Greetings all.
I don't really contribute much since I'm pretty new to this but I thought I'd
share my misfortune. I'm in the Navy and am being transferred to Charleston,
SC. I decided to drive my oletruck out there (Tucson, Az to Charleston, SC
2000 miles). If you've been to the 1957 section on Wayne's website you've
seen a picture of my truck. Well, I got about 20 miles out of Tucson when I
broke a U-joint. I pulled over and replaced it since I had a spare from the
front driveshaft that isn't installed right now. While doing this I noticed I
was leaking transmission fluid. I thought I had fixed that darn pan gasket.
I drove on and ran out of fluid. I pulled over again and added some hoping it
would get me to the next town. By this time I'm almost in New Mexico. After
adding fluid I began driving again. Apparently I didn't get the hood to latch
as it decided to fly up at about 70 mph while I was passing a semi. I slowed
down carefully and pulled over. After getting my hood back down, which is in
pretty bad shape now I drove on only to run out of transmission fluid again.
I stopped, added more and finally reached a town with a hotel. I got a room,
called my wife and told her my sob story. When I went out to look at the
transmission I found a few large cracks where it bolts to the transfer case,
the cause of my leak has been found. Since I was only about 140 miles from
Tucson (which took me 4 1/2 hours) I decided to haul the truck home. I rented
a Uhaul truck and flatbed. My truck was too wide for the trailer but I
managed to drive it up and over the wheel wells on the side of the trailer
with miminal damage (never charged me for it). Got it home and don't have
time to repair it because I have to be in Charleston on Wednesday the 10th.
Guess the truck is gonna have to sit here in Tucson awhile until I can come
and get it. Looks like a new transmission is gonna cost me about $700. Can I
upgrade from the TH350 to a 700R4 without too much modification?
Shane Lesteberg
57 3200 stepside 4x4
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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