The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline T5 modification (pic)

Another newbie question. I read about cutting back the "bearing retainer collar" when installing a T5 on a 235 bell housing. Am I correct that the retaining collar is the "tube" around the splines? If so, is a cut-off wheel the best/easiest way to do that? How much should be cut off?
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d...20Pickup/T5bearingcollar_zps718e142f.jpg
And am I the only one who thinks this seems a lot like a transmission circumcision?

Yes that is the part that gets cut shorter. Folks usually cut it to match the length of the original bearing retainer and from what I have seen over the last 2 years, it will be right around 3.25" - see photo.

IMPORTANT!! If you will be using an adapter plate then you need to ADD the thickness of the plate. So if the adapter plate is 1/2" then 3.25" + 1/2" = 3.75".

Bearing retainer and sleeve length.

I'm gonna guess you bought that T5 from Tom Langdon, right?

No, not from Tom. This came from a local tranny shop via a friend here who does Ford restorations and has a relationship with the shop.

I'm looking at this spacer:
eBay listing

Comments??

It's cheap enough and Davis is a quality company. I have used their parts. As thin as that spacer is you could cut one yourself with a band saw.

Does that collar just come off the front of the case for that shortening? I don't want to remove those bolts, take off the collar, and have a fist full of parts fall out - parts that I'd never guess how to put back.

I'll assume the T5 you have is ready to use as is.
The bearing retainer on the front of the T5 case fits snugly into the big hole on the bell housing. The hole and bearing retainer should both be 4 + 11/16".

You can either remove the bearing retainer to cut it to the proper length or you can slide a piece of protective material between the shaft and the sleeve so you don't nick the shaft with your cutting tool.

That adapter plate on eBay is fairly thin so the bearing retainer will still insert into the bell housing hole enough to line things up properly.

Thanks, sir. I'll remove the retainer rather than risk nicking the shaft. Just needed to make sure I wasn't going to make a mess of a tranny that is indeed ready to use. Freshly rebuilt.

Do NOT pull on the input shaft while the bearing retainer is off.

You must replace the retainer in the proper position. There is a small boss which is somewhat rounded - that one goes at 12 o'clock. The other boss is larger and has corners (sort of) and that will be at 6 o'clock. I have seen them put back incorrectly. It must be oriented correctly so the fluid can get to the input shaft bearing.

This bearing retainer is in the CORRECT orientation

This one is INCORRECT.

Thanks for the warnings. I will NOT pull on the shaft! And I just looked at those bosses on my tranny and took note of their shape & position.

This forum is invaluable for a newbie and here's another example. I want to do as much of this myself as possible, and guidance like yours and many others makes that possible (and fun).

Thank you, all!

I use a small pipe cutter it always is straight and clean when i taper the end with the grinder