Transmission and Transfer Case rebuild

[macrisel]

Well, the parts list just keeps adding up!  So far I have ended up with a new second gear, 1st/reverse sliding gear and both reverse idler and main counter shaft!  I received my parts from Herm yesterday and started my assembly this morning and immediately hit a snag.....

When I test fit my new front main bearing on the input shaft....it dropped right on with no problem or force required.  I'm guessing that is not a good thing as everything I read has you freezing the shaft and heating the bearing to get it to fit on.  Either that or pressing it on.  The fact that it slides right on by hand does not seem right.

I have tried to call Herm to verify the bearing number, but I think it is correct.  I have a bad feeling my input shaft is bad.  With it being July 4th today I probably won't get a call today...

Can anyone tell me what the measurement of the shaft should be where the bearing rides?  Mine is measuring about 1.57"......and the bearing ID measures around 1.575".

[macrisel]

I really shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch.  I now have to add a new input shaft and main shaft to the parts list.  Using my new needle bearings, I put them in the input shaft and test fit my main shaft into it.  Wow.........that thing flopped around like a limp noodle.  On top of that, when I looked at the end of the main shaft and the inside of the input shaft, I saw quite a bit of pitting.  Add all of that to the bearing sliding on by hand and I think I will go ahead and get both of them.

It's only money right?

[Carls_jeep]

Good move. I was about to suggest that until I read the rest of your posts.

[macrisel]

A big thank you to Brent Mullins in TX for the NOS 1st/reverse gear and Peter Debella in NY for the NOS input shaft and main shaft in my transmission.  Two good guys that were easy to deal with and talk to.  It is nice to have some NOS options still left out there!

I have received all my parts (again) and will hopefully be picking back up my t/c and and transmisison rebuilds this weekend!

[macrisel]

After an exhausting last week and weekend, I managed to get both my transfer case and transmission re-assembled and joined back together.� It is definately tighter than it was before and hopefully will not leak.� I spent most of the late nights last week putting the t/c together and most of the weekend on the trasmission.

Here are a few shots...

Front cap on the t/c getting ready to check the endplay


Checking the endplay.� I know some of you will be jealous, but I actually got lucky and came up with .005" on my first shim pack.� I disassembled and sprayed the shims with sealer and called it good.


T/c case sealed up and finished.


Loading the needle bearings into the cluster shaft.� My Dad was helping me and was very doubtful a wooden dowl rod and electrical conduit would work.� He was then pretty happy when it turned out...


Main shaft assembled and in the case..


Finished transmission..


And finally last night around midnight the t/c and transmission were reunited!� I had did a dry fit first to ensure there wasn't any obstructions then pulled them back apart and put the gasket in..


Next up I have to find and install an oil seal in my PTO before I put it on the t/c.  I also have to disassemble and check the shift tower prior to installation.

[Ryan_M]

0.005" on your first try?? oooh you lucky DOG!

I know you will anyways but make sure you shift through the gears of the trans and verify the shafts turn as they should before throwing everything back in the vehicle. If you do this w/o the TC bolted on make sure you don't push the main shaft out of the case when moving the shifter.

[macrisel]

I did bolt the shift tower to the transmission and shift through the gears last night.  It seemed pretty tight going from 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd but I'll check it again when it is not so late.  I was burning the midnight oil last night and didn't want to push my luck anymore.  Plus, with everything being new I assume things were going to be a lot tighter than they were before.  The synchro hub seemed to be the tightest part.

Also, how much play does everyone have in their shift tower while it is in gear?  On mine (even before the rebuild) I can have it in gear and move the shifter left and right maybe an inch each way....just wondering if my shifter end is worn or maybe the shift forks/rails....

[Ryan_M]

Make sure you turn the input shaft by hand in each gear to make sure the main shaft turns along with it. You'll see the different ratios in each gear.

I'll have to check my shifter for play. I forget how much wobble there is. Knowing my luck, probably way too much.

Edit: I just checked my 3A and M38. Both have roughly 1/2" to 1-1/8" play at the top of the stick depending on the the engaged gear. Both are a little sloppier in 1st gear than the other gears. Undoubtedly has more to do with worn shift forks than the T-90 internals.

[jamesr]

Hey Gents,
This is the first time I've been logged on in a while.� I may be a bit out of sync here, but as far a quality tranny parts I have to suggest Novak Conversions in Logan, Utah.� When Carl (Carl's Jeep) had his tranny apart I suggested Novak's and I think he had a good outcome with their locally manufactured quality parts.�
Like Ryan, I had a "before-I-Knew -better" overhaul and then did it again with NOS parts.� Both were before Carl went into his tranny.�
Novak's does all kinds of Jeep mods and conversions and manufactures their own parts. Google them.� I think you'll like what you find.

