The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Ranger Torque Splitter Limitations

I am installing a Ranger OD in a Chevy 2 ton truck, to compliment the 350 SBC and the sm420 currently in it. I can't find any cross member for the 420, and the only bolt points are a pair of 5/16 on the back. Would it be fine if the trans just floated off the OD and bell housing, or am I going to have to build something to take the weight?

Just the trans did hang off the bell housing. Ask the folks that make/sell the Ranger if they want an SM420 just hung off the back.

If the engine is already mounted at front and two at clutch housing then I think it'd be fine (if OK by manufacturer). Adding a 4th mount point could cause problems with vibrations and stress on the assembly as the frame flexes in use.

If you only have two side engine mounts now then you will need a 3rd mount at back of transmission.

Well Advance adapters said the OD will be fine, but the bell housing probably won't. Would using a cross member placed at the transmission (7.5 inches further back) be enough to keep the bell housing from breaking? The cross member would have to be a custom job, and I'm thinking of starting at 1/2" thick plate, maybe thicker, with dampers to isolate the frame and transmission.

Another crossmember, if mounts are to ridged, can cause broken bell housing too. On heavy duty trucks, if they have a rear transmission mount, it's usually a leaf spring type deal just to share some of the weight but not to locate or restrict movement.

Again, what engine mount arrangement do you already have?

I wonder if you have a cast iron housing if it'd be just fine, and if it's a common housing might just try it and Inspect every now and then, replace and figure out plan B if ever an issue. What is it, 7" thick? Not a lot more leverage on the bellhousing which might have accepted a longer heavier 5 speed already without issue.

Casey, Did Advance Adapters realize it was the original cast iron bell and not an aluminum one? I would think that it would be fine although, I was planning on the same thing in mine one of these days.
The cast iron bell will hold an SM465 with no issues. It is 40# more than the SM420. (ranger weighs 80#).

Also, on the 4wd, did they hang a transfer case off the back of the tranny as well? Did they use another mount on the transfer case?

The bell housing is cast iron, but the engine was made in the mid to late 70s (I think). I am not sure if the castings are thinner, but I figure I'll look at it when the engine comes out.

On a side note, the engine uses four points of mounting, two on the front, two on the bell. The fronts were an obvious hack job, and looks really poor, and I want to replace them. Is there a setup for these trucks to drop a 350 into? I may not be able to use a complete cross member style, but I can at least check it out.

If your truck is a 1958, they were designed for factory installed small blocks, a 350 bolts right in just like the original 283. Two at the front and two at the bellhousing.

Mike B

I designed a mount to utilize 3/16 plate and a TH400 mount to help support the unit. The cross member is one I have for my 56 Chevy that I never used. It'll need to be modified to fit the truck frame and mount I designed. I just want a helper mount that still allows the stuff to twist. Of course this would mean five points of engine/transmission mounting, so it should be good and stout. I haven't installed this setup yet. Right now I'm searching for threads from people that have installed the Ranger and what they encountered. I don't fell comfortable hanging 215 pounds of cast iron off the bellhousing.

I've seen somewhere where the guy made a mount to utilize the rear cover bolts on the SM420. It was a slick mount, but I had already had my pieces plasma cut by the time I saw his mount design.