The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline SM420 top plate installation

I got in a jam yesterday when I replaced the top plate on my SM420 with one that I had installed a back up light switch on. I removed the old top plate, put on a new gasket, put on the new one, lined up the bolt holes and tightened it down. The shifter felt completely normal in all gears and neutral, so imagine my surprise when I tried to back out of my garage and went north instead of south!

I went back and checked the manual. It states that the gears must all be in neutral when installing the top plate, but does not explain how to do that. I was stumped staring down at a bunch of gears when I took the new cover off the tranny.

I searched Stovebolt (and the rest of the internet) and couldn't find anything. I reached out to Jerry 'Hotrod Lincoln' for help and he very patiently walked me through it. THANKS JERRY!!

I recapped Jerry's instructions and included pictures on this link that I scanned into Photobucket just in case anyone else ever has the need.

http://s844.photobucket.com/user/ma...20AM_zpss5y4kc2w.png.html?sort=2&o=1

Jerry's advice was invaluable. As a thank you, I thought it would be good to pay it forward by posting the instructions.

Matt

Just did this(and like you I got to do it 2 times) The pics are good. The only thought I could add, the reverse lever in the case, that critter likes to slide around. It is the 1st(granny) and reverse, so it matters.

Would make a good Tech Tip addition. One should always have the transmission in neutral when removing the shifter as well, thanks for the post. I am pulling my closed drive transmission for an open (with corresponding drive shaft) I have and I will need to swap since on the open trans top the shifter lock pins are damaged.