What does the Lakewood alignment tool for the scattershield do for you? I picked up a shield with block saver but when I looked in the Jegs catalog a "locating kit" was mentioned.

If you look in the scattershield installation instructions, you will see that there is a proceedure to follow. This is to make sure that the centerline of the trans input shaft is exactly aligned with the centerline of the crank. If I am not mistaken, the alignment kit includes some offset ground dowel pins that can be used to align your scattershield in the event that it is not aligned properly.

Andrew

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Project GatTagO (http://groups.msn.com/projectgattago)

Andrew is correct, but there are two different types of kits...

Neither of them are "tools".

The first "kit" is what Andrew described, although it is not really a kit. There are three different sets of offset dowel pins. You need to mount the scattershield with the stock pins and using a dial indicator and magnetic base, determine how much the scattershield alignment is off. Then you need to order/purchase the correct dowel pins and install then in the correct orientation to get the scattershield centered... Its pretty easy but time consuming...

The second type kit I believe, uses the stock pins, but you enlarge the scattershield dowel holes so you can move the scattershiled to the proper location, then once located, there are "spacers" that are welded so that the bellhousing will always be aligned... At least I think thats how they work...


I have only used the first style...

My advice, unless you have a local speed shop or lots of time, order all three different sets of offset pins so you will have the correct pair there when you need then. You can usually return the unopened sets... They come in like ).07, 0.14 and 0.21 offsets...

And you do need this...

I can't understand why GM can mass produce bellhousings and still get them properly aligned (and did so many years ago), but Lakewood cannot do it in this day and age...

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"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."
TC #1366
Tony
The Chevelle (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleA.jpg)
Dual Quad 396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleC.jpg)
Side View (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleD.jpg)

Actually the Lakewood housing is just as close as the factory bellhousing is, and is just fine for "everyday driving". If you check a factory housing with dial indicator, you will find that it too is not exactly concentric with the crank centerline. The dowell locating kit is useful in getting the housing "dead nuts" on and is very necessary for full-throttle high RPM shifting.

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Bill
64 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe (original owner) car now has 427" BB, Chrysler HEMI 4-spd. trans., 12 bolt 5.57 w/spool & axles.
"HOT RODDER is NOT a dirty word"
"Too much horsepower is just enough"

Thanks for the info. I called the guy I got the scattershield from and he said he never used the kit in his 69Z. I'm currently shifting at 6200 rpm. I'm also changing upper & lower control arms produced by Metco. They are adjustable and have the ICM (instant centering modification). Another varible.

Your upper and lower control arms are in no way going to effect the position of the trans on the scattershield. You should really take the time to make sure that you scattershield is aligned properly. OEM parts worked fine for OEM applications. When you are pushing your car to the limit, with more power then stock, you should make sure that everything is lined up "deadnuts". Its not a very hard proceedure. All you need is a dial indicator with a magnetic base. If you have help from a buddy, the whole process will take about an hour or less. Once it is done, it never has to be done again, and you will know for sure that its perfect. This way you can eliminate a misalignment problem should you ever have any problems in the future. Just my 2 cents.
Andrew

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Project GatTagO (http://groups.msn.com/projectgattago)

I'm curious, where exactly do you mount the dial indicator and how do you check the straightness? Is there instructions included with the Lakewood bellhousing?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AllGoNoShow:
I'm curious, where exactly do you mount the dial indicator and how do you check the straightness? Is there instructions included with the Lakewood bellhousing?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The dial indicator gets mounted to the flywheel and positioned in such a way that the needle is placed on the rim of the scattershield where the trans mounts. There are instructions that come with the scattershield.

Andrew



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Project GatTagO (http://groups.msn.com/projectgattago)

Guys-

Here is the link to Lakewood's website.
http://www.mrgasket.com/lakewoodmain.html

At the top of that page, click on "Instruction Sheets" and there will be a bellhousing alignment link. It explains the procedure for checking bellhousing alignment & how to correct it with offset dowels.

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Gregg Haskin
72 Chevelle SS
71 Pro Touring Chevelle
ZZ502 Crated RATs in both
TEAM CHEVELLE #726 ACES #4486
“What the heck are all these extra nuts & bolts for?”

