[Pinkstonmm]

New Project for the trooper(new pictures 7/24)

So the other day took the trooper out to a trail around the corner and it came back like this.

This had nothing to do with the transmission not being able to handle the V8. The only reason it broke is because the front drive shaft was too long and bottomed out. We switched front springs a few weeks back and new the drive shaft was too long, just never did anything about it.

Now that its broken of course I am upgrading. Going to use an S10 bell housing to adapt the cady engine to the SM420 and a novak adapter to put the dana 300 behind the SM420. This is going to greatly help the gearing in the trooper, which it needs. My crawl ratio will be around 80 to 1. Even in second gear my crawl ratio will be better than what it was. Should be nice.

Dana 300

SM420 with a chevy S10 bell housing

 

[SSSRodeo]

Damn Matt. Doesn't it just HOOVER when being a trend setter also means being a design tester. Sorry to see your work go up in splinters like that. But at least you'll have it all figured out for the rest of us.
Surprising what over compressing a drive shaft can do to transmission.
With the divorced Dana 300 you can design in mounts that will allow the "T" case to flex a little should that ever happen again. I would suggest looking at Cummins motor mounts for your "T" case. That's what I'm using in my brownie box tranny in my motorhome. Although it won't be spinnig a front drive shaft I've been able to design in some allowable flexing (miss alignment) when I'm in low gear. With 350 hp and a 2:1 low under drive gear in the aux it can get real harry when pulling up some monster grades at the campground I like to use in Broken Bow Oklahoma and Durango Colorado.


Curtis

 

[lmagee]

he is not running the 300 divorced, he is using the novak adapter to bolt the 300 to the sm465, the front driveshaft on it previously just did not have enough travel, under compression it was to long, droop to short, We had both realized it was a problem previously just never got around to fixing it, to late now, the new setup will have a long travel square tube front driveshaft to cure any problem of that ever happening again.

BTW, crap breaking like that is why I am no longer allowed to drive his trooper anymore

 

[RufusTheRam]

haha, nice carnage.

 

[Pinkstonmm]

Updates

The SM420 is all cleaned and stripped down

Cleaning all the gears and replacing the bearings

Bell housing notched out for the starter. Its going to get a piece of aluminum welded over the notch for the starter, but this is where we had to cut for clearance.

Novak SM420 to Dana 300 adapter

Dana 300 with twin sticks and the novak dana 300 10 spline input for the SM420

 

[paulevans76]

if you get a chance, I'd like to see this setup next to the stock mua5 for length comparison. I've thought about running this same thing, but I figured it would make an already short front driveline even shorter.

thanks

 

[RufusTheRam]

yeah, it should be quite a bit shorter. you've got alot more shaft/joint options though, should be doable. his front axle is a decent amount forward, and the suspension isn't super tall.

 

[lmagee]

his front axle is a decent amount forward, and the suspension isn't super tall.

x2 , front axle is pushed forward at least 6 inches from stock location. No pictures but when he first got the combo we set them beside the old set up and beleive it or not, there was really not that much difference, maye 2" at most. If you wanted to make the driveline longer, the advance adapters adapter could be used instead of the novak adapter, IIRC it is a little longer.

 

[Independent4x]

your going to have trouble with that twin stick.............

get rid of those gold brackets that extend it and set it up right on the shift pins.

 

[Pinkstonmm]

your going to have trouble with that twin stick.............

get rid of those gold brackets that extend it and set it up right on the shift pins.

Why do you say that? Does it develope play? So far it seems to shift fine. I was so excited about all the options I was playing with it for about an hour last night. Any pictures of your set up?

 

[Independent4x]

the trans is so short that the brackets put the shifters way up under the dash on the pass side. i had to re-bend my 2 sticks.....

i can take some pics of mine tomm.

 

[Pinkstonmm]

Gotcha, After messing around with it more last night I can tell we are going to have to do something different with the sticks. The way the transfercase is clocked they hit the transmission the way I originally had them. Some pictures of your set up would be great.

 

[Independent4x]

my shit is all torn apart at the moment


but, heres a shot of how i got it to work with the brackets.............there is a LOT of re-bending on the Currie Twin sticks:

 

[Independent4x]

still Too Far over in the Pass floor for me. I left it because that was where i cut the hole in the floor ....etc.

i am Just going to Make my own this time. they will end up being more accessable from the drivers seat and look better.

 

[Pinkstonmm]

Got alot done on the trooper this weekend. We got the transmission and transfercase in and mocked up. Everything is way forward of where it used to be. I think the transmission shifter is about 6-9" forward and the same for the t-case shifters. Its all going to have to come back out though because the clutch linkage is not working like it needs too. Basically the throwout bearing is too far away from the pressure plate and when it slides forward it comes off the front bearing retainer which is what it should be riding on. So we need to pull it back out and take a look at a few things. We plus we found is that the old transmission crossmember should work out perfect with the new set up. It just needs a couple holes drilled in it for the new mount and it should be good to go. Ill try and get some pictures up tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Pinkstonmm]

I got to drive the trooper today for the first time in a long time. The transmission and transfer case are in and the shifters are made. Just like putting in the Cadillac motor the clutch/flywheel was the hardest thing to work out. I bought 3 different throw out bearings before we got the right one and had the bell housing milled down 11/32s of an inch. Still working out some small bugs. For some reason the front output on the t-case will not go into low, it will go into high fine. Any ideas? There is a big ass hole in my floor now that will get new sheet metal once everything is worked out.

Added a little beef in the back too

You can see the spare rear drive shaft we made to move it around. The real one will be here soon, but I figured it would be a good idea to have a trail spare anyway so we made one to role it around.

The front got 8 lug outers and Warn hubs. I hope that D44 does not hate me too bad.




By the way, if anyone is interested I have my old 1 piece rear drive shaft made for the trooper with a spring over and my old rear axle im parting out(brakes are already taken). Ill make someone a good deal.

 

[Independent4x]

the 300 is a little fickle and i sometimes need to kind of "nudge" (not really rolling) the truck a little to get it to engage. it will kinda want to bind and not go into low.

also try shifting it from neutral.

you'll get the hang of it.


Let's see a pic of the whole thing......did you go to bigger meats :cool2:

 

[Pinkstonmm]

I was able to drive it around some yesterday and everything shifts smooth(every now and then it has to be moving or need a bump to shift) except front wheel low. I played with it for about 30 minutes and couldnt get it to pop in a single time.

Here is the most current picture I have, this is right after the cadillac swap. Still running 38s I put on at the same time as the cady swap. I dont wanna push my luck with the 44 in the front any more than that.

A year or so after the back was chopped of we did finish it off. My room mate had fun with bondo and spray paint.

the 300 is a little fickle and i sometimes need to kind of "nudge" (not really rolling) the truck a little to get it to engage. it will kinda want to bind and not go into low.

also try shifting it from neutral.

you'll get the hang of it.


Let's see a pic of the whole thing......did you go to bigger meats :cool2:

 

[Independent4x]

as soon as i can get my shit out of the shop again we'll have to meet up for some 4Low time.

i keep re-thinking mine...............it's awwwnnn again. :flipoff2:

 

[Pinkstonmm]

Im up for it as soon as I get my shit running. Better watch out though, i might swap out t-cases while you arent looking. :laughing: What are you doing to yours now?