ZF5 Help, What is This?

[Pino2234]

Where does this piece go? I took a picture of it and attached it.

I took the shifter off of the ZF5 to get it in the truck and never bolted it back up. I look down in the trans and this "P" lookin piece was layin on a gear inside the transmission. There was also a spring that was loose. Can anyone tell me where these two pieces go?

 

[Agnem]

Did you retrieve the spring? Damn lucky if you did. I've spent a half hour rolling a transmission on the floor with all the access panels off of it trying to retrieve one, and it never has come out. I'm consigned to let it become a meat grinder. What you have here is the reverse tang. It belongs on a pair of posts that is in the upper left hand corner of the transmission opening when viewed from the drivers seat. The spring fits between the "***" that is pointing at the base of your pinky finger, and a similar *** in the casting. The spring forces this piece to be held towards the rear of the trans. I've since learned how to use a putty knife to hold this piece in place any time I'm taking the top cover off.

 

[Pino2234]

Wow that was fast. Yes managed to find the spring. Thank you so much. Now I know to watch for that when taking the shifter off. I am going to go try to put it back in.

What does this piece do?

 

[pt_Ranger_v8]

IIRC (just had my shifter off) it's the finger that moves the switch when you go into reverse, so yo ucan have reverse lights. At least, that's what I *think* it is. Mine didn't pop off though when I pulled my shifter.

 

[Agnem]

I don't think it has anything to do with the reverse lights, but I could be wrong. I think it's main purpose, is to give you that "springgy" feeling when you go to shift into reverse. It's what helps your mind process that feeling from your arm that says "this is reverse gear" without looking at your arm. They actually redesigned this little metal piece, so that the "***" is much longer, which helps the spring stay on it, and lessens the chance of you dropping it. I recommend a big glob of wheel bearing grease to help it stay put while you work with it. Yea, I don't know what effect wheel bearing grease mixed in with a lot of ATF will have, but I do know what a little bit of spring mixed into your gears will have.

 

[hesutton]

OK, this has me wondering what the proper technique is for removing the top cover of the ZF5 (for overfilling with ATF and the like). Meaning, how do I or anyone else prevent this from happening (loosing the "***-tang-spring" thing).

I didn't remove the cover on my ZF5, I just layed on it's side and put 2 gallons of Royal Purple ATF in the fill hole. But, I can't do that in the future with the sucker on the truck.

Heath

 

[Dieselcrawler]

just lay the truck on its side.

 

[hesutton]

just lay the truck on its side.

Heath

 

[oldblue05]

just lay the truck on its side.

Yall laugh, I swear thats the only way my roommate is ever gonna get his truck clean.

 

[Agnem]

What I've learned to do is take a 3 or 4" wide putty knife, and insert it into the gap prior to removing the top cover. Generally takes 2 people to do it when the trans is in the truck, as the guy removing the cover, and the guy holding the tang are on different sides of the cab. I then have a piece of steel that I bolt over the area the tang is in while the top cover is off.

 

[hesutton]

What I've learned to do is take a 3 or 4" wide putty knife, and insert it into the gap prior to removing the top cover. Generally takes 2 people to do it when the trans is in the truck, as the guy removing the cover, and the guy holding the tang are on different sides of the cab. I then have a piece of steel that I bolt over the area the tang is in while the top cover is off.

Wouldn't happend to have any photos of that would ya?

Heath

 

[dmaxjoe]

Holy cow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have taken mine off twice now and never noticed it. or the spring. The shifter is still springy. I guess I just got lucky.

 

[TWeatherford]

Great, now I'm going to have to go see if mine is springy still. I never noticed it when I pulled my shifter...

 

[65sixbanger]

When I assembled the shifter, I left that piece out on purpose. I didnt want that in the tranny and I never had any problems with the shifter.

 

[MUDKICKR]

that piece is a safety item so you dont shift from 5th to reverse.