If you are getting ready to install a manual transmission in your car or truck, you need to watch this video and follow the procedure outlined in it which will keep your trans happy and operating well for years to come. One of the precision steps involved with a manual transmission install is making sure that the bell housing is “dial indicated”. Basically you are making sure that the input shaft of the transmission will enter the engine as close to perfectly straight as possible to prevent side loading on bearings and other such issues. You don’t have to be a rocket genius to understand that a shaft spinning thousands of times per minute with even small side load on it will kill bearings and whatever else is in the way quickly. Conversely, if this procedure if followed properly you’ll have a happy transmission for years upon years.
The best part of this process is that it is not hard and it involves very basic math, a dial indicator, and a little elbow grease. If you are installing a transmission from American Powertrain the warranty is voided if this procedure if not followed. Why? For the same reason that if you install a camshaft with a three pound sledge hammer, a cam company won’t be itching to send you a new one. The device itself was sound when you got it and it needs to be installed to stay that way.
Even if you are not in the midst of a transmission swap at the current time this is a great watch from the gearhead perspective. Most of us probably know someone who is getting ready to switch in a gear jammer and you can really help a buddy out that was just going to bolt it up and call it good enough. American Powertrain’s Gray Fredrick will take you through the process in this video that is very much worth the watch!
Click here to visit American Powertrain’s website as well!
Is this why my top loader behind my F.E. Ford sucks?
Has this bozo ever used a test indicator before? He needs
a lesson.
Great video, being a field machinest I am very familar with this process.
My question is why isnt this taken a step further? The video only addresses perifial offset, why wouldnt you want to address angular as well? Knowing it would require milling or shimming the bell housing I think it would be a more complete job. I have used this process many time in indistrial applications, I cant imagine not indexing both directions. Am I missing something?