Re: Convertors and Trannies....

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

In a brilliant stroke of genius, jmbrodsky@domain.elided blurted out:

>        Ken, about the seals for the transmission and transfer case.  
>     John L, did the transfer case seal kit.  I used the old mating 
>     gasket when I put mine back in.  I never did the tranny myself.  

When I refurbished a Dana-20 for a swap in my 76 Traveler, I wound up
purchasing a kit from Hick's 4x4 in CA.  After I added up all the *best*
prices I could get the seals, gaskets and bearings for locally, the kit
from Hick's was by far cheaper *and* it included a new idle shaft and
needle roller bearings.  With shipping I think the cost was like $100.00.

My only complaint would be the quality of the gaskets.  There's nothing
wrong with them per se, as fit was generally good.  It's just that they
were a little on the thin and flimsy side of what I personally care for.
They generally were the standard black colored rubber / fiber
construction... die cut.  The gasket that gave me the most problems was the
one that goes between the transmission and the transfer case.  It started
seeping gear lube almost immediately after I installed it, despite my use
of non-hardening gasket sealer.

I've created high expectations for gaskets because I normally make them
myself... no matter how complicated.  When I recently dropped my transfer
case again in order to bend the shift lever, I made a new gasket out of
some old material being thrown away at work.  I don't know what this gasket
stuff is, but it's incredible.  It's made of a white colored base fiber
with a coating of some sort of green sealing compound... maybe 1/16" thick.
I used no sealing compound and this new gasket hasn't leaked a drop!  Good
stuff.

If I could get the bearings and seals cheaply enough, I'd love to offer
Dana-20 rebuild kits with high quality leak proof gaskets to other IH
enthusiasts... instead of the so-so ones in the Hick's kit.

Oh well,

John L.
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