Hello,Everyone! These tips may come in handy,for some of you guys,trying to figure out how to get your 2-speed up-and-running. Maybe helpful,if swapping a 2-speed rear,for a single-speed,as well! I bought the T.F. '55 Chevy Shop Manual,just for that purpose,but NOTHING is covered in the manual,except for the rear-ends,themselves! This should be in the "Tech Tip" section,but I wasn't able to access it,so here goes... When I bought my truck,the components were dis-assembled. No flex hoses to the diaphragm,and steel lines were clogged with mud dauber stuff. P.O. drilled a hole in the top of the "Pancake",and used a coat hanger to switch the 2-speed!DANGER!! If you're not parked on level ground,and the axle doesn't shift,it's in neutral,and you're under a 10,000-pound RUN-AWAY truck! If your truck is un-fortunate enough to be set-up like this,PLEASE Chock the wheels! Setting the E-Brake,isn't going to help,if the rear-end is in "NEUTRAL"!! O.K. The first thing I did,was remove the 3, 9/16th bolts that attach the "pancake" to the axle. (I didn't have the flex-hoses,but I would've dis-connected them first.) I put the unit in a vise,sandwiched between a couple of chunks of wood, to protect the housing. I removed the screws,that attach the 2 halves of the "pancake". I didn't have any of the diaphragm material left,(as a pattern),so I went to a truck-tire shop. I was Gladly given a couple of "flaps",since they're a couple of plies thicker than the tubes. First,I sandwiched the "flap,(cut over-size),between the 2 halves. Using an awl,I punched holes at 12:00,3:00, 6:00,and 9:00. I then tightened the screws,which will leave an indentation,around the circumference. Remove the screws,and find the "Center" of the diaphragm. Cut a SMALL X,(SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE SHIFT ROD),and push the shift-rod through,until it "seats". Make sure that you have washers sandwiching the rubber. Tighten the "rod nut" securely.(I put a drop of "loctite", on mine. I used neoprene,to seal the diaphragm to the rod,and all mating surfaces of the "pancake" circumference. Align the holes already punched,and finger-tighten the screws. Punch-out the remaining holes,then make sure all the screws are tight. (I did mine like doing a head)12-6-3-9-1-7-etc... Let it cure for a day. Use a vacuum source to check for leaks,(in a bucket of water is helpful), and the movement of the shift rod. Your pancake should be as good as new! Make sure that you use a sealer where the housing joins the axle,or it WILL LEAK!! Stay Tuned!!
Last edited by wetwilly5757; 10/02/2013 4:11 AM.
