and parallelism. The time and effort to ensure this step is properly addressed, given the cost of the components that might be damaged or destroyed, is miniscule. And once you have performed the effort, you will have a confirmed knowledge in your mind and realization the "it is correct". That confidence is not a thing you can buy no matter how much you could pay another to do for you. Safety first, enjoyment follows. Go fast, have fun, and teach those that will carry the love into the future!

[@anthonyeverett2942]

This is a fantastic video and very helpful - thank you both.

[@MichMotorSports]

We are so happy you enjoyed the video! Thank you so much for your comment!

[@gregmoyle1947]

Excellent walk thru! Thanks

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you!

[@TaekwondoFitForLife]

Very cool, and I’m about to do the same with my 1963 Chevy C-10 with a 383 Stroker, manual Tremec 5 speed .. nice video, and thanks for the posting Sir, and Ma’am!

[@superstarmj1]

Excellent work!

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you! Thank you for watching and for the comment. We appreciate it.

[@TannerWhale]

Just came across your channel. Very informative and great content! Keep it up

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you!!! You have great content too! Your camera skills are amazing.

[@samgarretson]

Thank you

[@brandonharris8409]

Another great video!!

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you Brandon!

[@JoHow.]

Awesome video man, I've been thinking about doing this on my 75

[@chrissmith7669]

Thinking about one of these

[@stevenbelue5496]

ARP ultra torque is just a lube to reduce friction so you can get even torque values. It is not a lock type additive to keep bolts from working out. In fact it may cause fasteners to back off easier. It’s a good idea to use loctite on the threads and ultra torque on the washer side or friction side of the bolt head. I personally have never had a bolt, that I know of, back out from using clean threads with no lube or loctite.

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you for watching! And, thank you for your comment.

[@michaelcarter4051]

1997 Pontiac Firebird Formula with T-56 Borg Warner Overdrive transmission

[@mikeburnett7028]

You get that corvette on the road yet? Time to sign up for Power Tour

[@RobustArid379]

This car lots of money

[@user-ez9ui8tu6l]

How did you zero ths dial on the flywheel on the center of the crankshaft?

[@Joebro200]

Oh man....just took the Richmond 4 speed out of my 70 El Camino and swapped it with the TKX. Getting driveshaft back tomorrow. Didn't do much beside pull the old one out and throw the new one in. Hope I don't run into any trouble.

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you for watching. We hope the install goes smoothly for you. Let us know how it went or how it's going.

[@Joebro200]

@@MichMotorSports Put the TKX in and it is incredible. If any one out there is remotely considering one, do it. It is so worth it. Cars at a shop right now having the 373's swapped for 410's.

[@dblackkw]

So every TREMEC has to have this done to it before installing?

[@kaljam2]

Doing this install in a Chevelle. I am in the middle of checking bell housing parallelism. I believe that needs to be checked prior to the concentricity check you show here. Do you have a video of that? Thanks - nice explanation.

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you so much for watching! And for your comment, we really appreciate it. We must of not recorded that part.

[@mikeburnett7028]

How are you coming along on the car?

[@martysheets6882]

Way to stay with it, but Brother this can be a shitty frustrating job.

[@MichMotorSports]

Oh yes, this car has definitely gotten the best of us a few times but we are grateful to be able to share the challenges and progress.

[@numailer]

What should the depth of the bellhousing be if I am getting a new one for the TKX? There are bellhousings ranging from 5.555 in. in depth all the way to 6.925 in. Which should I get for the TKX?

[@MichMotorSports]

The bellhousing we used came with the kit that we got from American PowerTrain. This may be a question better answered by the company that you are purchasing your TKX from.

[@labalade_7791]

Hey ! thank you for your explanations. I start the same job on my 79 vette and a TKX. Could you give me the link for the dowel pins you got ?

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you for your comment and for watching. We are thrilled other are finding our videos helpful. We don't have a link to the pins we used. We ordered everything as a kit from American PowerTrain.

[@labalade_7791]

@@MichMotorSports ok. Thank you. Hopefully I'm under tolerance. I measured 0.003 inches which is not bad 🙂

[@04blushee]

Good way to tear up teeth on the flywheel, Use a long ratchet and have Her turn the engine on the harmonic balancer bolt

[@wendym305]

How did you center the dial indicator to make sure it was true to centerline of crankshaft?

[@trunkmonkey9417]

All you need do, is make sure the attaching to the flywheel/flex plate is secure and the dial indicator is zeroed and the dial will provide the correct reading. The indicator is "grounded" (relative) to the hole in the bell housing, and will give accurate readings. It does not need to be "centered". The arc is going to be true, relative of the flywheel point of the base of the indicator, the the circumference of the hole and the dial indicator "pointer" (needle). It takes a little "visualization" to understand this, but trust the "science" of it. In other words, the magnetic base is "stable", the "hole" in the bell housing is "stable" and the relationship of the hole/needle and the base/flywheel, are "relative" to each other and nothing "moves" except the runout difference from the base and the hole. (the first few times you do a runout test, you are actually "confirming" in your brain that all this voodoo is real. LOL)

[@user-ez9ui8tu6l]

Have you ever used a universal U shaped magnetic dial indicator (like his)?

[@justinbruck9602]

You forgot to divide the left-right runout by 2.

[@MichMotorSports]

Thank you so much for watching and for your comment.