Got my tranny almost back together. New mainshaft/5th gear fix. New bearings, syncros, seals. Should be new when done and better than new.

But now my question. I have the both shafts in and shimmed to no freeplay, same as I would set up any tapered bearing tranny in a piece of equipment.

Is this right for these trasmissions? I was rather confident until my stepdad started asking me if I was positive this was right.

Better to ask and be right, than not to ask and be wrong.
Thanks guys

 

You need to have both shafts set at .002-.006 endplay. That is the spec I got off of AllData. Did ya put in a new clutch too?
carty

 

Lil Mule, did you post a few weeks ago that you had found loose bolts that caused a tapered bearing to fail. As I recall, you felt you had taken care of the problem for very little money and work.

Just wondering what made you go back into the tranny.

Thanks, RJR

added in edit; and the reason I ask is I'm not that far away (Sheridan) and have similar issues with my 5 speed. While pulling one of those little hills in Colorado last fall, my tranny started making a heckofanoise in 4th and 5th anytime it saw over 20lbs of boost pulling a loaded hunting trailer. I didn't think it would make it home. It did and hasn't acted up much since we'er back in Arkansas.

I drained the oil, pulled a pto cover and checked the bottom of the trans case, "no" metal parts like I expected to see, I then added a qt of Lucas oil stablizer. I know, not the smartest thing, but the added visicosity seems to have quieted things down, I suspect the trans is running hotter due to the thicker oil. I'll check it with a pyrometer and see.

My logic on the Lucas was that with 140K of sometimes working miles, the clearances had opened up and I'm gonna have to go into the case anyway and this might mitigate any damage.

 

My countershaft was loose, not beacuse of a loose bolt, but because the bearings themselves had worn out.

Cost wise, it is a rather inexpensive fix. $105 for bearing and seal kit, plus I think it was an extra $35 for shim kits for both main and countershafts.

But.......... Realised since I am bombing the truck, I should probably go ahead and take care of 5th gear and do a complete rebuild instead of bandaiding it back together.

When you pulled the PTO cover, did you chect to see what kind of play you were getting in your countershaft (lower shaft)?

DeereDiesel - While I don't doubt AllData, I wonder why the shafts should be set so loose?

A tapered roller bearing is designed to be set at 0 to .002 preload. Setting the bearings to .004 endplay allows for side motion which is a common cause of failure in a tapered bearing. Set them to .002 which still seems loose but better than over tight.

Thanks for the info.

 

Wish I'd seen this thread before I pulled the pto cover, then I'd have checked the countershaft. But of course I didn't.

 

I'm kinda afraid to know whats wrong with my tranny. It is at the shop right now because the bigger input shaft ate the back half of the front bottom gear away.
DM01