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5 speed/Colorado rear in a 54

ol' chebby

ol' chebby

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Location
Charlotte,NC
Website
www.rpettycustommurals.com
Here is the next patient....A 54!

We are installing an S10 5 speed, 06 Colorado rear end, Master Power manual brake master cylinder and possibly new kingpins. The owner got radials yesterday and is amazed at how much better it drives!. There is a little movement in the pins, but not very much. While itis here I may rebuild the carb, as it has a little stumble, and adjust the valves. It has the stock 235 that runs pretty well.
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This is the best cab I have ever seen. There is NO rust out in corners or floor and no panels have been replaced. I think it started life in light blue, appears to have 1 paint job.
Rebuilt the carb last night, I'll post a tech on it soon.
 
So here we go......

Collect parts. I like my local U pull it. Look for pre 87 s10 2x4 trucks. Find one with a shifter sticking up. Squat your fat a$$ down and look at the trans from the driver's side. Make shure it has the mechanical speedo output.....it will have a normal speedo cable instead of 2 wires sticking out. Electric speedos work fine, you just won't have a speedo. Make shure it is not newer than 93 because it will then have an integral bellhousing and you can't use it. Look under newer s10s also, I have found the mech. speedo swapped in where an electric should be. I have even found one in a blazer 4X4 which had been converted to 2X4. You can decode the tag if it has one
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by entering the # on several websites to find out exctly what gears you have, but v6s seem to universally have the better overdrive. You need a 15mm box end wrench and sockets, both deep and shallow, along with ratchet and various extensions. I have managed to find 2 in one day and pulled both!.

Grab the gearbox, not the bellhousing, the shifter, the shifter boot and the driveshaft.

Start inside the truck, pull the shift boot, then the 4 bolts (I have found anywhere from 10mm to 13mm) that hold the shifter to the trans. Pull this straight up and stuff a rag into the hole. Search nearby wrecks for floor mats or carpet so you don't have to lay in the mud and rocks. Take a 15mm and extensions and remove the 4 bolts to the bellhousing. Disconnect the speedo cable. Move to the driveshaft and remove the 4 12mm ubolt retainer bolts and pull the driveshaft. If the cretins haven't taco'd the driveshaft while fork lifting the truck, keep it and the clips and bolts. There will probably be a bit of ATF draining from the tailshaft, so don't have the mats under there. Unbolt the center bolt of the tailshaft mount at the crossmember. Remove 15mm bolts from the horizontal crossmember mount at the frame, then the 2 15mm bolts from the vertical surface of the crossmember, now remove crossmember and throw out of the way. While bench pressing the gearbox, wiggle it back out of the clutch, set on ground, slide out from under truck and prop up tailshaft down so the ATF can drain. Load up your score in the wheelbarow and wheel it up front.

I used an 06 Colorado 2x4 rear end with drum brakes. The bolt pattern fits the stock wheels and it is very near the track width. These are not yet found in P.A.P. s so I bought from a salvge yard. $300 already pulled.

I find that the driveshaft needs to be 50 5/8" center of ubolt to center of other ubolt. I get them shortened and new u joints for $100.

I used a 86 Camaro clutch. You need a 10" clutch with a 14 spline center. After finding this to be the closest thing to it, I found this...
New Speedway 10-1/2" Flathead Ford Clutch Disc 1"-14 Spline Hub, Fits GM 5-Speed | eBay
dammit.

Order this adapter...
http://www.hotrodworks.com/catalog/...to-1948-1983-chevy-pu-and-1955-1983-cars.html

Order these saddle brackets...1 3/4" saddle brackets for 3" axle tube.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-3-4-Wide-Leaf-Spring-Axle-Perch-3-Diameter-Axle-Brackets-Pads-Weld-On-PAIR/380834120062?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid=222008&algo=SIC.MOTORS&ao=1&asc=20140107083349&meid=4960135453881985271&pid=100011&prg=20140107083349&rk=0&rkt=10&sd=400638472510
 
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Strip out the old gear box, axle and torque tube. I am lso putting in a Master power manual master cylinder. The kit includes bracket, M/C, and linkage. Be shure to pick up residual valves (20# for drums, 2# for disc) for your setup.

