Jeep T5 trans in the torquetube

As far as I know the adapter from above is not being made any longer. However the Salt City Speed Shop in Salt lake is working on a new tail section that will fit any T-5 and has a closed drive shaft. I know they do them for model A and V8 torque tubes.

 

Interesting. I guess that's one way to address the scarcity of T5's. Been to a few junk yards this week. Apparently word has gotten out that s10 4x4 transmissions are worth gold. The inventory page says they're $100-250 but when you show up, they're stuffed away in a shed somewhere with a $900 price tag!

 

you are right about the price. The salt city guys set up can use any T-5 WC or non WC. its nice that they can do that so you can find a transmission with a better gear set in it than an S-10 4X4. On My S-10 4X4 I found that the First and second gears are a bit lower than I would like.

 

As of today, I’m the owner of a 4x4 S10 gearbox and transfer case....time to figure this out. We want to keep the torque tube so this will be a head scratcher since the kit is no longer available. My son and I may have bitten off more than we can chew.

 

I did this a couple years ago and kept the enclosed driveshaft.
@Kato Kings had made, and don't know if he still does, an adapter plate for the Jeep 4X4 T-5.
Basically, it is an aluminum plate that bolts to the transmission where the transfer case would go, with the bolt pattern of the case. Then '35-'36 clamshells bolted to that to accept the ball of the torque tube.
The trick is the adapter from the splined output to the u-joint spline.. Then the shaft is drilled and tapped for a bolt to attach the u-joint and adapter to it.
I found a machine shop in Bakersfield CA that had the tooling to re-spline the drive shaft when it was shortened.
They also shortened the housing and it was something like $125.00

On the other end...
I used a http://www.vintageprecision.com/products/bell_housings/index.html bell housing and I notice that Dan Price, dan4banger on the internet, is making a housing too. Another route is a AA housing. It will require an adapter plate to your T-5 With the AA housing or the Precision housing you use the AA throwout bearing.
You are likely to have to shorten the input shaft.
The pilot bearing diameter on the shaft will be machined smaller too. This can be part of the machining while shortening the input. shaft. I believe the 5203 ball bearing works for the pilot bearing, but that is from memory.
There are NWC parts out there so if you miss there is recovery as well as flexibility to change things like input shaft splines. I went to an early V8 pressure plate and that is a bolt pattern change on the flywheel. You really want to do this. Precision worked with their pressure plate provider to have them manufacture a plate with the right dimensions and offset so the throw out bearing wouldn't collide with the hub of the pressure plate.
I kept the mechanical brakes and there is some monkeying around that you will need to do if you stay with them as the radius rods shorten up and move towards the center of the car. This moves the anti-rattle brackets.
I also had to drop the center section of the cross rod for the mechanical brakes.
There is an e brake bracket that you will scratch your head on and I should post a picture of mine. I'll take one when I have the floor out the next time. I won't drive a car without an e-brake.
Then I recall I had to cut the big ugly bracket off the back of the case for looks and the cross shaft.
Also had to trim up the cross member to get the transmission to clear
That is all I have from memory and there seems like there was something with the bell crank arm for the clutch.
Good luck and start a thread on it. Worth the effort in my mind

 

As of September 23 Kato Kings was listing a change over setup. Though this was more to convert a std. T5 to jeep conversion . With the necessary jeep bits.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/posts/13753359/

 

This is for a Ford transmission to torque tube but It might help
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-original-model-a-engine-w-torquetube.728951/

 

HA, he sold it yesterday.

That's some really great information, thanks for taking the time to post. Planning to run a AA bellhousing. Once I get more parts in my hands and on the bench, this will all start to come together a bit more. It's great having a resource like you guys that have actually done it. We've got A LOT of flexibility as the car will be a bobtail speedster. Think late 20's sprint car but with A running gear. My dad always talked about one he built in the 50's with his brother, so we're trying to recreate it based off of his stories.

 

this is great! Killer work

 

Anyone have current information on adapter kits?