I learned from Calvin after his 2nd rebuild, and went straight to Novak for all of my T/TC internal parts.  No trouble with any of them, and no leaks.

[1955CJ-5]

how much play does everyone have in their shift tower while it is in gear?�

I finally remembered to check, but no measuring tape...so the estimate is just a little more than an inch in first and reverse, and maybe an inch or a little less in second and third.

[macrisel]

Thanks for checking guys.  I called and talked to Carl Walck and Herm the Overdrive Guy and they both said that there could be quite a bit of play in the stick without anything being wrong.  As long as the shift forks and shift rails/poppet balls don't show a lot of wear it should be okay.  I guess it's never going to be as tight as a Hurst short throw shifter.....

On another side note, I went ahead and ordered a new clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing.  My clutch still had quite a bit of wear left on it, but one of the springs was loose in its housing.  Before my teardown, I was getting a little bit of a rattle when I pushed the clutch in.  After rebuilding the trans/t-case I discovered the rattle could have been a bad pilot bushing, bad bearings, bad input shaft or one of the needle bearings that had come out of the input shaft that was floating around inside.  Looking at that loose spring, it could have been coming from that also.  I don't want to pull the transmission again anytime soon, so I made a quick trip to Walck's website and a few mouse clicks later the parts are one their way..

Do you think Carl will ever start a reward points program........?  I could sponsor another project with all the stuff I've bought from them over the years...

[1955CJ-5]

Do you think Carl will ever start a reward points program........?�

I think you are on to something..

"Walck's Willys Bucks"....

Try saying that real fast three or four times!

[macrisel]

Whew!� Another exhausting weekend working out in the shop.� Without a doubt, I have used every Willy Point I had built up over the past year........and I'm probably in debt also.� However, I managed to get everything finished up.� Not only did I rebuild the shift tower, but I also took the PTO apart and replaced the bearings and seals in it.� Then, I spent Sunday afternoon putting everything back into the Willys and doing a dry run with it on jacks.� There was only one major mistake on my part that caused me 10 minutes of sheer panic.� When I first put it in gear........I only had reverse......in every gear.� Once I cussed, paniced and calmed down and thought about it for a second I pulled the shift tower back off.� Sure enough, I had missed getting the fork on the 1st/reverse slider gear and it was stuck in reverse with no way to pull it out.� Easy fix and everything worked after that.. � Tonight I'll drain the oil, replace it and take it for a test drive......

Wish me luck!�
A few more photos...

First off, I was just going to replace the seal on the PTO.� However, when I started cleaning it up, I noticed a lot of metal flakes inside.� Since I just spent a fair amount of time and headaches on the trans/t-case, I didn't want a wandering flake from the PTO to wreck havok on them.

Parts cleaned up and laid out..

Oh well, when I pulled everything apart, the bearings in the PTO were shot.� A quick call to NAPA and I had two new bearings in hand.� Installation was pretty simple.� For the bearing on the shaft, I used the same trick from the rebuild guide (freeze the shaft, boil the bearing) and made short work of it.
�
For the oil seal, I just used one of the single lip seals in my rebuild kit from Herm that I didn't use in my t-case.

PTO mated back to everything else waiting on install!

New clutch and pressure plate installed.

Loaded on the trans jack ready for install..

Shift tower torn apart, cleaned, repainted, reassembled with new caps.

[1955CJ-5]

What sort of transmission jack are you using? Will you use your floor jack to lift it in place?

And what about those caps on the tower?.....I'm pretty sure mine does not have those caps.....I just had the cover off and didn't see any caps, unless they are recessed...

I hope you have lots of smooth shifts and quiet running....!

[macrisel]

Well, the test run didn't go exactly as planned.  I am having an issue with going from 1st to 2nd and I think the issue is in the shift tower.  For some reason, it seems the cane shifter is not making the transition from one rail to the other very smoothly and I end up hitting reverse instead of second gear.  Is this issue related to having so much play in the shifter?

My shift tower didn't have the caps on it either, but I was under the impression they were just missing.  However, on my third shift, the cap for the 2-3 rail popped out.......guess that is why they weren't there to begin with....

Also, like others have said after their rebuild, my transmission feels TIGHT!  Without having another "new" T-90 to compare to, I'm not sure what it too tight and what is normal...  Is this related to my 1-2 shift issue?

On a side note, I'll have to check the name brand on the transmission jack.  I use this jack with our car lift overhead instead of using a floor jack on the ground.

Do I just need to drive it more to loosen everything up and make the shifts easier???