CK5
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'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond
- Thread starter mrk5
- Start date
Started out with 2wd TBI350 with SM465 to current 4wd with 454, 700r4, NP241
I had a buddy once in high school that started spray painting his old high boy some kind of gray and went and bought more and ended up with some Kentucky chrome in a can. He didn't realize til he started to spray it and said f-it and sprayed the whole truck chrome. Looked like shit! I think he was high or something!
When I was seating the torque converter, I found a measurement for how deep it should be. The bolt lug on the converter should be about 1" back from the face of the bellhousing.
Next up is the disassembly of the Magnum so that it can be bolted to the NP205. There are 6 cap screws holding the 2 halves together.
And you must remove the shifter assembly.
The 2 pieces are very precisely machined so they fit tightly. There are 2 spots you can pry from and a little deadblow hammer action helped.
Here's the setup for the 8 bolts that fasten the Magnum to the NP205.
That's as far as I got before the holiday weekend.
Next up is the disassembly of the Magnum so that it can be bolted to the NP205. There are 6 cap screws holding the 2 halves together.
And you must remove the shifter assembly.
The 2 pieces are very precisely machined so they fit tightly. There are 2 spots you can pry from and a little deadblow hammer action helped.
Here's the setup for the 8 bolts that fasten the Magnum to the NP205.
That's as far as I got before the holiday weekend.
I wonder why some bolts are grade 8 and some are grade 5?
I think the bottom ones are grade 8 because they also hold the mounting bracket for the transmission mount. You will see below.
I finished bolting the Magnum to the NP205. The first half bolted on:
And the rest of it is installed.
I just hope I can fit the shift rail bracket for the shifters on and it didn't need to be on before the Magnum!
I was looking at that wondering about the shift rail bracket. No way I could get a JB fab bracket to slide over that rail lol.
I love JB Custom Fab's stuff (and they're a good customer) but the instructions are a little lacking. There are 2 lengths of rail brackets. Obviously it's not supposed to be the long one because it wont fit.
The short one is just shy of fitting. Just need to grind or shave a little off of it and it will be fine.
I'm much happier being able to remove it without having to pull the Magnum. I don't know that I'll ever need to, but seems a little inconvenient if it was trapped in there.
I'm not the type of person that can just drive into something without reading up on it as much as possible. I figure I can do my best to help other people like me.
Doing my usual searching I only found one other thread with pictures of the Magnum install process.
I will have to remove the bracket for the trans mount to weld it up but it needed to be bolted in now or the bolts would have been too long.
You can see there are an additional 3 bolts that thread into the Magnum and hold the bracket as well. They are included in the kit and they must be 1/2" bolt. Plenty stout.
You can see there are an additional 3 bolts that thread into the Magnum and hold the bracket as well. They are included in the kit and they must be 1/2" bolt. Plenty stout.
I love JB Custom Fab's stuff (and they're a good customer) but the instructions are a little lacking. There are 2 lengths of rail brackets. Obviously it's not supposed to be the long one because it wont fit.
The short one is just shy of fitting. Just need to grind or shave a little off of it and it will be fine.
I'm much happier being able to remove it without having to pull the Magnum. I don't know that I'll ever need to, but seems a little inconvenient if it was trapped in there.
There should be a little nut that slides in the rail slot too.
Yeah what's the purpose of those?
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
I love JB Custom Fab's stuff (and they're a good customer) but the instructions are a little lacking. There are 2 lengths of rail brackets. Obviously it's not supposed to be the long one because it wont fit.
The short one is just shy of fitting. Just need to grind or shave a little off of it and it will be fine.
I'm much happier being able to remove it without having to pull the Magnum. I don't know that I'll ever need to, but seems a little inconvenient if it was trapped in there.
You can't just press the shift rail in a bit more to get the shift arm on? Looks like maybe 1/8" so maybe too much.
No, it's back as far as it'll go. It's really more like a 1/16th of an inch.
Probably so the rails don't deform.
Just acts as a spacer?
It's in there.
And here's what the brackets look like on both shift rails.
You will notice in the first picture the supplied bolt is too long. I knew this might be an issue because there is a warning in the instructions. I will also need to use a button head or socket screw instead of the hex head. There's not enough room for a socket and the hex points hit the Magnum. Could use an end wrench fine, but since I need a new bolt anyway.
Also finished buttoning up the Magnum by installing the vent, drain plug, fill plug, and sight tube. A brass tee is included with the kit along with 2 straight barb fittings and an elbow barb. ORD also includes the clear tube and some hell-for-stout spring clamps.
Question for @skunked and others with adjustable detents, did you set them up before or after the tcase was in the truck?
And here's what the brackets look like on both shift rails.
You will notice in the first picture the supplied bolt is too long. I knew this might be an issue because there is a warning in the instructions. I will also need to use a button head or socket screw instead of the hex head. There's not enough room for a socket and the hex points hit the Magnum. Could use an end wrench fine, but since I need a new bolt anyway.
Also finished buttoning up the Magnum by installing the vent, drain plug, fill plug, and sight tube. A brass tee is included with the kit along with 2 straight barb fittings and an elbow barb. ORD also includes the clear tube and some hell-for-stout spring clamps.
Question for @skunked and others with adjustable detents, did you set them up before or after the tcase was in the truck?
I wish I would have adjusted the detents before I dropped the cab on, I can't access my front rail. Learn from my mistake.
I like that site tube on the magnum, slick.....
Are you going to have the clearance above the magnum for linkage?
I like that site tube on the magnum, slick.....
Are you going to have the clearance above the magnum for linkage?
