Transmission/transfer case rebuilt

Brent

Brent

Bigger Hammer
May 23, 2017
160
Iva, South Carolina
First Name
Brent
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1959
Hello all,
My Transmission is rebuilt, new clutch, resurfaced flywheel. The transfer case was broken and pouring oil! The adapter was wrong. The adapter in it was a Buick V8 that was redrilled and tapped for the 3 and 9 o'clock mounting bolts only. So the dowl pins and 2 bolts are all that was holding the transmission on. Now I have the correct adapter for my SBC 283, new to me dana 18 transfer case rebuilt with no leaks. So it is a lot better up front with no leaks and shifts smooth but now I can hear the rear diff. screaming and it still doesn't like to go over 45 mph. Next step till I figure what to do for more mph is interior paint. Grey/gold like what was originally on the seat frames. Then linex the front floor, reinstall the front and rear seats, from a wagon, delivery headliner from willys america and invent a rear headliner. Also since this is a parkway conversion and the glass is old and ugly on the rear sides I'm not sure if I want to keep that size glass. I might do something different. What do y'all think?
 
Hello David,
My new tires are 245/70/16's and the axles are original to the 1960 sedan delivery. I'm not sure of the gear ratios. Kinda vague.
 
Congratulations on fixing all the transfer case leaks. I've been trying for months and the thing still leaks. What is your secret?
 
Brent,

You say your rear differential (4.88) is "howling". Getting it back to normal might cost quite a bit if you need new bearings and perhaps some gears. Since you have a SBC pushing you along, you could change to a 4.09 at the back and 4.10 Dana 27 at the front. You might get lucky and find a pair of usable axles for cheap. Our made-in-'64 wagon has those ratios which aren't too bad. The only trouble is starting off up hill - there's a fair bit of clutch slippage required with the original T90 because of its tall 2.98: 1 first gear.
Then, if you could add an OD, you could cruise at 60mph all day...
 
Brent said:
Front dana 25 - 5.38 Rear dana 44 - 4.88?
Click to expand...
Those are low gears. and with a ~29" tire you won't have a very fast speed.

Also, good idea to confirm that your axle ratio's are NOT matched. Don't engage the 4wd unless you're in deep snow or mud till you get the gears matched.

You can confirm those ratios by raising a wheel and turning it one complete revolution and counting the # of revolutions the drive shaft makes--this will be the axles gear ratio.
 
Don't forget, your Willys is about as aerodynamic as a barn door. With our Tornado engine and 4.09 rear 4.10 front axle ratios (no OD), our wagon will run nicely up to about 50 mph. Beyond that the noises due to rattling body, transfer case, wind buffeting etc. become unpleasant. Of course, it depends on who's in the vehicle and for how long you sit there on the highway... I find 20 minutes is as long as my family will endure any highway in "Bluebell". BTW, beware of railroad crossings - my 12 year old hit the roof once when I forgot to slow down - the headlining offers no cushioning. After that episode, I installed 3 point seatbelts front and back!

http://pavelsuniverse.com/willys/seat.html

Cheers, Pavel.
 
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With the excess miss matched differential gearing I take it you don't use 4WD at all. You probably already know this, but the stock rear end will not handle V8 power for long. A stock transmission isn't much better. They will last a very long time with a stock drivetrain but add V8 power and things go south fairly quickly. At least that is what the Willys America restoration book says, with that being backed by what Willys Works here in Tucson has said about the stock drivetrain.

Seat Belts are definitely in my Wagons future. I can only imagine what would happen with the easily removed rear seat in a serious wreck.
 
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Brent said:
Front dana 25 - 5.38 Rear dana 44 - 4.88?
Click to expand...

Brent
Your wagon should have had 4.27 axles, but 5.38 and 4.88 were available also. Certainly NOT any mis matched ratios however. You may also have a worn out set of transfer case bearings, which make a noise that drives a person crazy. The 4.27s were ok for general driving around up to about 55 mph. Not a lot more. As far as the driveline being weak for a V8 Chevy, I've known people who drove V8s on those transmissions and axles for years with no problems, and others who could not.

Those Spicer Dana 44 tapered axle rears were used in the Buick 350 Wagoneers for years so those being weak is not correct, but the real problem is having a rear that is getting worn out and loosening up, THEN putting a V8 on it and beating on it, OR not tightening up the rear hub bolts correctly. The T90s being weak is more accurate though. A hint for them bolted up to a V8 is to not use a hard clutch, meaning a diaphragm style pressure plate, but one with the 3 lever arms.
diggerG
 
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Brent, If you are lucky, there'll be little metal tags on both diff covers for the axle ratios. Of course, the tag may lie. Here are the various Dana axle ratios and the number of teeth on the crown wheel and pinion respectively:

5.38 (43-8)
4.88 (39-8)
4.27 (47-11)
4.10 (41-10) probably only found on Dana 27 front axles...
4.09 (45-11)
3.73 (41-11)
3.54 (46-13)
 
Thanks again! The transfer case was broken and had to be scrapped/ replaced with another used case that was empty. Rebuilt with an overhaul kit, new shifter assembly, and mount. The gears from the old transfer case were reused. Unless I'm mistaken the noise is coming from the rear. I don't hear it from the transmission tunnel area any more. So bearings or gears in the back are my target for now. Tooth count first! What a good resource this forum is! Thank you guys.
 
Hello Brent, good to see you are on the forum, I just found it a few days back. Glad to hear you got the Tcase fixed. I got the old 59 truck running, moving, and stopping under it's own power!!! O happy day. First time it has moved in 9 or 10 years. There is a lot of good info on this forum and the folks are happy to help you out. Next step for me is the exhaust and i'm going to let Troy do that. I'll see you around town or at breakfast at Smileys. Steve - willymakit20171127_153226.jpg20171127_153258.jpg20171125_155337.jpg
 
Brent My 60 Wagon has 4.27 gears as Digger mentions. My power is the stock 226 which tops out at 3000 rpm. I do have a Saturn overdrive and I do have 31" tires. I can run 60 to 65 very comfortably. Running about 1600 rpm at 60 mph. The 4.27 gears were used for a number of years in wagons so hopefully you could find a set of matching axles. I noticed you are in SC. I found my wagon in Tamassee where it set on my uncles farm for nearly 30 years.
 
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