Installing OD

davegnh

Hello. I have a 46 Super 6 without OD. I have an OD trans that I would like to swap. Can I just unbolt the old tranny and put the OD in with out opening up the clutch etc? I woud just like to swap trannys and shorten the driveshaft. Is this possible without removing the bellhousing etc? Thanks, DaveG

Jon B

I'll leave the answer to others, but regarding the drive shaft you might be able to find an original overdrive-equipped shaft then you wouldn't have to shorten it. If you DO shorten it make SURE it's properly balanced. I had the driveshaft shortened and balanced by a truck place and they never balanced it correctly. I got vibration, took it to another driveshaft place and they said it was fine. More vibration. Finally took it to yet ANOTHER place and they reported it was WAY out of balance and finally fixed it.

Unknown

The bell houseing will have to be removed with the trans then remove trans from bell houseing. You dont have to go into the clutch unless you are changing to a 10 inch clutch. I think the super six car had a 9 in and the overdrive cars came with the bigger clutch. I am putting overdrive in my 47 pickup and useing a stepdown drive shaft. Much easier to shorten than the shaft tapered at both ends and no trouble to make a center bearing support

Jay_G

Already did this to my 46 truck. no problem with the cluch, I left the old one in placeand the OD trans slipped right it. The OD trans did hav the bell housing on it. you do have to shorten the drive shaft on matter what you do. I took my tapered one in and they cut off the dif side and put a Dodge end on. A good shop should be able to handle this with out a problem. it took them less than a day to do the conversion. The guy at the shop had done a number of these types of shafts before so he knew what to do. If the shop you take it to wants to take a section out of the center. Stay away, stay far away.

Jay

Geoff

YOu must change the clutch if you are installing overdrive. The 9" clutch will slip and overheat. The trucks were okay, as they already had the 10" clutch. Everything bolts straight in - you have to change the flywheel, plate and pressure plate. If you persist with the 9" clutch it overheats, the pedal goes to the floor, and you can't get in or out of gear.

Geoff.

Jon B

Geoff is exactly right, you should indeed go to a 10" clutch, HOWEVER: I installed on overdrive on my '37 (with 9' clutch in 1978) and drove it for over 20 years before switching to a 10" clutch!.