Hello - I'm almost finished with installing a Borg Warner T10 into my '57 Chevy 3100. The tranny has a fine spline output shaft and '64 casting dates on the body and the tailshaft. I bought it off of Craig's list and I have no idea what it was out of. A local machine shop told me that this particular transmission is a one-year only T10 that was used by Buick, and that it needs a special slip yoke because the output shaft has a larger diameter OD section after the splines, and that I need a slip yoke with a sleeve that fits over that larger OD portion in order to keep the slip yoke from vibrating. Right now I have the driveshaft installed, and there's about 2" of the ship yoke exposed between the end of the tailshaft and the U-joint. Can anyone enlighten me about the tranny and slip yoke? Did Buick use a 1 year only design in '64 that calls for a special slip yoke? Thanks... Chris
I'm not positive, but I think your machine shop is full of crap. I looked in my Buick parts manual that covers 1940-1964 and it only lists (2) conventional (stick shift) transmissions and both are 3-speed units. I've never heard of a T-10 that was factory installed as an option, but that doesn't mean they didn't - maybe somebody will chime in and educate both of us, if I'm wrong. Years ago I bought a '63 Stude that had a nailhead and a T-10 in it, just for the drive train. It had an aluminum bell housing, but as I recall, it had the Chevrolet bolt pattern and was an aftermarket bell. What bolt pattern does your T-10 have? What's the spline diameter & spline count?
GM did use Borg Warner T10's previous to Muncie's in the 60's. Pontiac big cars 64 and earlier, Chevy full size cars IIRC 64 and earlier. Corvette's used Muncie's in that era, Buicks and Oldsmobiles I'm not sure of. The early T10 was configured differently than the later ones but but I really can't remember exactly what was changed besides the input and output splines. How close is a TH 400 yoke or maybe a 64 Buick full size (early 400) design yoke?
Tag and Shovel - I could be wrong about the Buick, may have been Pontiac or Olds, but it was definitely one of those three. I removed a Chevy T400 to put in this 4 speed, and the shaft diameter and spline pattern on the T400 yoke was different...the shaft was larger in diameter so I could not use it. I spoke to a few drivetrain/tranny shops, and was told that some GM cars did use a counterbored slip yoke, but no one could give me any detail on what and when or any of the dimensions. I'm don't know the difference between an early and late design 400, so I can't say if what I've got is close or not. So...still need to find out if this tranny needs a counterbored slip yoke. Chris
I have a T10 that is dated 7-25-61 and had an output shaft that measured 23sp. 1.176 OD W/ 1.5 seal. Found out that the 23 spline yokes are very rare and usually expensive if you find one. They were installed in Buicks and there weren't a lot of 4 speed Buicks. You're gonna have to swap out the 23 spline for a 27 spline which is very common for GM. Good luck.
I'm almost certain the counter bored slip yoke you speak of is exclusively a TH400 thing, and was used with an "O"-ring around the the output shaft (this was NOT used on ALL TH400's). As far as the "one year only (1964 Buick) deal", I think someone's been inhaling far too many hydrocarbons. Of all the manual shift transmissions available in 64 Buicks, the ONLY 4-speed available was a Borg Warner (according to my 1971 Chilton's manual). I thought the early Borg Warner, GM application 4-speeds had the same course output splines of the 55-62 or so, non-synchro first, 3 speeds (and Powerglide transamatic automissions). NOW, the aluminum Powerglides had two different first gear ratios, 1.82 and 1.76; they actually have slightly different diameter output shafts, but use the SAME bushings and slip yokes! Are we all good and confused yet? Butch/56sedandelivery.
I wish I had been inhaling something when I found out the spline was different. You can duplicate my research, but the Buick did have a 1 to 1 1/2 year run with the high performance T-10 option. Seeing as how we left the drive shaft to be the final piece, I was ready to murder someone until I decided to just bit the bullet and rebuild the tranny. Blog Entry RE: Yolk
Here's what I remember..A bud bought a t-10 from a F-85, 63/64 or maybe small buick..Chevy bolt pattern and clutch spline and bolted right up to the 283 in his 64 impala and matched trans mount..I don't remember the output spline count but it used a bolt on yoke [threaded hole in end of mainshaft] and the slip part was built into the driveshaft...The impala drive shaft wouldn't fit because probably spline count was off so he got a another mainshaft from a chevy t-10, we made the swap and everything fit...
There is so much misinformation here its not funny. Why even reply if you don't know for sure people? 1964-1966 Buick Skylarks equipped with a 4 speed got the Borg Warner T10 with "GS" cast into the tail housing where the shifter mounts. They are 27 spline output shaft with a cast iron main case. ANY 27 spline GM yoke will work in that transmission. If the end of your output shaft is drilled and tapped for a bolt, you cannot use a standard 27 spline yoke and that takes a special fixed yoke with a slip driveshaft.
FYI, Some 1961-63 Buick Specials, and I imagine Olds F-85, came with a T-10 transmission, which had a bolt-on yoke. When I built my "59 English Ford in 1973, with a 215 Buick & T-10 4 speed, I filled the bolt hole in the yoke,to eliminate leakage, and used it as a slip yoke. 40 years later it's still working fine. Bob
I had a T-10 in the mid 70's that a normal yoke would not fit. I don't recall how I determined that the trans was for a Buick application or what year it fit. I ended up calling a guy at the GM parts division and getting a yoke that fit the trans, even though the yoke was not available in the distribution system any longer. The trans bolted to my '62 Vette bell housing, and the yoke mated with my drive shaft. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that. I'm gonna guess that a yoke like that is going to be made out of unobtainium now. Charlie
Chevrolet switched to Muncie in mid 63 because of the new HP rating of the 409. The others kept the BW as they were not making any horsepower to speak of.
If anybody is going to have one in stock it will be russ martin "buick rodder" in centerville calif. Russ is the the man for all hard to find buick parts
"Buick Rodder" tends to be expensive. There are two cheaper Buick parts guys out here in the Detroit area. Let me know if you want their phone numbers.
I had an aluminum case borg out of a early vette it was fine spine got a yoke from JEGS expensive I think it was like $110 bout 10 years ago
I replaced the stock driveshaft on my wife's '64 Skylark with factory 4-speed. The new driveshaft is the same u-joint center to u-joint center as the original but the slip yolk is 1/2" too long being 5 1/2" from u-joint center to then end of the slip yolk. The stock one has this dimension as 5". We managed to install it but removing it was almost impossible. The slip yolk is 27 spline and takes a 3R (3147) u-joint. I contacted Denny's Driveshaft and they confirm that this 5" yolk is very rare as it hasn't been made in 25 years. They tell me I need to shorten my driveshaft 1/2". However, I can't think that cutting 1/2" off the end of the yolk wouldn't do the same or equivalent. They insist that cutting the yolk wouldn't work. I'm having a hard time understanding that. In any event, did you ever resolve your issue?
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