[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Mike here, I am disassembling the TH 400 and am now assembling it. The rear portion got a roller bearing and did not need to be shimmed. I Installed New roller bearings forward and aft of the ring gear and output shaft. At the Main shaft I used a 3-prong .010" shim behind the roller bearing and Sun gear to reduce the rear end play instead of shimming the rear case bearing. The Reaction Carrier is shimmed .020" behind the 4 - prong metal thrust washer. This helps the rear band from moving as much, a racer thing, keeps the rear band from excess floating. The Reaction Carrier Drum was in good shape, I simply polished it on my grinding wheel using various type buffing wheels and the compound each uses. The rear Band is also good, but since the B+M rebuild kit came with a new one, it gets the new one. The Front Band was in bad shape and I sanded out the shallow grooves and then buffed them out completly. All the Bushings are being replaced as I go, I bought a new Bushing driver kit online just for this job.
All the Thrust washers are being replaced as I go as well. were at the Center support, got new metal clasp sealing rings and new Piston seals too. I have all Aluminum pistons in this 1967 Trans. is getting all new Frictions and Steels. The Intermediate clutches were worn and missing Friction material. Moving past the center to the Direct Drum, this is where the damage begins, both the Direct and Forward Hub got hot. There were 4 Frictions and Steels glued to the Direct Hub, they had to be lubed up and hammered off to get to the Hub. The Forward Hub got hot as well and the Frictions and Steels came off, but were nasty also. Because I don't know what heat range these parts can take, I opted to replace them both. I found a Direct Hub included in a Forward Drum complete deal for the low price of $60 delivered, so I purchased the assembly for the Direct Hub only, I will sell the rest.

Shopping online, I found a New Billet Forward Hub, with 2 Bearings, one on each side, I wanted to rollerize the front half of this build as well. At a cost of $160 I can reduce the front endplay by using a thinner shim behind the pump where it takes a phenolic plastic type Thrust bearing. Since my B+M rebuild kit was purchased during the Coved Pandemic I had to take what I could, otherwise I would have opted for more in the kit than this one came with, for example: I had to buy the 4 Torrington Bearings, the complete Thrust washer kit, Filter and there are no Koleen Steels either. I saw kits online that include these parts for around $300 and I paid that for mine. I had to spend another $100, to equal the kits, for sale now. Over and above, I bought a Pump Gear set, a Rear Sonnax Accumulator kit, that is adjustable and a Pump Regulator/Boost valve kit, also from sonnax.

I was wondering if the used Direct and Forward Hub that I pulled from this Trans. is reusable to someone else? So, I am installing the new Frictions and Steels as soon as they come in. I also found that the Pump is also damaged inside the pocket where the gears live. I opted to buy a $295 remanufactured unit, on its way as we speak. So, to keep on moving forward I am at the Valve Body, we disassembled the valves and I used my Gun Cleaning kits tools to ream out the inside of the valve body's valves and sleeves. The gun kit uses soft Brass Brushes and won't hurt the Steel Bores. I had some trouble with one valve, because the ATSG Manual, had the schematic wrong on one valve and my roommate and I had to figure out how to install the valving, so with trial and error we had to remove the sleeve and hone it out and the valve bore as well, the valve was tapered and could go in only one way and I will check with my other books to see if I am correct, otherwise I am going to check with the shop Manual next. We are far from being finished and I am waiting for a deep oil pan that is on its way anyway, so I won't close it up yet.

So, soon I will be setting the forward end play and just to let you know I have .008 endplay in the rear. The Pump was the problem, we found that the 2 metal clasp rings at the Stator behind the pump, between the Forward drum, one was split in half and the other was unclasped. The lost oil pressure ruined the pump and the Forward and Direct Hubs along with the Frictions and Steels. Then add me driving it, trying to figure out what the problem was, just amplified the problem. For those of you who have not read the entire post or any of my other posts, the original problem began when I drove over my friend's new driveway that he had just moved to and I was at my first visit there and unaware of the tree roots growing under an Asphalt driveway with no cement under it. I was moving at a slow pace and the Trans. bottomed out, on the way home it was acting up strangely. I made it home some 50 miles, and continued to test and tune until the Trans would move no more, I was left with reverse. I drove another 300 miles, 50 miles out and 50 miles back three times. My advice, if you damage your trans. , plan on taking it apart. Had I parked this car, I could have saved myself all the hard parts inside, at least. In addition, I spent the last two years reading and studying, plus watching videos, in order to rebuild this trans. I had to buy parts and tools and build my confidence. Even now I am going over and over the work to make sure it is right. The Torque Converter broke a front Bushing in this accident and that was replaced with a 13", Hughes (HD) RV type unit, with 1800-2000 stall.

Mike out for now, Any Knowledgeable Trans. Mechanical advice is gladly appreciated.