Hello, I'm going to get a 4.785 FD. I don;t want to spend the money on install. I get a helms manual and you guys. Has anyone done the install themselves? How hard was is? Was it worth it to cheap out? Did you mess something up?

I'm pretty good with my tools and I can do all kinda suspension and bolt on work from exhaust to headers to Springs and maintance. Given I have been messing around on my car for a while now can I do it?


Okay now the important stuff.
I know I need the Final drive gear.
But why do i need the shaft and other things?
What is the minimal amout of parts I need to buy. I will install into a USDM 97 ITR trans.
Thanks
Andy

 

i just helped install a ATS 4.9 fd. it wasnt to hard. just follow the helms and be really careful.

Or you could give Jeff Sloan a call at Hybrid Automotive. He does super good work and is a great guy. Check him out
http://www.hybridautomotive.com/service/

 

i concur
jeff @ hybridautomotive

 

Are you short on $$$... it seems as you are trying to find the shortest route to the finish. That's cool, just be careful... Some extra time/$ invested to get it done right could save you in the end. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

NM, read wrong. good luck with the install. i'd be scared to crack my tranny.


[Modified by disordeR, 12:09 AM 11/2/2002]

 

Ya I'm just a tight ***. I don't like to pay for something I can do myself. If it was that simple and all and it is just a swap in swap out I believe I can, but I want to be sure there are no surprises.

I am looking for the cheapest way out be doing as must work myself as possible.

AS far as the parts needed someone told me I need thses items.

4.785 RING GEAR
Well of course I need this item, it is the final drive gear. The whole point of the swap.

4.785 COUNTER SHAFT
Why do I need this? What's wrong with my OE 4.40 counter shaft? I assume the teeth on the thing don't match?? Anyone know why?

4.785 SPACER
What's wrong with my OE 4.40 spacer? Can't I reuse it? Might it need to be replaced because I swap out the counter shaft?

4.785 NEEDLE BEARINGS
What's wrong with my OE 4.40 needle bearings? Can't I reuse it? Might it need to be replaced because I swap out the counter shaft?

4.785 1ST GEAR
Okay. This one I really don't understand. Why do I need a first gear? I already have a USDM ITR first gear, same 1st gear ratio as JDM. Why?

Any help please. Thanks in advance.

 

Eh.. its not that bad man. Worse comes to worse, bring your mainshaft to a tranny shop and have them swap the gears if you are afraid. The FD is easy as hell to swap... just remember the reverse threads.

EDIT: I did mine on my kitchen floor. First time working on a tranny... FD install went fine. I did however bring the mainshaft to have that stuff put on. Cost me $30 bucks and a trip to the tranny shop. Well worth it IMO.


[Modified by sneakychaos, 3:36 AM 11/2/2002]

 

Good Deal. Sounds good. Now do you have any idea why I need all those parts?
Please see above 2 post.


[Modified by akhom, 12:44 AM 11/2/2002]

 

well you will be putting in a gear with a diffferent pitch/number of teeth, this will need to mate to a different 1st gear and so on and so on.
you need those parts because otherwise your new final drive would not mesh with the other gears.
like trying to mate the teeth of a hacksaw to a tree saw... just wont work. the teeth are different sizes and lengths.

 

So it seem I can not cheap out on the parts and need all the items.
OKay, Thanks for everyones, help..

 

You need a jdm 1'st because it matches the fd. You need the counter shaft because the usdm one does not work with the jdm 1'st gear. You need the spacer because the jdm 1'st won't sit on the counter shaft correctly without it. You need new needle bearings because you should change them while you are in there.

I did my 4.9 fd with the help of Lotus. Took us 10 hrs, but we had never done it before. About three of those were used trying to get the case back together (can you say BFRubber mallot?), and trying to get the tranny back on. You should definitly get some help, that tranny is pretty heavy for one guy.

 

Thank You just want I wanted to know.

 

Good to hear. Now that you and Lotus are experienced, how about helping me change my clutch and flyweel next time I'm in town?

 

No problem, bud. Anything for a free earthing kit.

 

Sounds good to me.

 

Another Question, I was reading my helms manual and it say I need a press to remove 5th and 4th gears to get to 1st gear. My question is for all of you who have done it did you really need the press or did you find another way to do it?

 

Dose anyone know what the top speed of the ITR changes to once you get a JDM spec final drive? I've never gotten an answer. Thanks!

 

~142mph. (Not indicated, actual.)

4.4 is ~ 155, and the ATS 4.9 is ~137ish..

Reid just posted a good link that helped figure that out. Search through the past 3 pages here.. its around someplace.

 

3 prong gear puller. They are using a different method in the helms to get the gears off the shaft.

 

As someone else already stated - cuz they don't mate up with the new FD. Spacer isn't the same, and you should replace the needlebearings while there anyway.

 

Two or three prong gear puller to get them off. To get the gears back on you don't need a press, just get a two inch diameter steel pipe about a foot long. That and a hammer and your set.

 

The real reason you need the spacer, needle bearings and 1st gear, is because the countershaft is a larger diameter in the area where 1st gear sits. The parts from your OE USDM tranny are smaller, and won't fit. Also, you need the countershaft, because the ratio is made up of a set of 2 gears, the pinion (which happens to be an integral part of the countershaft) and the ring gear.

 

Thanks Guys. You all have been a great help. So to get gears back in I can get a hammer and a 2" diameter steel pipe and bang the gears in. So this gear puller, can I buy it at Kragen Auto parts store or pep boys?

 

Kragens or Pep Boys would have those.

 

Alright cool, time to tear it down.
Thanks All.