Swap MT643 into a T44E?

[RolesvilleMarina]

255/70/22.5 are whats on the bus
just went out and looked

the tires are new so if I replace it will be awhile

are these too small?

sailboat and trailer are around 3500lbs, possibly less

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

255/70/22.5 are whats on the bus
just went out and looked

the tires are new so if I replace it will be awhile

are these too small?

sailboat and trailer are around 3500lbs, possibly less

Your bus won't mind towing that.

Those tires are low profile. If your bus has enough suspension height to accommodate full size tires you'll get a smoother ride, lower cruising rpm's, and a bit of ground clearance to boot.

Bigger tires will be like swapping gears!

You'll have to measure if they'll fit, though. 10R's are around 40" diameter and 11R's are about 41" +/-.

[RolesvilleMarina]

yes the tires on it now are 36.6

Bus has air ride and I am unsure if I can stuff anything larger under there...
will have to do some research

Meanwhile I am still trying to figure out whether an MT643 can be mated to my 7.3
if the AT545, which is fairly new reman, will work for now I'll leave it. I always figured I would regear the rear end, but waiting until I get the speed limit removed so I can see what I have to work with.

But one day if it shits I want to go MT643 if I can....

also as someone stated on a FB post that the later AT545's were electronic (modulator) and a direct MT643 swap will not work on my bus?

whether I do it now, or not at all, I still want to know if i can swap in the MT643

and thanks for all your advice... very helpful.. also reading that 4.78 is not terrible, as some have 5+ gearing and can barely move lol

[EastCoastCB]

Yeah I'm thinking if you can fit fullsize tires on there and get the speed limiter raised the 4.78 wouldn't be too bad.
I could get 62 mph with 4.44 and 41" tires on my Ward Senator. It had a 466 and a 643.

Christopher can tell you how to mate a 643 to your engine. Or if you can find a donor maybe even a 2000 series. THen you get OD as well. That would make your 4.78 gears very useful.

Is it a NC bus originally?

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Yeah I'm thinking if you can fit fullsize tires on there and get the speed limiter raised the 4.78 wouldn't be too bad.
I could get 62 mph with 4.44 and 41" tires on my Ward Senator. It had a 466 and a 643.

Christopher can tell you how to mate a 643 to your engine. Or if you can find a donor maybe even a 2000 series. THen you get OD as well. That would make your 4.78 gears very useful.

Is it a NC bus originally?

it is a Virgina bus.

I read his thread on the transmission swap, however unlike him I CAN weld and I CAN'T do the computer stuff lol... no ******* way I would go near my bus with a laptop and diddle with things.

now I would pay him to do this to my bus if he is interested

[cadillackid]

the electric modulator from your 545 will pop right into a 643.. electric modulators were developed and used on mechanical transmissions when mated to electronic engines.. the old engines used a throttle cable which pulled out the modulator cable and activated it.. the 'E' engines have no throttle cable.. they are fly-by-wire. so those electric modulators were designed as an on / off device... essentially nothing more than a kickdown when you styep down on the throttle hard.. makes the trans downshift if it is in speed range to do so..



the modulator on my Red bus was no good and as a result it destroyed the transmission... I replaced it when I figured out it was bad but by then the transmission was damaged
-Christopher

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the electric modulator from your 545 will pop right into a 643.. electric modulators were developed and used on mechanical transmissions when mated to electronic engines.. the old engines used a throttle cable which pulled out the modulator cable and activated it.. the 'E' engines have no throttle cable.. they are fly-by-wire. so those electric modulators were designed as an on / off device... essentially nothing more than a kickdown when you styep down on the throttle hard.. makes the trans downshift if it is in speed range to do so..



the modulator on my Red bus was no good and as a result it destroyed the transmission... I replaced it when I figured out it was bad but by then the transmission was damaged
-Christopher

So with my lack of computer skills maybe best to source the MT643 and swap the modulator as you suggest
and possibly re-gear the rear end

[RolesvilleMarina]

another question is where to source parts near NC

or online

for both the trans (I have no core, so maybe go new?)
and also to find a rear gear set

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

it is a Virgina bus.

I read his thread on the transmission swap, however unlike him I CAN weld and I CAN'T do the computer stuff lol... no ******* way I would go near my bus with a laptop and diddle with things.

now I would pay him to do this to my bus if he is interested

I'm sure he or someone could give you the info you'd need. You sound like the type who could get this done. If you had a donor vehicle a 2000 swap would be fairly straightforward I'd imagine.
Either way I think you're on the right track. Asking all the right questions for sure man!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

another question is where to source parts near NC

or online

for both the trans (I have no core, so maybe go new?)
and also to find a rear gear set

reman 643's at LKQ for $650. They did have a ton of them. Check and see.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I'm sure he or someone could give you the info you'd need. You sound like the type who could get this done. If you had a donor vehicle a 2000 swap would be fairly straightforward I'd imagine.
Either way I think you're on the right track. Asking all the right questions for sure man!

I'll def get it done.

