Today, I got started on the 3-speed section's gear-train.
With all parts clean, inspected and lubed where appropriate, . . .
I started with sliding the rear planetary annulus gear on the intermediate-shaft followed by that thrust-plate nested inside.
I then slid in the rear steel-carrier, 6-pinion planetary gear assembly along with it's thrust-washer.
Now, with the drive-shell loaded with the planetary gear-set's sun-gear and a second rear planet thrust-washer . . . .
Stab that boy in the rear planetary gear-set.
I made sure all was fully seated and set this aside for a moment.
Now, take the front steel-carrier, 6-pinion planetary gear assembly and place the thrust-washer on the back of the gear assembly along with that ring-spacer**.
**If you plan on upgrading your early 46RH aluminum front planetary gear-set with a later planetary gear-set that uses a steel carrier, you need to swap the OEM plastic ring-spacer with the later plastic ring-spacer. The latter is taller. Apparently, the now two steel components don't get along with each other and need the plastic article between them to shut them up. Notice the taller ring-spacer is between stuff all the way to the planet's rear thrust washer.
Now slip the front planetary annulus-gear over that thrust-washer, ring-spacer, front planet stack.
With the rear planet/drive-shell thing standing up in one hand, take the front planet assembly, annulus-gear down, and screw it down on the front sun-gear.
Finally, slip the selective snap-ring on the front end of the intermediate-shaft.
Take the entire planet gear-train and stand it on the front planet end, on a block off wood. Gently stomp the thing on the front tip of the intermediate-shaft so all the stuff shifts forward and leans on the front snap-ring.
You do this so you can measure the total end-play of the assembly right there between the rear annulus-gear and that shoulder of the intermediate-shaft. You want between 0.006" ~ 0.048" of end-play. Use the selective front snap ring to add or remove slack accordingly.
Measuring my end-play reveals it's way loose past 0.048" (yes, I'm confident I didn't leave something out).
EDIT:
I'm running 48RE shafts and planets, etc in the 3-speed section. But I'm also running the 46RH drive-shell. It's a little thinner than the 48 version. As such, my running the 48 sun-gear in the 46 drive-shell has those two parts fitting looser than anybody planned for.
To take up the slack between the two had me slip in a second sun-gear shell thrust plate.
That moved the front planet forward taking up that slack I needed to get within the correct tolerance range. I this case, I ended up with 0.010" clearance.
OK. Confirming the rear-band and associated drum is correctly assembled/installed.
I then slid the planetary gear-set assembly into the 3-speed case.
With the 3-speed section's planetary gear-train complete, I moved to the 3-speed section's clutch-packs.
Here you can see that removed from the 46RH/48RE hybrid I was running. Closest is the front clutch assembly (less the actual clutch discs and steels). The rearmost stuff is the rear clutch-pack (again, less the actual clutch discs and steels) that includes the current non lock-up billet/alloy input-shaft.
Starting with the rear clutch-pack, I harvested and cleaned all that was gonna be reused.
The front clutch retainer.
All that other stuff was replaced with a billet/alloy lock-up input-shaft, mo'betta clutch-pack pistons and a thickerer Belleville-spring (sp?).
I'll get to that mess tomorrow,