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35 Dodge KC - correct engine mounting


dmgoulet

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Hi. I am trying to make a rear crossmember for my truck using the stock bell housing. The front of the engine is easy to locate (manual crank hole line up to pulley nut). The rear is a different story... If i align the clutch pivot shaft level horizontally, the rear of the transmission appears too high and might hit the cab floor (if the cab were on the frame). IS the clutch pivot supposed to be level between the frame and engine? If so, I can complete the crossmember construction... if not, any suggestions?

thanks

Edited by dmgoulet
typo error in Title (see edit history)
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  • 5 years later...

Resurrecting an old topic...

Hello All... Ive come a little further on my '35 Dodge truck. Im still 'stumped' with the proper location/height of the rear crossmember. Here is the one my dad and I manufactured from 'parts' of others.

post-63482-143142966927_thumb.jpg

It appears to be correct; however, the clutch torque shaft is angled down still and almost binding.

post-63482-143142966961_thumb.jpg

I have the cab sitting on about 1' of rubber padding and here is the clearance at the top of the trans:

post-63482-143142966985_thumb.jpg

I am unable to find any specification for what the padding between the cab and frame are supposed to be.

If I raise the rear of the engine, I will be 'up-into' the cab with the transmission. I also cant see the cab sitting on more than an inch of rubber.

I know I have the correct bell housing (P/N 636140).

The only discrepancy I have is the clutch torque shaft. I have what appears to be P/N 635861 (hard to make out some numbers). My parts book indicates I should have P/N 569957. Is there really that much difference between the torque shafts?

I have two of the same pivot brackets (P/N 635882) but my parts book states this is for the frame end. Another part number (569959) is what should be on the bell housing end.

If the mis-alignment is because of the wrong parts for the clutch torque shaft, is there anyplace I can get the correct parts? If not, I have a machinist available to make the parts, however I would need some good pictures to make the parts from.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dennis

Edited by dmgoulet
mis-spelled word (picky) (see edit history)
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Guest DodgeKCL

My crossshaft on my '35 KC(L) (Detroit built 8071921)also angles down quite a bit toward the engine. And I have the original engine mountings,front and rear. However I had an awful time setting the cowl on the frame but my truck was in terrible condition. I have an original K Series parts book and it has the different bodies and parts needed in the back. It says there was wooden shims of undetermined number used to 'level'(?) the cowl to the frame. It says the number of shims were 'as required'. Mine had one still in place and it is exactly 1/2" hard wood with a bolt through it, about 3" square. I made my own. However the right and the left sides do not have the same thickness of shims now. I have come to the conclusion that these trucks ,and cars, were assembled 'straight and level' on the line and God help the person 80 years later that tries to duplicate their work! This is what I believe is what you are up against. You will have to do what I finally did and that was I built 'my own truck'. Mine is together now and everything 'fits'. My cowl did indeed end up about 1/2' above the frame but not equally on both sides. The 'lineup' was the beltline mouldings on the cowl lining up with the beltline mouldings on the doors and on the rear sides. The cowl,side mud shields and anything else were separated from the frame by a cloth 'anti-squeak' strip which was the common method in those years on all vehicles not just Dodges. I hope this helps. I think the guys on some of these sites will tell you I scratched my head for a long while until I decided to hell with it and I built my own truck. You cannot tell the truck from original but I'm certain my truck and yours are not the 'same' so there's not much use in me giving you measurements.

Edited by DodgeKCL (see edit history)
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Thx DodgeKCL. I didn't even think of it being wood as the spacers. As for the clutch torque shaft, the shop manual has an image of the brake/clutch pedal assembly and in that image the torque shaft is horizontal. I'm thinking the clutch torque shaft pivot on the engine is different than the one on the frame... where the pivot ball is higher than the upper mounting bolt. Trying to verify from pictures on the internet.

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here you go, I had the same problem when I put mine together, pivot was missing, I had 2 frame pivot , but none for bell housing, I used the ball and pivot from frame and machine a block to fit the bell housing, drilled for the pivot mount, , where bolt fits to bell housing mount, also the pivot is scalloped so the bolt retains the pivot.

picture of my 35 is attached,

Jesse

post-106816-143142982873_thumb.jpg

post-106816-143142982882_thumb.jpg

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Nice truck... I have a horribly long way to go. Right now I only have 15" rims which will no longer work since I went back to the original steering hardware at the wheels. That's a later issue. Thanks for the pics of the pivot. It doesn't look like there is much left-to-right free-play of the torque shaft itself. I guess just enough to allow for motor movement.

Dennis

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the pivot ball is clamped in with 2 halve shells, it could slid in and out approx. 1/4 inch, that is the reason for lock pin on bell mount,

I also modified cross member to make it removal able , It helps on engine change,

If you need other info , between dAve, myself , and other 35 KC owners, we can help.

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I may be way off base here but looking at your second photo back in post #4 is seems as though the clutch torque shaft may possibly be in backward?

If it was flipped end-for-end and then rotated 180 degs would that allow the shaft to align with the pivots at each end better? And the side arms on the shaft to be more vertical?

attachment.php?attachmentid=294431&d=1423430544&thumb=1

The odd "unbalanced" shape of the shaft you have there seems like that could make a difference with the alignment ???

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks! I do have that assembly. I didn't have the rear crossmember to hold up the rear of the engine/trans. I fabricated one from pieces of others bases on photos from another 35 KC. I wasn't sure if I was correct on my fabrication because of how other items were aligning to the motor in that position... but I actually think I am closer to original than I thought

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