TNBrett
Full Access Member
Sounds like that gear is not coming off there in one piece. It will have to be cut off like was mentioned earlier. It’s basically the same procedure as the bearing retainer on a Ford 9” axle shaft.
There was a knock anytime the clutch was engaged and your are correct it is direct but the gear that meshes with the input shaft is your 4th gear, trust me I am the 1 who had to buy it. so when you disengage the clutch the input shaft quits spinning and no more knock, I don't know how the po did it I just know that I got a great deal on an "88" F-250 with under 70,000 milesI guess I'm confused here. 4th gear is direct in a zf5, meaning there is no gear-gear contact and the countershaft would be irrelevant. What's considered the 4th gear on the countershaft is actually the gear that meshes with the input shaft. I'm not sure how you managed to wreck the teeth on it without damaging the mating input shaft, but whatever.
If a stronger, more rigid press doesn't get it off, you can cut it 90% of the way through and strike it with a cold chisel. That should crack the remaining metal and allow the gear to come off a lot easier.
FWIW having a knocking noise in 4th only is pretty unusual, and that being direct, a gear wouldn't be the culprit.
well chillman when your right your right. when it comes to pressing on a shaft size does matter. I took it to a shop today and no problem but I'll tell you what that first 1/4 inch was no punk after that it went smooth and the same thing going back on the final 1/4 inch he had to put some umpf on it. I would have done this in the first place but the nearest town is 70 miles from me. thanks to you and everyone else that chimed in because sometimes it's nice to have several opinions and perspectives on the same problem, so again I thank you all. ps i would send pics but the shaft is out in my truck and it's 1:30 amFor what it's worth, when I changed the countershaft gear on the NV4500 in my Chevy, it made my buddy's 30ton press work a little bit. I think you're 6 ton capacity is the primary issue.
What about taking it to a machine shop to have it pressed off?