Has anyone installed a new ring gear on their Fluid Drive?

[MarcDeSoto]

I welded a new ring gear on my FD back in the 80s, but when I did I didn't have the special Chrysler tool you are supposed to use to get the gear within .020 thousandths of an inch out of round on the FD.  We just eyeballed it and put it where the old one was.  Is there any way I can check it before I put the transmission back on?  

 

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Why do you need to do that now?

Was the starter grinding upon engagement when you last ran the car many years ago?

If it ain't broke do not fix it.

They are "welded on"....not simple as most ring gear flip it and run jobs.

The shop manual does explain the procedure including be careful of the welds....I would leave that coupling alone.

[MarcDeSoto]

How do I know it ain't broke if I've never started the car since I put the ring gear on?  I replaced the original ring gear because it had a couple of broken teeth.  I did find a machinist who said he can check it for out of round and balance.  

[Dodgeb4ya]

So you did a bunch of work on the car...clutch job, ring gear etc years ago and never ran it ...?

Well now you do have a new ring gear on the coupling...done right,  no vibration... you are golden. You just will not know for sure till you drive it in the future.

I saw on another site you asked about the pressure plate adjustment and a guy recommended you check/replace the ring gear and replace the clutch pressure plate and surface the flywheel (driven plate).

Trini is very knowledgeable....not too much on Fluid Drive couplings though.

That driven plate removal and install is a little tricky to perform so as not to damage the bellows seal and carbon ring. 

Special tools were made to pull the plate off. Sure you can do it with modern tools...but ya gotta be real careful...and the FD coupling needs to be removed to do this work with out the Miller tools.

Careless service work on a FD coupling will turn into a very costly mistake.

I would just crocus cloth the driven plate as they normally do not see wear/ heat spots and cracks like a regular clutch set up.

FD couplings generally are easy on clutches.

 

[MarcDeSoto]

Yeah,  I'm not planning on doing anything to the driven plate even though I have all the FD chrysler Miller tools for it.  I just want to make sure the ring gear is on to within .020" out of round, as I don't want the FD to go wobbling vibrating when I'm going down the road.  Also I learned that most machine shops will say they don't do that work, or they don't have the tools to check for out of round.  I think they just don't want to do a small job.  But the clutch shop recommended a guy who owns Classic Transmission, and he recommended the machinist to check the FD.  Marc.

[James_Douglas]

11 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

How do I know it ain't broke if I've never started the car since I put the ring gear on?  I replaced the original ring gear because it had a couple of broken teeth.  I did find a machinist who said he can check it for out of round and balance.  

NO, NO, NO !

 

You can check it by placing in crankshaft size down on a steel plate and just measure it. (https://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-telescoping-gauge-set-5649.html)

 

The tool plus a dial indicator will tell you.

 

Do NOT under any circumstances allow anyone to spin a fluid coupling without a transmission attached to it. The input shaft "holds" all the guts inline and if you spin it without a transmission or the VERY specialized tools the factory supplier used, you will damage it.

 

The machinist has no idea what he is doing and thinks it is just another torque converter.

 

I have cut the welds and moved a ring, some of the Chrysler 8's had a coupling that had the gear a little bit deeper and need to be moved to use in a six.

 

As an aside, Chrysler made two coupling with different stall speeds. No way to tell by looking at it which one you have!

 

James

 

 

[MarcDeSoto]

Thanks James.  The machinist said he would have to make a flange just like the end of the crankshaft to measure the ring gear for out of round and then charge more if any adjustment was needed.  I will do what you said.  Marc.

[MarcDeSoto]

I'm not sure how this telescoping gauge and a dial indicator would work to check for .020" runout on the ring gear?  I understand how a dial indicator would work.  If I could find a way to have something hold the dial on the ring gear while I turn the crankshaft over, I could measure it.  

[MarcDeSoto]

Would a magnetic base with a couple of elbow joints with a way of attaching the dial indicator work?  They use it when checking brake rotors for high and low spots.  Then I could turn the engine over and mark the high and low spots hoping that they are at .020 or less.  

[Bryan]

This is it.  Works great.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C756TCM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Bryan]

On 12/15/2021 at 12:11 AM, Dodgeb4ya said:

That driven plate removal and install is a little tricky to perform so as not to damage the bellows seal and carbon ring. 

Special tools were made to pull the plate off. Sure you can do it with modern tools...but ya gotta be real careful...and the FD coupling needs to be removed to do this work with out the Miller tools.

Careless service work on a FD coupling will turn into a very costly mistake.

I would just crocus cloth the driven plate as they normally do not see wear/ heat spots and cracks like a regular clutch set up.

FD couplings generally are easy on clutches.

 

I bought a few tools to check the FD for leaks and to replace the oilite bushings.  Might need more tools if it leaks.   Was wondering if some of the tools are absolutely needed.  The C-607 wrench (modern socket will do?), C-613 compressing sleeve, C-545 spanner wrench.   Also seeing on page 63 paragraph 20 of the shop manual it talks about a vibration damper on D24. Is this only on D24s and does it change the type of carbon seal used?