 

Here is my T5 setup, precision Engineering bell housing, about 3/4" shorter then AA. Jeep T5 with 3..38 first gear. Closed driveshaft adaptor from Kato Kings. Short throw shifter from Kato Kings with Lokar handle. 30 lb. flywheel from Burtz. Everything sourced in the past three months from very helpful people. Currently driving RPU but body coming off in November for install.

Warren

 

@wuga Looks good
I cut the ugly brackets off the back of the case, you have to pay attention and not cut thru the case. It looked wrong and didn't need it for support. Also, I had nothing but misery out of the KK short shifter. It fell apart every way imaginable. One time was in rural Colorado....try finding metric fasteners there. It put me down and out and decided that was the last time. I went back to a stock shifter, cutting off and notching the shaft to match the flat on the shifter.
My $.02
Good luck

 

I posted this a while ago on how to install a Jeep T5 in a closed drive shaft Model A. Check post 36
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...eed-transmission.1281128/page-2#post-14769385

I also rewrote it for an S10 T5. Again, both of these are for the 4x4 T5 with the transfer case removed.

S10 T5 Upgrade in your Model A 4 Banger
This is best done with the body off.
It assumes mechanical brakes are being retained.
A S10 4WD less the transfer case is being used.
Remove all brake rods.
Remove center cross member by grinding and removing rivets.
Remove e-brake cross shaft.
Remove e-brake handle.
Remove brake cross shaft.
Unbolt rear spring
Remove clam shell
Slide rearend assembly out from under back of car
Stand rearend on jack stands with torque tube vertical
Remove axles. A good puller needed. Mitchell sells one.
Remove radius rods from backing plates and torque tube
Remove speedometer housing
Remove torque tube
Remove speedo gear and bearing from front of torque tube
Remove transmission
Remove clutch and flywheel
Cut torque tube approximately 7” from rear flange
Remove 10” from front half of tube
Machine back ½” of front tube to fit in back portion of tube
Be sure to keep proper alignment of radius rod mount and flange bolts.
A total of 11.5” of length now removed from tube. Weld tube.
Remove driveshaft and pinion gear from banjo using Mitchell pinion puller.
Remove 11.5” from rear of driveshaft about 7” ahead of pinion gear.
Align drive shaft pieces and weld.
Install pinion gear back into banjo using Mitchell installer tool.
Install torque tube over driveshaft and bolt to banjo.
Install new front bearing in torque tube and reinstall speedo gear.
Install speedometer housing.
Install new pilot bearing in flywheel.
Install ring gear on flywheel.
Install Burtz 30 lb. flywheel, torque to 55 lbs.
Install V8 clutch with Chev splined disk.
Torque clutch bolts to 25 lbs.
Install AA bell housing,
Remove 5/8” from input nose.
Cut out rear mount from transmission.
Install transmission adaptor from Vintage Metalworks.
With S10 T5 complete less transfer case, install to bell housing.
Install tail shaft adaptor kit from Vintage Metalworks..
Install front half of clam shell
Install rearend assembly back into universal joint.
Install split part of clam shell.
Clamp in rear spring.
Install cross member modified to fit over transmission.
Cut center from brake cross shaft and modify as per diagram.
It is imperative to keep the ends of the shaft where the bearing goes in alignment, I had three tries before I got it right. Perhaps mounting it to the frame before welding might help. I did not do this.
Remount brake cross shaft.
Remove pin from e-brake shaft actuator, move actuator 4” to passenger side and weld.
Mount e-brake cross shaft.
Make mounting plate for e-brake handle as per diagram.
Mount e-brake plate and handle to T5.
Mount pedals to Vintage Metalworks pedal shaft.
Re-install brake rods
Be sure to check all fluids and grease fittings.

Parts highly recommended to upgrade Model A transmission to T5
Mitchell pinion puller/installer
https://mitchelloverdrives.com/mitchell-pinion-puller-kit/

Mitchell hub puller
https://mitchelloverdrives.com/mitchell-hub-puller/

Burtz lightened flywheel
https://burtzblock.com/products/flywheels

Vintage Metalworks
https://vintagemetalworks.blogspot.com/

V8 clutch pressure plate and Chev 9” disk from Speedway