Weight of a Hydra-Matic

SuperDave
SuperDave Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
This question has been asked a few times.. Well I had the oportunity today to put an old unreliable bathroom scale under a 54 Hydro tranny with tourus parts and no fluid in it.. Weight? 223 Lbs.. The scale will never be the same again..:eek:

Comments

  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    Thanks for taking the trouble to do that Dave, that's something to store in the memory banks.



    In the past I had assumed that seeing as how they are a serious 2 man lift they must be somewhere around the 100kg, 220 lb mark
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Ironically a few of us had a conversation last wk on just how heavy the Hydro was. As a 110LB Teen I replaced a few on my back somehow and didnt think anything of it.



    Now decades later I had to replace one in my Truck last Yr using a floor jack, long pry bar, and more...



    Never new the actual weight before. I understand it was practically indestructible in school buses, Construction Equipment, and Military Tanks.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Is the Dual range hydro and the other about the same weight? I'm not knowledgable about these. I dont remember the names or differences, was one made by GM? The other? Does Gus overhaul both of them? Thanks for the info. Bob
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Yes they were both made by GM. There is no real weight difference between a single and a dual range. A unit for a Jet might be a little lighter, less clutches smaller torus, not more that 10 pounds. Yes Gus does both units, but does not supply torus , that is extra. Lou Cote :cool:
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Ol racer wrote:
    Ironically a few of us had a conversation last wk on just how heavy the Hydro was. As a 110LB Teen I replaced a few on my back somehow and didnt think anything of it.



    Now decades later I had to replace one in my Truck last Yr using a floor jack, long pry bar, and more...



    Never new the actual weight before. I understand it was practically indestructible in school buses, Construction Equipment, and Military Tanks.



    The things we did as 'teens!!!! Either we were incredibly dumb or nobody bothered to tell us we couldn't do it that way. :D



    The GM hydramatic was exceptionally bullet proof. It was also relatively trouble free even with minimum maintenance. They could be destroyed, as on a drag strip, but you really had to work at it.



    Over the years they have been, with adaptor plates, been bolted to just about anything you can think of. They found far ranging applications in a lot of military equipment - years ago, in the early 60's when I was starting out my career in the Coast Guard, I found a dual range bolted to a 4-cylinder Buda engine in a Coast Guard 36 foot motor life boat. Nobody seemed to know from where it had come or why. It worked in any event.





    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    Ol racer wrote:
    Ironically a few of us had a conversation last wk on just how heavy the Hydro was. As a 110LB Teen I replaced a few on my back somehow and didnt think anything of it.



    Now decades later I had to replace one in my Truck last Yr using a floor jack, long pry bar, and more...



    Never new the actual weight before. I understand it was practically indestructible in school buses, Construction Equipment, and Military Tanks.



    Ol racer;



    Man, you were a strong teenage. I used to think I was a strong teen, but it took three of us to muscle a B&M 4speed hyro into my 35 Chevy race car when I was a 125 lb teen. I new they were heavy but never new how heavy til now. I have very little strength now and I'd rather pay some to change one today.



    Lee
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Lee O'Dell wrote:
    Ol racer;



    Man, you were a strong teenage. I used to think I was a strong teen, but it took three of us to muscle a B&M 4speed hyro into my 35 Chevy race car when I was a 125 lb teen. I new they were heavy but never new how heavy til now. I have very little strength now and I'd rather pay some to change one today.



    Lee



    Tell me about it!! I'm 70 and weigh 175 (Most of it around the middle:o).NO upper body strength.. I lowered it out of the car with a transmission jack while the car was on a lift. Then I lowered the jack so I could transfer the tranny to a roll around bench at the same elevation. I THOUGHT I was going to wrap my arms around the transmission,lift, then rotate a quarter turn and sit it on the bench! HAH! I would have sworn someone had bolted it to the floor! I managed to slide it carefully (with great effort) onto the bench. Now to find someone who will overhaul it for me.. at a reasonable price within a reasonable distance from Florida. It may stay on the bench for a while..:rolleyes:
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    dynolou2 wrote:
    Yes they were both made by GM. There is no real weight difference between a single and a dual range. A unit for a Jet might be a little lighter, less clutches smaller torus, not more that 10 pounds. Yes Gus does both units, but does not supply torus , that is extra. Lou Cote :cool:



    Lou, Sent you a PM.. Thanks, Dave
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Im now in my 60's and probably conned my brother into helping back in the day. None the less only had bumper jack and cement blocks like most kids back then...



    I found few Tranny Shops here would rebuild my Hydro if I obtained the parts thru the Club Vendors. A 'Chain Trans Shop' would too if I brought them a Hudro Service Manual.

    Best Bet is to find a Shop with an older Tech to rebuild.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Ol racer wrote:
    Im now in my 60's and probably conned my brother into helping back in the day. None the less only had bumper jack and cement blocks like most kids back then...

    I found few Tranny Shops here would rebuild my Hydro if I obtained the parts thru the Club Vendors. A 'Chain Trans Shop' would too if I brought them a Hudro Service Manual.
    Best Bet is to find a Shop with an older Tech to rebuild.

    Those are getting harder and harder to find, too.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Dave: As was already stated there are some folks who are ready and able to rebuild the Hudson Hydramatic. :) Dave Edwards can provide a complete NORS rebuild kit.

    In the Jan/Feb WTN, Don Chase of Omaha, Ne offers rebuilds ($1200) with and ($1300) without exchange. When I lived in Omaha, the Chase transmission shop provided all my Hydramatic tranny adjustments.

    In the past I have used Greyhound bus as a shipping alternative.

    Hope this helps.:)
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Heart_Of_Texas wrote:
    Dave: As was already stated there are some folks who are ready and able to rebuild the Hudson Hydramatic. :) Dave Edwards can provide a complete NORS rebuild kit.



    In the Jan/Feb WTN, Don Chase of Omaha, Ne offers rebuilds ($1200) with and ($1300) without exchange. When I lived in Omaha, the Chase transmission shop provided all my Hydramatic tranny adjustments.



    In the past I have used Greyhound bus as a shipping alternative.



    Hope this helps.:)



    Thanks Ken, I bought the Kit from Dave in Mass. Shipping this thing way across country is not only a big expense, but what about the problem of warantee? That is why i have tried to find a closer alternative. I have found a few locals that tell me if I bring the tranny, kit and a book, they can do it. I may be overly pessimistic, but I would much rather deal with someone that has at least SEEN one of these before.. LOL .I have been into turbo 350's and Power Glides and they don't intimdate me, but these things are really complex...

    Somehow I missed the ad for Don Chase..I would only have to pay shipping one way If I bought without a trade. Thanks for pointing that one out. I have shipped GH in the past, but didn't know they took items so heavy... Lots of homework to do yet.

    I am trying to talk to a Hennie Jacobs in Greenville SC. I am awaiting a phone call from him..hopefully today..He came highly recommended by Park Waldrop and he is an HET'r. He is only 'bout 560 miles from here. Heck I could do my own delivery and pickup and have a mini vacation!

    Thanks for the information. Dave
  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    Noel Renner in Ohio rebuilds Hydros too. He even set up the one in his '54 Hornet Conv with an overdrive.

    Jerry
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