The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Another SM420 rebuild question

I have got most of the way through this rebuild with out much problem, but I am having trouble putting the mainshaft assembly back into the transmission. The instructions are not much help, they just say "Install mainshaft assembly into transmission." a lot easier said than done. I remember taking it out as an assembly and it did not exactly pop right out, but I did end up comming out of the case. Apparently you are suppose to put the out put end of the main shaft out through the rear mainshaft bearing hole and the front end is supposed to then drop down into the case. When doing this I seem to be about a 1/2" from being able to drop the front end of main shaft into the case. I tried putting it in the case front end first but that was worse. Anyone have any tips on how to do this? I email Novak this question, but I am guessing it will Monday before I get a reply. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jim

I found the problem. When I was reassembling my main-shaft assembly I installed the 2nd speed gear backwords on the main shaft. This limited the travel of the 1st/reverse gear so I was unable to install the main shaft. Thank God for that, imagine if I was able to install the main shaft assembly with this gear reversed. I would not even have found out until I was trying to shift into 2nd for the first time! Anyway with the 2nd speed gear installed correctly it dropped right into place. I have been able to do this entire rebuild w/o an arbor press. I used gear pullers, slide hammer, brass drift punches, hammers, and I even used my harmonic balancer installation tool to install the rear main shaft bearing. I am not quite done yet, since I had to pack it in to go to a birthday party at a friends house. It's hard to leave when things are going well in the garage.

Here some pics of the rebuild:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/546614518/2646378880052948230tEJbXV