Those 308s go on the input and into the trans last, but not how you would do it.
Here's how I do it.
Before you start, read the notes down at the bottom, and go to step 7 to read about installing the rear gasket, then come back.
1) I stand the box on it's face, no gaskets, then pre install the empty tail onto the back, then twist it around to expose the hole for the cluster pin. Next I attempt to drop the pin into the hole. They only rarely fit. Usually I have to dress the tail, just a lil, to let the pin by. Next, with the pin now started, I find the one hole in the tail that sorta lines up with a threaded bolt hole in the case. and grind on the tail a lil more, until I can drop the pin in with the two parts bolted together this way. then disassemble it.
2) Next I load the tail and the cluster and install the front 308 bearing onto the Input with all it's snaprings, AND the brass ring on the brake. Now we are ready to install the subassemblies
3) next; with the Box on it it's side, I drop the loaded cluster into the bottom of the case as far as it will go, with the Thrust washers already greased into position, then I stand the box on it's face.
4) I grab the loaded tail house, and with the 3-4 slider in Neutral, I drop it in, upside down. That is to say upside down with respect to the belly of the box. Then I twist it a lil to get the cluster pin hole to be revealed, and install the lone bolt.
Doing it this way, with cluster in the belly, means you don't have to steer the 3-4 slider around the obstacle course that is the cluster.
5) Next ;
Part A
My bench has a hole in to receive the input, and a slot, so I can flip the trans over.
So, in goes the input, with the Brass on the brake, making sure all the rollers stay in place, and indexing the brass to the struts when I get there.
then, pressing the input gear into the trans box with one hand, so that it won't fall out, I tip the unit over, laying on the bench, and I then install the retainer.
Part 2
If you don't have a hole in your bench, then you will not be able to insert the input like I do, nor tip the box over on it's side, with the input already installed.
In this case, after the tail is installed per step 4, lay the trans on it's side and install the input gear, being really careful to not dislodge any rollers, indexing the brass to the struts, before installing the retainer.
6) finally roll the trans over until the belly of the box is on the top. This will drop the cluster almost into perfect position. Align the rear thrust washer and thread the pin in, then same on the front. Rotate the pin to fit the woodruff-key, then slam it in.
Yur almost done.
7) stand it up again, retainer down, Now you know why I have a hole in my bench.
The last step is tricky, and you really really need the trans to be nose down and stable. Without a hole, what I have done is used one of those ancient plastic Pepsi-crates and a pair of whatever thin boards laid across the open end, then drop the Trans onto the boards, OK, I mean set the box onto the boards, lol. Whatever method you use, make sure it is not too tippy, cuz the next step depends on it not jigglin around.
What has to be done, now, is to remove the one fixing bolt on the tail, and rotating the loaded tail about a half a turn, until all the bolt holes line up; BUT
A) you don't want to tear the gasket, and
B) you don't want to pull the front of the M/S up out of the Input gear. and
C) you need to keep the front brass indexed to the struts.
Ok you can accomplish all this by lifting up the tail, and turning it, maybe not all the way at once; no big deal, I've done it hundreds of times.
The thing is, this is an uncontrolled lift. If yur not quite strong enough, the tendency is to "jerk" the tail up, and most times, a person will jerk too hard, and then you probably get to start over.
So, to get around that, I sometimes glue the gasket onto the case, and lightly grease the visible side. Then you can just remove the fixing bolt and spin, spin, spin. HOWEVER, this is fine for my own stuff, but the grease will migrate thru the gasket and eventually come out, and the parting line will collect dust. For me, that doesn't bother me cuz I drive my stuff. and it breaks, and I'll be back in there in a year or two, usually.
As for you, dream up something and get it rotated without incident. Whatever you do, don't crush that input brass ring.
Then install the 6 bolts, and just like that,
Badaboom..... yur done.
Notes;
>From step 3 to step 7 is like a couple of minutes.
>Don't forget the gaskets, lol
>The big snapring on the od of the input gear is special; do not use the generic one that it comes with, which is too wide to fit in the recess in the retainer, and IIRC is also too thick. Reuse the old one from the teardown.
> all seals and the big rear bushing have to be prelubed.
> I use 50/50 Dextron II and 85/90 gear oil.
> before you tighten the cover, push it up hard. after the screws are tightened, shift it into reverse a few times to make sure nothing binds.
> when you install the external shift levers, firstly, the fine-thread nuts are special, they have the expanded foot with lick-serrations on them. If you don't have these nuts whatever you put on there will have to be loctited, and flat-washered. . AND, the cavities around the studs in the levers will have to be filled with something that hardens like cement, yet can be crumpled after it sets; I use blue-locktite. But, you gotta do whatever it takes to prevent the loctite from migrating up/down the pivot pins...... cuz then it will not shift, lol. I grease the pins and the holes prior, and wipe off the excess. This has to be done for two reasons;
a) if the levers move, your Neutral gate will shift, which is a pita. and
b) if the nuts come loose, you will tighten them harder and eventually strip the threads off the studs.
c) if you don't do it, you will get sick and tired of jacking up the car and dinking with those nuts.
> When you install the adapter plate onto the tail, use the correct bolts, and loc-tite them. for same reason, they come loose by themselves, upsetting the Neutral gate..
> In an A-body, forget the pistol grip.
and IMO, forget the Tee-bar handle.
By far, the ball is the most efficient handle and offers an infinite number of shift positions, and rarely comes loose. So you hardly ever put your knuckles into the dash. You only have to do that once and then you will fire that Tee-handle into space, followed by a trail of curse-words..
Ok that's all I got
Happy HotRodding
