I've installed my TKO-600 from Keisler, but trying to install the driveshaft they sent me (with the yoke already installed on it), I absolutely cannot get it to slide in.

The yoke itself has a notch where a couple of "teeth" are omitted, but the output shaft doesn't seem to. I guess that shouldn't prevent anything, as the opposite case would.

Nonetheless, I can get it inside of the rubber seal but no matter how hard I push and no matter how I rotate the yoke, I just can't get it to slide onto the output shaft.

How much force should this take?

Is there anything else I should try, or that I could be doing wrong?

Is it possible they sent me a TKO-500 driveshaft, and if so, are they any different from the TKO-600?

Thanks for any advice, I'm at my wits end!

Dave -

Did you remove the rubber ring around the output shaft that Tremec puts on to protect the splines during shippin? It is inside the oil seal ring, around the output itself, and if it is shoved back in there, can be a bear to get out. I'm going to search here for a pic.

I don't have any shots of the rubber shipping plug pulled out, but if you look in the back and have a rubber tube that has the spline pattern on it, that's the shipping sleeve and needs to come out. It is separate from the rear oil seal.

here's what it looks like in the trans.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ekammerer/BB_Xmember_rear2.jpg

when i installed ours, it went in super tight...i actually beat it in with a deadblow, and then removed it to see if there was any damage...in my case, there was just a really tight fit that loostened up a little after the initial install, as the shaft went in much easier the second time...still took force, but went in by hand...baybe some kind of wax in the splines???i dunno, but it went together without a hitch

I don't have any shots of the rubber shipping plug pulled out, but if you look in the back and have a rubber tube that has the spline pattern on it, that's the shipping sleeve and needs to come out. It is separate from the rear oil seal.

here's what it looks like in the trans.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ekammerer/BB_Xmember_rear2.jpg


Great googly mooglies! Yes, I have the splined rubber thing at the back. Any tips on how to identify what's what so I don't rip out the seal? The splined thing -looks- like its integral to the whole rubber seal that protrudes out the back of the trans. Does anything remain protruding outside the trans when that is removed, or is the splined thing only part of it?

My docs say that will "slide to the rear" and you can install it with that in place, but clearly I hope that's what's causing me trouble. I'll go have at it right now!

BTW, my yoke is stamped "SPICER" on one side an "51581" on the other, which isn't a C6 yoke number I recognize (or can find any reference to on the net), so maybe that's a serial number and not a part number? It's on a tag welded or cast into the yoke.

Thanks.
Dave

AARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

I pulled out the splined donut, the yoke slipped in like a dream, and I was in such a hurry to rush back to the PC and thank you guys for the help that I cracked my head on the pointy corner of my lift. Actually, "ARRRG" is the family-friendly version of what I actually yelled :-)

Anyway, thanks very much for the help! I'm surprised my Keisler docs say you can install the yoke with that thing in place... I can't imagine how you would, and God knows I tried long enough to do so!

Wish I would have asked a few days ago! Never doubt the power of Camaros.net :-)

the rubber spline plug goes inside of the seal, and i removed mine with a pick tool...just hooked the rubber directly touching the splines and slid it out....but it definately has to come out...u r too quick...lol...

it does indeed look like part of the seal! When I did mine, I did know it had to come out, but didn't know what was seal and what was shipping plug, and ripped the seal to shreads trying to pull the lip off with a pair of pliers!

The outer part of the seal is coneshaped, not flat like a normal trans, it sticks out at a 45 degree angle. The shipping plug is like an eighth of an in thick, about the same as the shaft on the yoke.

I must confess I thought they were integral too. GMJim from CC5S set me straight.

That sucker is so long, I can't imagine anyone thinking the yoke would fit too...

LOL. I had the same issue and then started reefing on the main rubber edge until a buddy stopped and extracted the seal. I was close to wrecking the seal like Jim.

Me too..and was scared to death the whole time i was trying to get it out.

Yes those suckers are hard to get out. Do yourself a favour and don't throw it away, they come in handy after you fill the TKO if the driveshaft has to ever come out.

That annular plug in the back of the TKO is more or less used by many to keep the fluid in the trans if you decide to install the trans full of fluid or if you take the trans out and want to leave fluid in it. This plug can be left in the trans and a yoke installed. I have built many tko transmissions with this plug left in them problem is that when the plug is installed there is hardly any lubrication on them and they dry up which makes them hard to push on into the transmission.