'85 SPG Rebuild

[Jordan]

Starting with the transmission. I wanted to use a solid pinion sleeve for a "performance" rebuild. The gears were all previously shot-peened and cryo-treated.

So to start I made the spacer shim which sits sandwiched between the two pinion bearings and the housing. You have to make a relative guess on the thickness based on the crushable sleeve, then press the two bearings on, tighten the big nut and take a pull reading from the spring scale. If it is not tight enough you to press the bearing back off, take a few thousandths of an inch off of the lathe and reassemble. If you take off too much, then you have to start over! It took me 5 or 6 times before it was perfect. My final measurement on this 89+ trans was .6008"

Once you have the pinion set up correctly, It gets put in the main case.You then have to set up the pinion depth by using the SAAB special tool that holds a dial indicator. The pinion has an etched number that indicates the deviation from standard 60mm where the set runs the quietest. This pinion had +33 which is .33mm or .013" +- .002". The height is set by using shims to get the correct depth.

The final critical measurement is setting the measuring the stack height which is also done with a special tool or depth gauge and shims. This sets the correct position of the gear assembly inside the case.

Also , since I was changing the ring and pinion over, I had to swap ring gears as they are a matched set.

The rest of the gearset and selectors and synchros can be assembled and inserted into the case over the pinion shaft.

[Jordan]

Next, I had to change the two taper bearings on the input gear. The top can be tapped off with the housing and the bottom needs to be pressed off.

The shims are used to set proper preload

The new lower bearing gets pressed on, and then the top with the shims and new races.

Now the cluster gear and all selector shafts are in place, you're ready to slide on the front housing (you have to take 5th back off)

Once the housing is on and the pins and bolts tightened you can add the 5th gear assembly and selector . Don't forget to add the 5th gear selector inside the case before sliding it over the main case. Also , you can't really fit the intermediate gear until you have the input gear in place..

The chains, tensioner and upper sprocket are all set into place, and the intermediate gear is then locked. If you leave reverse unhooked and simultaneously select a gear and reverse, this will lock the case and allow you to torque the nuts to the correct torque specs. Then peen them over.

Then you can hook back up reverse gear selector mechanism.

Now the front should be basically all set, your attention goes back to the rear of the trans and putting in the differential. After installing so many LSDs... the stock one is a dream to install

Finally, the inner drivers with correct shims are put in and backlash checked!

Whew!