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#28578 03/24/2003 7:37 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | I put in a new old sm420 to replace the 3 spd that I had in my 55.1. It works fine, but I have yet to replace the floor piece that covers the tranny. In the last few weeks, it has started to make a "chirping kind of squeaking noise" that I haven't been able to locate. It seems to come from the general area of the output shaft and the U joints. It "chirps" to the beat of the revolutions of the drive shaft. When I replaced the old tranny with the sm420, I put in a junk yard drive shaft with the sliding part toward the pumpkin. I also replace all of the U joints with new. Any ideas on if I need to fix it, and if so, what it might be, and how to fix it would be appreciated.
55 1st Chev.
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#28579 03/24/2003 8:12 PM | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | Most likely the speedometer cable.
Paint & Body Shop moderator A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | |
#28580 03/24/2003 9:36 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Did you put oil in it  (Just kidding) Like 4onThe Floor said could be the speedo cable. disconnect it and see if the noise goes away. If it does, pull the cable out of the housing and give it a light oil treatment.
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us. - - Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#28581 03/25/2003 2:14 AM | Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 64 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 64 | Jack up the rear wheels and put them on jack stands, start it up , put it in gear, get it to make the squeeking noise, slide under it and listen for the noise with a short piece of heater hose.
kdot em3
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#28582 03/25/2003 2:19 AM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 | Man that sounds scary. Start it on jackstands, put it in gear and climb under it? No thanks... 
54 3100 with 235 62 flatbed dump C60 with 261
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#28583 03/26/2003 7:43 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | Thanks...I should a thought a that myself...Rule 1..always check out the easy and cheap things first! Thanks again! Scott
55 1st Chev.
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#28584 03/26/2003 8:01 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | So the problem has been contained?
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us. - - Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#28585 03/26/2003 8:51 PM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 | If we never hear another word we know what happened.....
54 3100 with 235 62 flatbed dump C60 with 261
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#28586 03/26/2003 11:21 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | Patience ...Im putting it off til this weekend. Thanks - Scott
55 1st Chev.
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#28587 03/27/2003 1:16 AM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 | I hope you understand my comments and take them to heart. The procedure is quite dangerous and can have dire consequences. Many people get killed doing stuff like that every year.
Properly chock the wheels, have a second person there, use proper jackstands. And I would even have a floor jack under the pumpkin just in case. Do it on a level hard surface, yada yada yada.
54 3100 with 235 62 flatbed dump C60 with 261
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#28588 03/27/2003 1:31 AM | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | You can do it from the top if you remove the cab floorboard.
Paint & Body Shop moderator A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | |
#28589 03/27/2003 7:26 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | Thanks again. I disconnected the spedo cable and it still chirps. I never got the tranny cover/floor piece in anyway, so I can check the more difficult methods suggested from in the cab. Maybe this weekend. - Scott
55 1st Chev.
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#28590 03/27/2003 9:46 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,096 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,096 | Scott ,, if it is "chirping " at drive shaft rev speed , then you may need to recheck the front U joint , did you grease this ? and the splines ? Did you pull the trans apart and check the bearings before fitting it to the truck ? Keep us posted . | | |
#28591 03/28/2003 1:06 AM | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 5 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 5 | Scott,Other than the squeak how do you like the 4sp over the 3sp.How does it compare gear ratio wise? What gears you got in the rear?I have a 54 3600 with 3 on the column that all works fine but if it ever goes ka-put I will do the same thing cause I've got a sm420 waiting for a home.And it always seemed to me that trucks should be 4 sp floor shift anyways not 3 on the tree like mom's old 58 Impala 4 door.You know what I mean?
John
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