tough full day in the shop, with no concrete results. But I have a plan, I think. I am lacking some tooling to bore small deep holes for the sleeve to center the trans input shaft to the throw out bearing collar
Also I think every bolt hole in the jeep bellhousing is about .030"-.040" smaller on the bolt head side than the face side. So transfer punches don't work very well on the trans bell. The holes in the Kubota flywheel cover are nice and straight
There may be something to just using a CAD program.
I wanted to try and lay out the adapter manually, and then check it against CAD drawings and my DRO.
I will try and get some boring tools tomorrow if any of the shops are open on the holiday

 

I only got this evening to work on the adapter, after running all over hell and back trying to get stuff done on the Dakota.
I finished the Transmission input shaft to throw out bearing centering sleeve. It actually came out pretty well.
Also took the Kubota flywheel cover into the machine shop, and picked it up this evening. The Machine shop also had some trouble getting the cover flat. I have not checked it out completely, but the machinist admitted that he was about .030-050" out.
I might put it on my mill and see if I can fix it. but the machinist already went under my desired and requested 0.500" thick
Tomorrow I need to pick a piece of stock for the flywheel cover centering plug. Also I need to cut out Steel for the 2nd half of the adapter. Then I can make a Jig to stand the Transmission up on its tail to get all
it is all coming together slowly.
I am also still looking for a CAD drawing of the AX15 bell housing for the jeep

 

By all means keep up the great work in showing how to set up and make your own adapter.

But I am dumbfounded by the fact that a Machinist could not set the bell housing up and make it flat. Sorry I have to add this. It is important that the adapter is flat or to say square with the block. Or it will off set the input shaft into the pilot bearing which is not good and also the starter will not be square with the Flywheel starter ring gear. Sorry I do not know what tolerance is acceptable for out of square.

But again Great work.

 

Hi Jester I would say I am dumbfounded as well. But I am not. My luck with "Skilled Trades" Has been completely Horrible throughout my adult life. That is what prompted me to start doing things myself. It is very very sad. What is even worse is that in these trades unlike some others. People expect to be paid even if the work is no good. I am going to have to go back to this guy and see what we can work out. He only charged me $60. but the damage done far exceeds that, if I have to throw out the flywheel cover. I am just very sad. My next comments would make me sound like a very cynical man, so I will hold my tounge, but I am a cynical man
I have my doubts if I can use this flywheel cover at this point. I carefully measured it this morning and it is all over the place (maybe that is a good thing) There does seem to be a general slope to the tune of about .065", but at the individual bolt holes the readings are really all over the place in a general slope. My guess is that the piece was not butted up against the chuck all the way.
I want to try and salvage the plate. but it is already .065" below the .5" I asked the machinist to take it too. If I can hold to the .065 under and make it flatter I can live with that.

 

Hew Rocky watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat. I managed to salvage the flywheel cover. I I had to take about .050" off. The finished thickness is 0.445. There was some co-lateral damage though. I had to cut a hole in my wall to get the setup to work in my mill.
I hope to be back on track.
Here is a pic of the flywheel cover at finished thickness

 

Congrats I am glad to read that things are working out.

Hole in the wall?

 

You will be ok with the thinner plate because you haven't done the other items yet, so any change in thickness can be made up with the flywheel.

 

Hi FTE, thanks. I think it will be ok as well. I am working the flywheel cover center plug today. and it is just outside my good measuring tools range. I am going to have to figure something out for it. The ID of the center hole in the plug come out just a little bigger than I wanted, but It will work. I can use the DRO in the Mill to get the ID of the cover. but I don't have anything to measure the OD of the plug while it is in the lathe.
I took as close a measurement as I could get with the DRO on the mill, and then I put the cover in the oven at 450 deg. For the OD of the plug I will have to figure out something with the DRO as well. but It has a mandrel in the plug that I only want to take out once. So I will have to measure it with the mandrel installed.
ok lunch is over time to get back at it.
more updates tonight

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I forgot Red sent me the Kubota drawing that will help a lot

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Well my interference fit from the flywheel cover to the plug was too tight. It went together great, and about 3 minutes into the cooling period I heard a nice little POP, the Kubota flywheel cover cracked in 2 places at the inner and outer ring of the starter boss.
That was a lot of problem for lack of being able to accurately measure over 6". I guess I really needed that 12" caliper. I was trying for a .002" interference fit. As close as I can tell I was at .004" interference.
I am very lucky to have a spare flywheel cover that I got for free. At this point I don't know if I am going to go with a 1 piece adapter or try the 2 piece again.
With Redveloce help I have a full set of CAD measurments for the jeep and the Kubota.

 

Wow your lucky the Machinest busted my ring gear off my flywheel and almost cut my second flywheel crooked before some else steeped in still charged for the flywheel cover to be cut 50 and luckily redveloce had a spare flywheel I could buy
Looks great so far. Any other pics of your accessorys ?

 

Hi Red I was just about to go back out to the shop and see if I can formulate a new plan. I put the engine on the floor, to bring the transmission up on the table. I have not got any updates on the accessories. the Alternator is completely finished. the PS pump is mounted but needs a tensioner arm. The AC compressor is basically still in a layout stage. The splined sleeve arrived ot the shop, I have to go pick it up tomorrow
I need to decide if I want to try again with the flywheel cover 2 piece adapter, or if I want to change tacks and try and make a one piece aluminum adapter.
I do have a spare flywheel cover, and I was almost done with the setup for the 2 piece system.
I am done with the machine shop I went too first. I think I am done with machines shops in general. I made a few calls to some other shops, I don't like the attitude I get from the local guys. It just makes it that much worse when I get this holier than thou attitude, and then they screw up the work. If I go with the one piece set up it will take some time to receive the correct stock
I guess I can pull the flywheel cover off my parts engine that alone will take some time.
I don't think I can make my thanksgiving deadline anymore.
I think it seem easier to stay the course witht eh 2 pieces adapter
Thanks for the encouragement