SenorNoob's '88 Ext Cab "Build"

[MT_PLS]

Only advantage is manual shift 1354. If you can find one for sale just go that route.

Basically you take manual shift parts from a 1350M (Common) and put them in a 1354E (Common) to make a 1354M (Un-common).

All I know about it in the 2 thread below.

Converting an automatic t-case to manual

BW1354 Manual-Shift Rebuild (by the book)

I'm still researching the process as I type this.

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[SenorNoob]

Still haven't gotten this started, between the bad weather and the flu. It did leave me temporarily stranded at mom's yesterday. When I went to leave it wouldn't start. Just click. I was expecting the 4 year old Value Power battery. Turned out the mounting bolts for the starter were corroded. Took the starter off and cleaned everything and it's been fine so far. BTW stopped for fuel shortly after that got a calculated 20.5 MPG.

 

[SenorNoob]

1352 attempt was a bust. After spending 4 hours getting the shift shaft hole just right, I miss drilled the hole for the shifter detent and ruined the front half case. I'm waiting on help to get the 1350 back in my truck tomorrow. I'm going to dump some pictures below.

1350 4-gear planetary and manual shift mechanism.

Another angle of the manual shift mechanism. You can just see the shifter detent under the shift plate in this picture. The whole that it sets in is what I messed up. I didn't have a long enough drill bit to drill from the top so decided to drill up from the bottom of the case. It came in thru the step in the case.

6 gear planetary in the 1354.

2 shots comparing the short (FM145 truck) 1350 front driveshaft vs 1354 front driveshaft.

Anybody know where I can get a 1354M front half case cheap? I have everything else.

 

[Terrys87]

I like your winch setup. I have never been into a tcase. Thanks for the pics on that.

 

[SenorNoob]

Thanks. That front receiver is low. It needs 4" of lift to get the original approach angle back. I couldn't find much on the transfer case internals. I thought some pictures might help people out. I'm not sure I wanna take apart another one. They are harder to re-assemble than they look. The shift rods are interesting to get back in place.

 

[jballard81]

read through your thread and really dig your truck. I'm VERY jealous of your fuel economy. I've only run a couple tanks through since I replaced the fuel injectors, but i'm getting about ~15mpg with the A4LD. I need to do some research for a M50D swap.

 

[SenorNoob]

Thanks. Mileage is not usually that good. About 18 back and forth to work. That's a 6 mile trip each way with 5 miles of 55mph. Only when I get ~85% highway miles does it go up like that. I should probably start driving down a gear inside the city limits. It seems to be better when it spends more time in the higher RPMs.

On another note, Got home today and noticed the driver's side mirror leaning out slightly. I touched the glass and it fell off to reveal this:

Currently considering options.

 

[sgtsandman]

Duct tape!

 

[SenorNoob]

It's fixed. Bought one of these locally for $25
RH083 Driver/Passenger Side Replacement Universal Mirror Head

Bugs me that it doesn't match the other side, but I'll get over it eventually.

 

[SenorNoob]

Finally got that manual 1354. Only a 5 hour drive to pick it up.

 

[Terrys87]

Somehow I missed your mirror issue. I am thinking I want to eventually go with your style of mirror for better view and I will use mine for towing things. Are happy with the way your mirrors are? I have the little black mirrors.

I went 450 miles round trip just to get my rims. I probably spend about as much on time and fuel to get parts, but that is part of the fun of it.

 

[SenorNoob]

I do like them. I'm not sure the K-source head is tight enough to not move a little in the wind. Sometimes when I sit down it seems off and is pretty easy to move. There is a kit with the whole exterior bracket. I seem to remember there being a reinforcing bracket or 2 in the door for them.

Yeah, it was a road-trip with the Mrs. I had a good time. Got to add another state to my places I've been too.

 

[SenorNoob]

I've been busy and haven't posted much. True 1354M is in. Matching front driveshaft is rebuilt.

The cage? for the Double Cardan ball was troublesome. It took me 3.5 hours to get it out. This is how it came out:

I now have the problem of how to get my shifter working again.
The shifter is actually hits the u joint in 4Low. I'm guessing that's why the 1354 has the offset arm for the shifter and the 1350 had a straight arm.
This illustrates the problem better:

If I flip the pin in the arm it actually mates up just fine but still makes contact with the ujoint. I can space the entire shifter off the transfer case some but not enough to make enough clearance for me. (Think a couple sheets of paper thickness.) Any more spacing and I'd have to cut the floorboard out wider and come up with a longer pivot bolt. I'm thinking cut the arm at the red line and spacer it over the required distance by just putting a thick piece of steel in between to run the length of that angled section arm. Anybody see a problem with that or a solution I haven't thought of?

 

[Awesom-O]

Can it be heated up and bent enough to get more clearance?

 

[SenorNoob]

Wouldn't that change the effective length? It needs to stay the same. Also I may have that laid out backwards. Not sure now...