While the trans is out, it is easier to do the brakes. The bracket mounts to the factory frame holes. The master mounts to the bracket at the front.
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The pushrod should be held up to get the preliminary measurement to cut to length. Thread the heim joint HALFWAY on the rod, make measurements, cut to length and round off the end. insert into M/C and bolt to brake pedal. I have found that you need a small spacer to keep everything in line.
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Use adapter lines to go from the master to the residual valves, remember that the master is mounted backward, so the front bowl is the back circut, the back is the front.
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I ran an 8" line to the "T", a 30" to the left front, a 51" TO THE RIGHT FRONT.
I ran a 70" line to the rear, then a union and another 8" extension to hook to the rear.
 
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Now for the tranny....use several cans of oven cleaner to soak and remove the grease/oil. Wash it down with the hose, finish up with carb cleaner.

Remove the front bearing retainer and cut the snout down to 3 5/8" from the mounting surface. This is where the throwout bearing slides and is a little too long. Just mark it and carefully cut with a 4 12" angle grinder and a cut off wheel. Bevel the end to smooth out and make easier for the throwout bearing to line up.
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Drill out 4 mounting bolt holes to 1/2".

I reused the pressure plate from the truck, it checked out fine and didn't need resurfacing. Put in new pilot bearing and stock throwout bearing.

Now put the adapter on the bellhousing..
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Take out the shifter again, stuff a rag in the hole.
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With some help, bench press the trans and line up with throwout bearing, clutch and pilot bearing. Yo may have to rotate the output shaft of the trans to line up the splines in the clutch. It should slide all the way in and flush with the mounting surface, don't force it with the bolts, you may bend something. I had to get longer 3" bolts and nylock acorns for the lower mounts. The upper bolts thread into the threaded bellhousing.
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Yes, you can let in hang out in the breeze....the stock tranny did.
 
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Like Skeeter said, thanks for the write-up! Good to know what tools to take. I always end up taking so many tools out to a junk yard when I go, many times not needing most of them and not having what I really need. :D Wish we had more yards to choose from. I even did a search online (car-part.com, where you can search junk yard inventories) and there was no place close that had any T5's listed (and the ones that were listed wanted $500-850).
 
I pick them up at pull a part for right at $100 including core deposit. There are many with the electronic speedo, I have one in the garage. When ever I go, we comb the chevy truck section, you DO NOT leave mech. speedo units in the yard. My assistant and I can pull one in less than 20 minutes.
 
Thanks Russ!

Thanks for the detailed instructions, and the clear pictures.
Two questions, You say to put adapter on the bellhousing, Where do you get the adapter? What do they cost?
Can you post a interior photo of the new floor shift? I'm curious how it looks and also if the stock S-10 shifter is tall enough to be comfortable in your hand when your driving.
One other thing, when your on the highway at say 65MPH what RPM is the 235 turning, just guessing?



Sorry Russ, I missed the link on the adapter. $160.
 
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Great write up, Russ... like the other fellas said, thanks for sharing!!

I just finished putting up the tin in my shop, so now I gotta get back to work on my project truck's 235 engine. After that's buttoned up, I'm moving on to the T-5 transmission. This write up is perfect for me. I already have two transmissions (one with a mechanical speedo, one with the electronic version), so I have options for parts and what not. I'm planning on rebuilding it before I install it. Do you have a recommendation on a supplier for a kit and reference material? I ran across one brand of kit a while back and inquired if anyone had used it in my build thread, but I don't think anyone replied. I'd rather rebuild it now and know what I have, rather than get the truck done and have to rebuild the transmission after my first 100 mile road trip or something.

Thanks again for sharing this information.

