[39delux]

Got all the old bearings off in one piece except the inner pinion which exploded the cage, race still on the old pinion.  Managed to hog out the old bearings so they just drop on which will make life much easier setting the gears up. Used the new pinion inner bearing for setup (hogged it out) and will buy a new Timken for final assembly.  Got the new ring gear on an torqued this afternoon.  The stub shaft seals were hard to get out but the new ones pressed in easy.  Tried to drive them on with a big socket and that did not work.  Always one side popped up, sorta like playing wack-a-mole.  Press took 30 seconds.  If the new pinion inner bearing is available locally I'll be able to set things up tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

[madmike3435]

39 deluxe...............I know exactly what your going thru and your older than me.   We both need hoists, getting down is one thing , getting up is another whole adventure.  I went from 275 down to 212 and its still difficult.

I cannot do it and have to have a guy with a hoist do the undercar work on the TUB.

mike ..............HAIRBALL,

[39delux]

Gear change complete (right I hope!).  Took several days and I never want to do it again.  Was 2.59 and now 3.54.  Only about $700 counting gears and install kit.  Guess they figure Corvette owners have the bucks.

[39delux]

Old is on the top.

[39delux]

Getting things back where they are suppose to be.  Left air bag in place and fuel line piped.  Having a hard time putting the calipers on.  Piston is retracted and still have to pound the caliper on.  Way to tight and can't figure why...yet. 

[TFoch]

Great progress.  You'll figure out the tight caliper thing.  Keep at it!

[madmike3435]

Getting things back where they are suppose to be.  Left air bag in place and fuel line piped.  Having a hard time putting the calipers on.  Piston is retracted and still have to pound the caliper on.  Way to tight and can't figure why...yet.

wrong thickness of rotor or wrong brake pads, is what U should look at. 

How is the rotor going to turn,  if the brake pads are so tight, only supposed to be loosely fitting enough so wheels can easily turn.

mike..........HAIRBALL

[39delux]

Mike, that's exactly what happened, wrong rotors that are to thick.  Ordered new ones from Rock Auto at 2 PM on Wed. and they arrived Thursday!  Who said I live in the middle of nowhere (mostly correct). 

Getting the loose ends wrapped up such as running the battery cables and finishing the brake lines.  Very time consuming.  Fitted the mufflers into place and guess what...they don't fit anymore.  Will have to get smaller ones.  I'm old and don't want the noise. 

Took the driveshaft to the machine shop.  Length was correct, just needed a u-joint on the back to match the 'Vette.  Guy sold me a u-joint with two different size cups that fit both the rear end and drive shaft.  Cheap solution...only one so far! 

Going to need a new set of shocks, ones I got don't match the minimum/max stroke.  Several days of searching the net.  I think Monroe has a site listing all shocks with types of fittings and stroke. 

[madmike3435]

get some of those musicians soft ear plugs and kill the noise...........or install killer sterio with subwoofer to overpower the exhaust...........lmao.

story.......back in 2000 I installed new zz4-350 motor , pro car headers, stainless exhaust and stainless specialties tube mufflers.  When first fired up in garage, shook the eves and rattled them big time. Driving around town this thing was LOUD to point of deafening at town speed.  Running a 700R4 without gear indicator.  Go to cruise nite and holy crap the thing is roaring at 50 mph.  On way back I moved the shifter forward and hey, it went into another gear.......4th. Revs dropped to 2000 rpm, went below that and growls until you get back to 2000 rpm.

 Well , let me tell you that roar turned into a purr.  I geared slowed it down for a small town to pass thru and back to the roar in 3rd.........get it up to 50 and shift into 4th and like magic the sound level is cut in half.   That was 20 years ago and I still love the bark it makes on fire up

So don't change muffs until you drive car at hwy speed and 2000 + up revs

mike.............HAIRBALL

[39delux]

IT LIVES!  Finally got things like the exhaust together enough to start the car and run it thru the gears (on the jack stands).  No ugly noises...yet.  Two problems yet to solve.  Got a massive brake fluid leak which didn't show itself until the engine was running.  One of the air bags has a leak, had to order another.  The leak was tracked back to...me!  Think I caused the bag to come unlaminated from the steel end piece by chucking it in a vise to tighten the air line. 

Battery was just about dead, only turned over once (very slow) and fired right up. 

[TFoch]

Great news!  Won't be long and you'll be driving it!

[sammons]

Glad your about there. That sounds like something I would do with the bags.

[39delux]

Thanks guys, hope the rocky road is about over. 

Question:  How close to the mufflers is it safe to run the gas line?  My gas line is the new nylon type.

[chopper526]

Sounds like you are shaking out the bugs, won't be long now! My thought would be 4-5 inches on the fuel line, but that's just my guess

[39delux]

Drove it home from the shop today, about 5 miles.  Didn't get much above 50 MPH and there is a vibration somewhere.  It's while under power or coast.  No vibes while maintaining speed.  Don't think it's the wheels/tires and the driveshaft is the one I used before the swap.  When I got home noticed the wheels had 4 degrees negative camber (in at the top).  I'll adjust that out and see if it makes a difference.