Any Transmission guys around????

[Cudajason]

I hit a snag on the rebuild of my A500.

When I disassembled the Rear Clutch pack and Front Clutch pack both had 4 frictions.

The Front Clutch frictions were thicker at .084 and the Rear were thinner at 0.61.

The rebuild kit I purchased from rock auto came with 2 sets of frictions, both different partner numbers but both measure our at around .084.  the Set labeled as Front work fine and with four frictions meet factory spec.

The set label rear or direct I can not fit all 4 in and still get the snap ring in.  I can get three frictions in, but then the spec exceeds the factory tolerance by a wide margin.

I think that my best option is to order the right part, either through Rock Auto or a different supplier.  I see several sites where you can order just frictions.

Or am I missing something and should I run the three thicker frictions and a thicker snap ring???

SIGH....I was really hoping to button up this rebuild this weekend.

Jason

[Ric]

Rock auto ...for trans parts.... cheapest junk out there...done about a thousand of them... I can send you the clutch clearances and help you... or call me ... pm me here ....

[chargerdon]

Ive bought individual parts from https://www.transtar1.com/ in Raleigh...  and WIT  https://www.wittrans.com/  WIT (whatever it takes) has a great online parts illustrated catalog.   

I would make sure i kept in the 4 frictions in the rear pack...  3 would be too weak...   I have found that it is the rear pack that is used for 1'st gear and that if weak at all...you will have slippage at full throttle.

Id love to figure out how to add a 5'th friction in my A518 as with my 408 stroker and sure grip, if i floor it in first before moving well....it will slip !! 

[Cudajason]

Rock auto ...for trans parts.... cheapest junk out there...done about a thousand of them... I can send you the clutch clearances and help you... or call me ... pm me here ....

This is a fairly stock rebuild, I am not making crazy power, so I figure that rock auto parts will be fine.  I think the issue here is they just have the wrong parts in the kit.

I have the clearances, I just wanted to make sure I was not missing something with the thicker rear clutch frictions.

Jason

[Cudajason]

Ive bought individual parts from https://www.transtar1.com/ in Raleigh...  and WIT  https://www.wittrans.com/  WIT (whatever it takes) has a great online parts illustrated catalog.   

I would make sure i kept in the 4 frictions in the rear pack...  3 would be too weak...   I have found that it is the rear pack that is used for 1'st gear and that if weak at all...you will have slippage at full throttle.

Id love to figure out how to add a 5'th friction in my A518 as with my 408 stroker and sure grip, if i floor it in first before moving well....it will slip !!

Thanks @chargerdon   That is what I was thinking, 3 does not seem like enough.


The joy of being in Canadian is that any of the major places charge and an arm and a leg for shipping, not to mention the FX rate.

I guess I will reach out to the local supplier I found and see if they have .061 thick frictions in stock.

Jason

[Burdar]

Contact RockAuto and see if the wrong discs were put in your kit my mistake.  If so, they should send you the correct ones at no cost to you.

[Cudajason]

Contact RockAuto and see if the wrong discs were put in your kit my mistake.  If so, they should send you the correct ones at no cost to you.

@Burdar you would think that would be easy....however the part number listed in the kit is what I received, so they shipped the right part, it just does not fit my transmission.

That part number is listed in all the rebuild kits I looked at.

Jason

[Burdar]

What I was getting at is MAYBE the wrong parts were put in the correct kit.

[Chryco Psycho]

I believe with thinner steels you can actually get 5 frictions in there , We had a good trans shop in Calgary where I could get good parts easily

[jimynick]

Jason, would a plate of glass and some wet 400 grit paper allow you to smooth the frictions enough to get a good spec? If you're only needing 20 thou, that shouldn't be a huge chore if you gave all 4 a wee "buff". Just my 

[Cudajason]

Jason, would a plate of glass and some wet 400 grit paper allow you to smooth the frictions enough to get a good spec? If you're only needing 20 thou, that shouldn't be a huge chore if you gave all 4 a wee "buff". Just my 

I don't think I want to screw with them, not sure what other problems I could cause.

I found a very helpful parts distributer in Mississauga that have the right parts in stock.

I have them order and will either pick them up or have the shipped today. 

Jason

[Brads70]

I rebuilt a TH350 years ago, dug up parts from 3 different transmissions to make one. I ended up machining the drums to fit in an extra clutch disc. If you need anything like that I'd be glad to help?

[Cudajason]

I rebuilt a TH350 years ago, dug up parts from 3 different transmissions to make one. I ended up machining the drums to fit in an extra clutch disc. If you need anything like that I'd be glad to help?

Thank man. Very cool offer as always.

I just don't see the need to machine parts for what amounts to a stock rebuild. Its not like I am make huge HP. I got the right parts today, so it will go back together this weekend.

Jason

[chargerdon]

Just an FYI....   Make sure the kit you bought is the correct one.   There were yearly changes.    Take the 4 digit date on the drivers side of the transmission and run it thru the Mopar Julian calendar to find the month/year that the transmission you have was made.   

When i rebuilt the 904 in my 74 challenger several of the parts from the kit didn't fit.   Finally i took the date and ran it thru the calculator and found out that it was a 68 transmission...  Someone had replaced the original.   I had bought a kit for 71-74 so several parts were wrong.     

[Cudajason]

Just an FYI....   Make sure the kit you bought is the correct one.   There were yearly changes.    Take the 4 digit date on the drivers side of the transmission and run it thru the Mopar Julian calendar to find the month/year that the transmission you have was made.   

When i rebuilt the 904 in my 74 challenger several of the parts from the kit didn't fit.   Finally i took the date and ran it thru the calculator and found out that it was a 68 transmission...  Someone had replaced the original.   I had bought a kit for 71-74 so several parts were wrong.   

Yep, I did that.  IT is supposed to be the right kit.  These were the only parts that were incorrect.

Jason