Drive line help needed.

[Chumley]

OK so I got the motor and trans into the M this weekend. It didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but things seldom do. So I got the motor level front-to-rear and left-to-right, but it's got my drive line angles from trans to t-case all out of whack. Pictures would probably help, but my camera is MIA right now, so they'll come later. Anyway I've probably got a good 4-6" drop between the trans yoke and the input yoke on the t-case. I'm running a Ford 352/NV4500 combo. I could probably drop the tail of the trans down a few degrees and I could get the t-case up a few inches and then just get custom drive shafts made. Or option #2 it to sell everything and haul butt from it. Anyone have any good ideas or am I on the right track?

[randyscycle]

What I did with mine (using a Big Block chevy/TH400) was to start at the transfer case, so to speak.

I first dealt with the positioning of the trans yoke to the transfer yoke and stub shaft length, along with modifying the trans crossmember for the GM mount, then put the engine where the intake was level and the side to side was even afterward. In my situation, I had no engine mounts on the frame and had to fab those myself, so I wasn't limited to placement there.

[Barrman]

I did the same as Randy. Bolted the short shaft to the transmission to set front to back spacing and then with the engine "close" made and secured a trans mount. A level on the intake did the engine after that.

I would imagine that your Ford engine mounts are making the front of the engine waaaay too high if it is resting on the stock 230 mount pads.

The NV4500 with the stock short shaft fits perfectly with no cross member modifications needed and the shifter coming out the stock hole in the floor. Mine is that way.

Oh, does your 2wd NV4500 still have that balancer on the output? You have to remove that. It us just pressed on. Remove the yoke and push it off. That might be your problem.

[Chumley]

Well yeah the engine is sitting kind of high in the bay, but I've got a body lift on the cab so it's not too bad. I had thought about making new frame mounts, and i might still do that, but it looks like if the engine sits much lower in the frame I'll have issues with the differential and oil pan hitting. The trans is sitting just in front of the cross member by about 3-4 inches. The shifter to floor location looks dead on. The balancer is still on the trans, but it's not interfering with anything. It looks like a new trans cross member is in order. The t-case mount is also going to get redone as it's a cobbled together mess from a PO and I'm putting in a NP202. But that's all I've got for now.

[moosejr]

Take a look at where your suspension stops are and the distance between them and your axle, if your suspension is stock, it really doesn't travel UP very far. You might have more clearance between your axle and your pan than you think. Of course when all else fails, you can use the "bounce it hard" method of adjusting pan clearance, . .in other words, you land it hard enough you will put a dent in the pan that will ensure you have the correct amount of clearance for most future operations. ...lol

[Chumley]

Just wanted to say thanks for the input to the thread. I got the new frame mounts made up this weekend and the motor & trans installed. I had to do some fitting that I didn't like, it's a little too far to the passenger side and probably sits too low in the cradle, but it's got good drive shaft angles. I've got to cut and reform the trans cross member, but I'm going to wait on getting a center drive shaft in first. This was the first time I've ever done a motor swap without a pre-fab kit, so it was....interesting to say the least. All-inall I think it went well, if for no better reason than I learned what to do different next time. I'll get some pics up to my gallery site either today or tomorrow. Thanks again for the input and for the pics that Gwen put up of the 360 in her truck.

[ryanroo]

not that it matters now, but IMO when you are putting a non stock engine transmission and transfer case in the truck you just torch and grind all remnants of stock mounts out of the truck and build it all new to fit your new drivtrain. that way you are not making comprimises on mounting the new stuff with stock parts, and you can make everything the exact way you want it.
Ryan