When I cut and threaded my shift rods. I noted how far into the screw on connector the threads lined up. then unscrewed the end, placed it onto the shifter, layed the shift rod on top so it over laped. then marked it with a felt marker, and made my cut. then when you thread it and screw it back together, it should be lined up as before.

http://12.153.160.115/images/catalog/tn/1152600353.jpg

Charlie

How much did you pay?

I am using royal purple and recommend against it. Next flush will be mobil1.

Excellent advice, thanks. I'll hopefully be lining those up tonight...we'll see.

Unfortunately i've made 2 stops at drive shaft shops around the Twin Cities today, both have said they cannot modify my driveshaft.

I think you'd better be certain of what fluid is called for by the manufacturer of the tranny. Amsoil, Royal Purple, Redline etal make fine products. However those products may or may not have the correct properties for your application.

Comments like "I ran XXX without problems." don't carry much weight because 1. the sample size is too small, 2. even a catastrophic failure, wouldn't necessarily be properly diagnosed with cause determined. Talk to the fluid manufacturer and tranny manufacturer.

Regarding the drive shaft, a search for custom driveshaft will likely turn up a shop that can shorten & balance.

You can always try and modify it yourself.

YoungBenz did it.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/241480-4-speed-300sd-works-3.html

and I did it.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/276987-installing-new-engine-manual-transmission-my-sd-12.html

Crashone also did it... hes the one who gave YoungBenz and I the idea to try our hand and making our own drive shafts.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/262082-300sd-4-speed-conversion-has-begun.html


As for the shift rods. I installed the ones I had, and they all lined up perfectly, but were 6.75" short. I made punch marks on the rods to make sure i lined them up correctly (so they didn't twist) then I cut them and added exactly 6.75" to each rod. welded it up and then installed them... they lined up perfectly, no adjustments needed.

"Bearing Service" in Portland Or (503 222 1366) is the only place I'd go to out here on the coast. There must be a qualified place closer to you. Actually I would ship it to them.

I find it hard to believe that driveline shops wont work on them. Place right down the street from me did it and did a good job of it. Is the autotrans DS not the same as the 5 spd? Same mount and all......

Thanks for all the great tips. Yeah i find it hard to believe they won't work on it either, i guess maybe 3 shop will be a charm. If not, I might send it out... I don't have the tools or skills for a good DIY shortening.

Does anyone know which shift arm does what gears? It's not listed in the manual i have. The rear arm looks like 5 and R. Not 100% sure on the front two. My transmission looks just like the one attached (pic from google search).

Thanks, hoping to get working on this tonight!

Some intense foreign language googling and i believe i found it. This look shift diagram for a getrag 717.400 look right to you guys?

Looks right. They have a diagram in the Haynes manual as well.

Looking in my "Technical Data Passenger cars" Jan 1983, shows the same diagram for the 5-spd 717.40

Charlie

Thanks guys. Well the linkage is going to take a little more time than i expected, the 5 and R piece is quite a pita when adapting a w201 shifter. I was having trouble getting it to clear the 3/4 gears line, you can see the end hanging in the photo i took while lining them up. The shifter i have seems stiff too, i'm going to look into bushings for it.

Good news is a friend called and he knows someone who can do the DS correctly. I drew up a mockup to send along with the DS section to make sure it's cut right.

those rods are a PIA even when you are using stock length, but youll get it.

be careful, the nut you are measuring to moves in and out. I always measure to the flange.

also, try to talk to the guy in person. I had a 240 shaft, on my picture I had the CD shaft and the modified CD, guess which one they made first. I had to go get another shaft from the yard. I would only put the final dimension you want on the drawing so there is no question

Glad to hear I'm not the only one futzing with those shift rods. There are some tight clearances up there!

Good advice, thanks. I spoke to the guy this morning, he owns an auto salvage yard in Iowa. He said in 30 years he's only had one drive shaft he couldn't shorten. I sent him pictures of it last night, he thinks he'll take off the transmission end of the shaft. Slightly turn down the end that the flex disk is attached to so that it will slide into the shortened tube snugly. Then weld and balance. He said likely it will be $60-80.

And if that doesn't work he said there's always plan B, he can make it work somehow. He told me a few stories about building funny cars, he used to make all sorts of stuff racing with his son. Glad to have found this guy!

exactly what they did to mine.... twice :rolleyes: works just fine. He even loosened up the welded on u-joint on the rear shaft and said good for another 100K


fwiw, I have a tool for these clips that I use. Its a pick that is about .100" diameter and 6" long going to a sharp point. It is bent at a 90 degree at the sharp end. You slip this in the clip and it opens the clip. you can then reach it up without using your hands and snap it on the end of the shift rod, then the pick slides out sideways and viola, installed. this has been a lifesaver for me. it also works great for removing those tricky little buggers. Ill snap a picture when I get home. from what I remember it was a harbor freight piece, maybe $1