Carrier Assembly; Helpful hints, tricks and traps

[Paul Dutton]

Originally Posted by rob love

I just finished these items 2 minutes ago, and my order was slightly different.
1: cam assy first. These are a bugger....I like to get it done first
2: Shifter assy and linkage and pillow block. Done before the roller and steering shaft, it allows you to get the bolts in in case you need to bring it up a bit.
3: Hull rollers and brackets. I had mine completely assembled in their bracket. Cross shaft will go through just fine EXCEPT: cross shaft must go in from right to left so you can work it around the steering plate center nut. If you try to come in from the left side of the carrier, it will jam up against the nut with knowhere to go.
4: Steering rollers and blocks: Note that the blocks are paired and are bore aligned. Mixing the pairs, or even reversing the top from the bottom, will make the alignment bad, and may not allow the blocks to clamp properly or the adjusters to turn in their holes. Same goes for the block holding the transmission shifter linkage bearing. It will be bore aligned and only go together one way properly. With these kinds of blocks, one does well to stamp or pinpunch them prior to removal. I recall snapping a ferret mounting block because I mixed caps.
5: And this is a big one: try and restore your carrier before you turn 50 and the arthritis sets in.

Ha ha, #5!
Or wait til you ARE 50 then buy your carrier like me!! By then you will ALREADY be on pain killers and anti inflammatory drugs!😀