Damon
 
To cut the hole in the floor, drill holes up into the floor at the corners of the shifter, then cut with cutoff wheel the hole you need.
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Re install the shifter ( after cutting the carpet or rubber mat) and check for fit. I find that the shifter needs to be more straight up. You may use a torch, but in absence of one, cut most of the way through the rod at the curve, then bend back so the metal touches and check fit. I had to remove a little more, then weld it up and grind it smooth. Install boot and retainer plate. You can extend the handle about 2 " by unthreading the chrome long shifter handle, then locking the nut where you want it.
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Clean the rear axle, then cut off the stock saddle brackets. I love my plasma cutter.....but you can do this with cutoff heels and grinding disks. Smooth out the axle where the pads were. Set the axle on top of the new saddle brackets and measure to center the axle side to side in the truck. I find that the brackets on the stock leaf springs want to be 5 1/2 inches from the backing plate bolt flange. I had to make some plates, 6" long with a 1/2 " hole at the front center to slip over the stock axle locating pin, then sat the saddle brackets on top of this in order to slide the axle far enough back to center in the wheel well.
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( the stock axle sits behind the pin, but is forward mounted in the well...this may be a 54 setup...) Anyway, bolt the axle down, centered in the well and centered side to side, measure from spring eyes back to make shure axle is square and snug down u bolts. Put wheels on and sit truck on floor at ride hight.

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Grab the old trusty angle finder and find the downward angle of the tranny at the vertical tailshaft surface...
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Here we have 85 degrees, so 5 degrees down.

Put handy dandy angle finder on u joint surface and measure...
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Put floor jack under rear center snout and SLOWLY jack until you match the angle....5 degrees UP.
 
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Now you have the angle set, grab the welder and tack the saddle brackets to the axle and the base plates to the saddles. Remove the rear end from the truck, final weld,
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paint and re install the axle, tightening down the u bolts for good and cutting off the excess.

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I always install new pads and drums. I used the stock e brake cables on this one. Just stick the cable trough the backing plates, pull the long spring off of the Colorado spring and insert the cable end into the holder, install shoes just like stock. Ordered new cable for both sides.
 
To measure for driveshaft, insert youke into trans. You can see where the shiny part stops, insert to here. You should have 1 1/2" of yoke MINIMUM still hanging out of tailshaft to account for slipping in/ out under load. Measure from the center of the ubolt cup ATTATCHED TO THE DRIVESHAFT back to the center of where the u bolt cup will be at the rear end ( the surface you just measured the pinion angle). I find that the driveshaft needs to be 50 5/8" on this one and the 53, but measure yours to make shure. Take to driveshaft shop and give them measurements. I use a paint pen to write on the driveshaft so no paper can be lost and cut wrong. Tell them to balance and put new u joints. My shop charges $100. Bring it home and bolt up!

Buy a new stock rear brake hose for the Colorado and a 3/16" to M10 adapter. Install new hose to stock brake lines on rear, then hook to new lines on truck.

Fill trans now that your driveshaft will plug the hole with ATF. I fill through the shifter and find that it needs a little over 2 quarts before draining out the side fill plug.

Hook up speedo cable, bleed brakes and go for a ride! Might as well check on the 53 truck while we are out!

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I found the speedo to be off by just over 10 mph at 55.
 
She went home yesterday. I used Nates valve setting tech and really woke up the engine. I used the pertronix module and flamethrower coil, corrected timing and she drives like a dream. He is extremely happy. He took his wife out to the locl BBQ joint last night where everyone used to cruise and his parents had their first date. Said the truck performed flawlessly and his wife loved it.
 
Too cool!

GREAT thread, Russ!
Another vote for yet another sticky! This thread doesn't need to be buried in the past. GREAT info AND photos with clear, step-by-step instructions. I love the info on the master cylinder and brake lines! Complete with photos of bends you used to get them where they were to go. What cylinder did you use? (Just wondering, because I'm getting ready to order a proportion valve which yours isn't using. I got my dual mc from our host.)
Thank you for all your time documenting these (soon to be/already were) popular swaps! You da man, Russ! Thanks! :cool:
 
so i have a buddy that has a t5 trans hes willing to part with so i guess ill be doin this mod but keepin the stock rear for now. cause if change the rear then i need to do something up front... ive been driving the truck around town and that trans is a bit oif work.
 
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