WatchingWolf Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 Has someone who has done this please give a a quick walk through? I have discovered I need a "short" Plymouth/Wagon 3 speed with a fluid drive input shaft for my D33. I have a "long" Dodge with the correct input. Will this go into the "short" trans with a little work? I already know that almost everyone has heard it is easy, but have never actually done it. I would like to hear from someone who has done the swap. thanks, Wolf Quote
Young Ed Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 The diff between the long and short trannys is all in the tail shaft. The swap should work. Only one other tricky part. There are 2 types of syncro's used and the input shaft is specific to the 2 of them. Quote
Jim Yergin Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 Ed is right about there being two different types of synchros. I think the change was made in the mid 50's. I just changed the input shaft in my '53 transmission using an input shaft from a '41 transmission. In order to remove the input shaft I had to drop the countershaft. In order to drop the counter shaft I had to remove the main shaft. Not difficult but re-installing the countershaft can be a little tricky. I used a 3/4" hardwood dowel as a dummy shaft to hold the bearings and thrust washers in place when installing. Others with more knowledge and experience may have other suggestions. Jim Yergin Quote
blueskies Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 As said already, there are two types of synchros. Pin type, and strut type. If both of your transmissions have the same type synchro, then you can swap the shafts. You can pull the side cover plate on the transmissions and look inside to see what type synchros are in there. If they look the same, you are good to go. If not, you need a new shaft to match the synchro in the transmission you are going to use in the car. I swapped the input pinion shaft on my '55 Dodge overdrive, which was about 9" too long, for a standard length shaft to work in my '50 Plymouth. Just opposite of what you are planning. I had planned to use the input pinion shaft from my original three speed, until I discovered that the '50 transmission had the strut type synchro, and the '55 transmission had the pin type. The shafts were not interchangeable as a result, and I had to find a new short shaft to use in the '55 transmission. In order to remove the input pinion shaft on the pin type synchro, the transmission has to be dis-assembled. I tried to remove the long shaft from the '55 transmission from the front, and wound up breaking one of the brass stop rings in the synchro... Pete Quote
Young Ed Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 Funny Pete Dad did the opposite for someone here. He swapped a fluid drive shaft into a plymouth OD and installed it where an M6 used to be. Quote
blueskies Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 Funny Pete Dad did the opposite for someone here. He swapped a fluid drive shaft into a plymouth OD and installed it where an M6 used to be. See my post above Ed... I did the swap for my '55 OD to be used in my '50... Pete Quote
Niel Hoback Posted March 27, 2009 Report Posted March 27, 2009 To reinstall the roller bearings, just stick them in with grease. Not guaranteed, but it works for me. Quote
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