I've never rebuilt a transmission before. Decided to take a crack at it on the 5-speed out of my C10

Posted by Hexzor2204@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 39 comments

Transmission is a Richmond 5-speed (doug nash 4+1). Synchros were worn out so I upgraded to better forged bronze ones (synchros are the same as the super-t10 4-speed but the t10 uses better material). The input shaft bearing was also shot and needed to be replaced so I did both front and rear while I was in there. Hardest part of the whole ordeal was getting the snap rings holding the synchro hubs off. Took two people, a gnarly set of snap ring pliers, and some sore ass hands but it finally gave up.

Just got done driving it over an hour and it shifts great and would totally encourage anyone to give this a try. It was actually pretty straightforward job and didn't need any crazy tools or a press only a bearing separator kit and some decent snap-ring pliers. Oh and some swearing... Maybe a lot of swearing 😆

Gonna go drive the shit out of this thing now 🤘

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ekowalski_oma@reddit

the snap rings can be brutal on those richmond transmissions. learned that the hard way on a 4+1 out of my old c10. if the synchros are the same as super-t10 you probably found plenty of info online - those transmissions have been built up by a lot of people. good call on the forged bronze synchros, the stock ones wear fast if you're not careful. how's the input shaft seal while you're in there?

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

So funny story. I had to replace the entire input shaft bearing retainer when I converted to a hydraulic throw out bearing. I took the original one to a machine shop because in needed a few thousandths more clearance for the new clutch and the shop absolutely wrecked the part. So the seal is basically brand new since I had to buy a whole new one 😆

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ThanksALotBud@reddit

Whatcha drinking there bud?

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

Cold snack 😉

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flaming-bunnies-197@reddit

It has been a minute since I've seen the insides of one of those things! Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Good Work!!

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

Thanks! They apparently used to be super popular but the cheaper Tremec stuff took over and these mostly disappeared

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60FleetwoodResto@reddit

Dang, big project to jump into. I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable doing that myself… at least not without a half dozen YouTube videos

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DicemonkeyDrunk@reddit

Manual transmissions are more user friendly than you might think.

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

To be fair I watched a ton of videos and read a bunch of documentation for months before I attempted this. Oh and having this diagram was absolute gold

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3_14159td@reddit

HF bearing puller always comes in clutch. I buy a few kits when they go on sale, then machine them in the mill to fit in specific grooves if needed. Lots of mfg specific disassembly tools are just a modified bearing puller.

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

Good to know. Putting this in my notes so can sell the wife on getting that mill I've always wanted 😆

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GreasyPowerJunkie@reddit

Just make sure you exaggerate the sale price and burn the receipt

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Fearless-Minimum-922@reddit

I thought about trying this before but I never had the balls to do it

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iEatDemocrats@reddit

I’m did a few in tech school, it’s not hard just need the right tools and the proper manual.

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NotSoGreatGonzo@reddit

The balls are already inside the new bearings, so it really should be doable :)

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Jesus_es_Gayo@reddit

The balls we’re inside you all along

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Roverjosh@reddit

First time for every thing… I wanna rebuild my ACVWs auto transmission some day just to learn

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MontyRapid@reddit

The second I took it apart. I would no idea where anything goes back. Lol

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Pyropete125@reddit

Nice work. I have rebuilt 3 manuals. Not too bad if you take your time. I have a Porsche 6 speed transaxle I want to rebuild but everything i read is you need a special pinion depth gauge that they don't make anymore. Pretty much only Porsche specialist have one and they don't lend it out. $5-6k to rebuild

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

The quote I got from my local transmission guy was for more than it would cost me to just buy a full TKX kit and swap it. So I said "what have I got to lose?" and spent like $4-500 on parts and a few tools. So far it's been great and I definitely think I came out ahead

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Pyropete125@reddit

I'll have more money into the transaxle than the engine when I get it rebuilt. It is a rare-ish 6 speed, so I don't want to just slap it together without checking it.

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

That's a smart approach. I'd do the same. My transmission is way less rare and I've got lots of replacement options if something went wrong

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LandCruiser76@reddit

Second, this for MT's.

I recently rebuilt a fourspeed out of a toyota. Seems way more complicated than it actually is.. You do have to be careful to keep things organized and clean. But IMHO way easier than rebuilding a small block chevy motor. (atleast on my MT)

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

That's exactly how it went. I was nervous about it but I cleaned the hell out of my garage before I started and kept everything organized while I was working. Overall took me about a day (6-ish hours) and most of that time was spent scrubbing the RTV off all the sealing surfaces

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LandCruiser76@reddit

love to hear that yours went so well! On mine the PO did a rebuild, but decided that antisieze/ assembly lube is for chumps, so every bearing race was stuck on there. I broke 480usd worth of pullers before switching to a die grinder and an air hammer. Ground a slot in the race on both sides, tried to go as thin as I could before digging into the shafts, then bopped it with the air hammer to spit the bearing in two. Only took me 30hrs to do the disassembly lmao.

Putting it together took me about the same time while checking with a shim gauge. It was actually super interesting to realize how much simpler they are than expected, / see how at all times all gears are spinning, it's just which one is engaged on the output shaft. Working on this finally made double-clutch shifting make sense in my head.

If you've done a third memeber you can do a transmission.

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

10000%. Now while I'm driving and I don't rev-match a downshift I can hear the synchro making up the difference. Or when I hit a shift perfectly and all I feel are the ball detents sliding on the synchro hub it gives me even more satisfaction out of my driving than before.

Talking about it now makes me want to go out and take a spin 😆

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LandCruiser76@reddit

Hell yeah brother. Get out there. Can't wait till I finally get to put mine back on the road.

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qkdsm7@reddit

Having one that's likely to still have replacement parts available for years... is great! I need to get back on the hunt for a super T10 for our biscayne.

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

Super T10s are awesome and definitely still around. Have a chat with your local transmission repair shop. I bet you anything they know someone who has one

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spongebob_meth@reddit

That truck is awesome. I bet it's a blast to drive with the 5 speed

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

I literally make excuses to go out and drive it and have been commuting to work in it just because it's such a blast. The ratios are pretty short too so it pulls super hard in 1st-3rd

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SaltyBeefCubes@reddit

You mess up ANYWHERE, even on something small and you’re screwed.

This is why I’d never have the balls to try

Very impressive

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Hexzor2204@reddit (OP)

Thankfully this particular transmission is pretty straightforward and kind of only goes back together one way. So as long as your organized and pay attention it really wasn't that bad. That being said, I was absolutely paranoid about losing a needle bearing and treated them like glass

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spongebob_meth@reddit

MTs are actually pretty simple. If you get it back together and it spins and shifts through every gear, 95% chance it's good and it'll be reliable.

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shadowdrgn0@reddit

I reassembled a M/T out of a box of parts I'd never seen before with nothing but hand tools and a press. They really aren't that bad. There is nuance of course, but it's not that dramatic.

Still won't touch an automatic tho.

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