I've got decent fabrication skills...**** math skills (have dyscalculia, but I press on)

I've already re-designed the wheelchair lift to accomodate my full sized road bike. The rear of the bus will be a garage/shop and then I've put a bulkhead and the front will be sleeping/living.

I haven't had the bus long... I have the seats out, floor in, bed and bulkheads built.. the bike is in... need to weld up a mount so I can store the sailboats outboard back there on the wall (9hp tohatsu longshaft)

but then 3 weeks ago our house caught fire... pretty bad (wiring of some random sort) and so bus is kinda on hold a bit while we deal with the insurance and rebuild.

so a good time to start tackling the research for my gearing/trans questions.

speed was never the goal... comfortable cruising, lower RPM's so the engine was comfy and we don't have to shout (although I will dynomat the engine bay etc in due time) Am aware the MT643 would not be a speed gain... the lockout converter was the desire, and the fact its a direct swap (again, the bell housing question I still have no answer)
Chris's 2000 swap would be the bomb... but I would likely have to pay to have it done... around here I don't know anyone to do the computer side so i figure stay with what is tried and true for me which is to avoid computers lol

I don't know how to post photos here. I am familiar with the V-bulletin format from my old IH scout days but since Photo-bucket went all arse on us with the sharing I dunno what to use or how yet

cheers mate and thanks

[EastCoastCB]

In high school I had a 73 Scout Terra II pickup!

[cadillackid]

SCOUT!!!



I grew up in a Scout Household..

1977 SCOUT II with a 345, 4 speed
dad sold that in 1980 and ordered a new Turbo Diesel Scout II.. 4 speed, nissasn NV3300 diesel turbo


once he learned a few weeks after his order that Scout was going to be defuncy he ordered another nearly identical one.. different option package and color..



one still survives today with 375k on it.. albeit pretty rusty



all of our scouts had A/C, sliding rear windows, and carpeted interiors except the 2nd 1980 had a ralleye package with vinyl seats and rubber floors..


one of my Busses now is an IH Loadstar with a SV392 (improved cooloing)...
-Christopher

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

In high school I had a 73 Scout Terra II pickup!

Originally Posted by cadillackid

SCOUT!!!



I grew up in a Scout Household..

1977 SCOUT II with a 345, 4 speed
dad sold that in 1980 and ordered a new Turbo Diesel Scout II.. 4 speed, nissasn NV3300 diesel turbo


once he learned a few weeks after his order that Scout was going to be defuncy he ordered another nearly identical one.. different option package and color..



one still survives today with 375k on it.. albeit pretty rusty



all of our scouts had A/C, sliding rear windows, and carpeted interiors except the 2nd 1980 had a ralleye package with vinyl seats and rubber floors..


one of my Busses now is an IH Loadstar with a SV392 (improved cooloing)...
-Christopher

I have had so many over the last 30 years I lost count. at one point I had at least 7 at once.

I sold my last one (1968 800A with a 152 and a custom snowplow I built )

I was an original founding member of the Binder Bulletin back in the early 1990's..Bill Thebert at the time... Now is BinderPlanet.

My old handle was Wiredright... I was personal friends with John Glancey for many years but have lost touch since I quit the hobby

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

I have had so many over the last 30 years I lost count. at one point I had at least 7 at once.

I sold my last one (1968 800A with a 152 and a custom snowplow I built )

I was an original founding member of the Binder Bulletin back in the early 1990's..Bill Thebert at the time... Now is BinderPlanet.

My old handle was Wiredright... I was personal friends with John Glancey for many years but have lost touch since I quit the hobby

Who was the guy up in the Pacific Northwest with all the Scout parts? I talked to him on the phone several times he was super nice.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

another question is where to source parts near NC

or online

for both the trans (I have no core, so maybe go new?)
and also to find a rear gear set

Go to the UserCP and fill out your profile so we know where you are and what bus your dealing with. Makes replies easier.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Who was the guy up in the Pacific Northwest with all the Scout parts? I talked to him on the phone several times he was super nice.

There were a few... are you talking about BillUSNavy?
Then there was Hooperscout (with the scout from the movie Hooper)
and others..

possible the guy runs Anything scout but I can't remember his name..

John Glancy owns Super Scout Specialists and they also now from what I hear can stamp body panels.

been years for me now.. I sold my last one about 5 years ago and kinda dropped out


was a fun ride

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Go to the UserCP and fill out your profile so we know where you are and what bus your dealing with. Makes replies easier.

Its not working..

something about loading the images won't work..
unsure.. V-bulletin got weird after we lost photobucket..

I live in Raleigh NC
am from UK originally

[Kubla]

You need an un-obtianium spacer ring to hook a t444e to an MT643, retail price was 600 dollars, has not been made since about 2000 and were pretty rare then, not a popular engine tranny combo, not talking about a flexplate, the torque converter sticks out 2 inches further on a 643 so there wss a spacer ring between the engine and bellhousing

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

Its not working..

something about loading the images won't work..
unsure.. V-bulletin got weird after we lost photobucket..

I live in Raleigh NC
am from UK originally

You don't need images to fill out profile.