My 72 Chevelle SS Restoration Website: www.72ChevelleSS.com (http://www.72ChevelleSS.com)

My 71 Chevelle Pro-Touring restoration website: www.71protouringchevelle.com (http://www.71ProTouringChevelle.com)

[This message has been edited by riskyvt (edited 01-29-2003).]

Thanks guys!

I tell guys, that alignment deal is a good thing to at least check, even on a mild street deal. It will help the front bearings and the caged roller bearing live longer, easier to install and help reduce gear wear and noise.

My Lakewood was whacked, I drove out the stock dowls, put the offset dowls in and it was more whacked!!??

So, I cleaned up the stock dowls, set them back in with a greater portion exposed to help register the block plate and the shield, swept it again and it was near perfect.

I suggest you do that, you can get longer dowls as well but it's not necessary. I suspect my whole problem was caused by the dowls not allowing the shield to register on the block, only a small portion of the dowl was picking up the shiled after the block plate was in place.

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www.muncie4speed.com (http://www.muncie4speed.com)
Gold 67
A.C.E.S. 5602
M.C.C. 559
1967 Malibu, 2nd owner.
1971 Malibu, new rat is in. It's the details that take the time!
There is nothing like rowing through the gears at 7500. Stick cars are so much fun they should be a controlled substance!

I installed one of the lakewood bellhousings in my brothers BB roadrunner over the summer, what a PITA. If you think that it will be close out of the box think again, it's not even close. You can get it right but it is very time consuming and requires a ton of patience. Even the heat from welding the offset bushings was enough to alter the readings. By the way we installed a factory bell on the motor just to check the runout and it was perfect, we couldn't believe it.

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My Car www.geocities.com/coopschevelle/ (http://www.geocities.com/coopschevelle/)

Aligning the Bellhousing requires a welder? Do you have to weld the new dowel pins in or do u press them in?

You have to weld the offset bushings onto the bellhousing after you get them setup correctly.

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My Car www.geocities.com/coopschevelle/ (http://www.geocities.com/coopschevelle/)

coop- Would using JB weld be good enough or is this an area of high stress? I don't have a welder for this job but have had good luck with JB weld on things that don't see a lot of stress. Thanks for the help.

AllGoNoShow read this again, there are two types of locating kits. the first does NOT involve welding. 2nd one does.

JBWeld will not work.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 1966_L78:
Andrew is correct, but there are two different types of kits...

Neither of them are "tools".

The first "kit" is what Andrew described, although it is not really a kit. There are three different sets of offset dowel pins. You need to mount the scattershield with the stock pins and using a dial indicator and magnetic base, determine how much the scattershield alignment is off. Then you need to order/purchase the correct dowel pins and install then in the correct orientation to get the scattershield centered... Its pretty easy but time consuming...

The second type kit I believe, uses the stock pins, but you enlarge the scattershield dowel holes so you can move the scattershiled to the proper location, then once located, there are "spacers" that are welded so that the bellhousing will always be aligned... At least I think thats how they work...


I have only used the first style...

My advice, unless you have a local speed shop or lots of time, order all three different sets of offset pins so you will have the correct pair there when you need then. You can usually return the unopened sets... They come in like ).07, 0.14 and 0.21 offsets...

And you do need this...

I can't understand why GM can mass produce bellhousings and still get them properly aligned (and did so many years ago), but Lakewood cannot do it in this day and age...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



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Brandon

1966 ss396 chevelle
427 11:1 rect.heads
4 speed 3.55 posi
1967 chevy biscayne 2 dr.
350 th-350
3.55 posi

Well that clears it up! Thanks for the reply RatONaStick

PS-Does anyone have a part # for the lakewood locating kit with offset dowel pins that do not need to be welded? I can only find #15981 and that is the kit that needs to be welded.

[This message has been edited by AllGoNoShow (edited 02-02-2003).]

per the lakewood website

offset dowel pins

.000 #15915
.007 #15920
.014 #15930
.021 #15940

hope this helps

Thanks a ton!