ZF5 Rebuild

[91f2504x4]

Damnit

I can grind it shifting into reverse and I can also get it into reverse no problem but once I start letting the clutch out, it will grind.

Any idea's on the actual problem? sounds like a synchro to me and the PO.

That sounds exactly like what mine was doing. If I would just try to put it in reverse sitting still it would feel like it would go in, but as soon as I let the clutch out, it would just grind and not move about 8 out of 10 times. The only way to get mine to go in most of the time was to put it in first and let the clutch out just enough to make it rock forward and then stick it in reverse really quick before it completely stopped moving. When I took mine apart there was half the gear ground off the side of the reverse gear and half ground off the side of the slider gear, so there was barely enough there to catch and most of the time it wouldn't. My synchro rings were perfect, none of them had any wear at all.

 

[bajabomber87]

Well this is what I got for the tranny http://quad4x4.com/Ford Transmission.htm If it ends up being the gear then I'll order it up.

But did you happen to save the brand and part number for the bearing? I'd like to pick up a new bearing in the morning from the bearing shop before I pull the case apart and destroy it.

 

[91f2504x4]

Bearing number was 57508 I bought mine from National Drivetrain Inc.

The arrows point to were the gears were worn on mine,if yours are worn here as well you won't see the wear until you get the gears off the shaft.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[91f2504x4]

Oh yeah when you pull it apart also be very careful and have a clean area becuase there will more than likely be a few springs and bb's fly out from the synchro assemblies. They only go back together a certain way, so make sure you look at how they come apart. There are 3 spot on the inside of the slider gears that line up with 3 of the openings in the synchro assembly and this is where 3 tabs with bb's and springs go.

 

[bajabomber87]

What the fawk, I hope this sounds a lot more confusing on paper than in person, Ive gone thru valve bodies and modified them but this is scaring me

 

[91f2504x4]

It really wasn't too bad, maybe it just sounds that way. The worst part is getting the bearing off the main shaft. The little springs and bb's are a little tricky to get back in place and keep them there but, you just have to be a little careful when putting it back together. Oh and you can't use permatex to seal the two halves together, or at least that is what I was told a long time ago. You have to use something that dries hard, permatex can get in the little passages and block oil. I will have to go out in the garage and see what the sealant I use is called, tomorrow though, it is too late tonight.


No one told me all the tips about the crap flying apart when you take it apart so I wanted to pass that along to you so that you would be prepared and hopefully not lose anything.

 

[bajabomber87]

Another good reason why these "smaller" forums are great to find info like this.

 

[bajabomber87]

The instructions above worked great until I got to removing the three allen head bolts holding the shift rails in place. I got one out no problem but stripped the last two

I cant get them out even with an easy out

Gona try the easy out on an impact drill tomorrow if I can get a hold of one.

Here's some step by step'ish pics of the tear down and to where Im at now

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Where in the hell do these balls and plates go? they fell to the bottom of the case before I knew it.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Shift rail out

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Tried everything with this one

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Exekiel69]

The little springs and tabs look like the ones that go in the syncro assembly, as said above, rpita to put back at least it was for Me.

As for the allen head bolts, if they don't want to come out, have You tried a nut remover? It will ruin the head but it will get it out then You can just go and get new ones at the hardware store.

 

[towcat]

if you need small parts to put your trans back together, let me know and come on down to the valley. I have a couple of parts ZF's that have been slowly canibalized over the years. when mime get killed, they die a nasty death.

 

[bajabomber87]

The little springs and tabs look like the ones that go in the syncro assembly, as said above, rpita to put back at least it was for Me.

As for the allen head bolts, if they don't want to come out, have You tried a nut remover? It will ruin the head but it will get it out then You can just go and get new ones at the hardware store.

I have no problem working the springs back into the furthest forward synchro but was just wondering where to put the balls and tabs. I'll just have to stare at my diagram some more.

The nut remover is about the last thing I can try. The bolts are already destroyed, stripped in the middle on one, and the second I tried welding a bolt to it with no success.

if you need small parts to put your trans back together, let me know and come on down to the valley. I have a couple of parts ZF's that have been slowly canibalized over the years. when mime get killed, they die a nasty death.

Luckily I pulled it apart this far and havent had any problems or breaks besides the two stripped allen head bolts. But thanks for the offer in case something comes up


Anyways hopefully I can get those bolts out this afternoon and throw the trans back together since my fly wheel will be here by 3pm so says Fedex, then MAYBE I can throw it all back in this evening.

What is the best oil mix you guys are running after changing to a SMF?

 

[91f2504x4]

The tabs and balls go on the inside of the synchro assembly. They go the same place that those springs go. The tabs and balls go in first on the outside of the opening and then the spring goes in to hold the ball out against the slider assembly, this helps it stay gear the same as the detent springs.

Edit:

I know pictures help me so here you go,

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[91f2504x4]

I want to add too that it is best just to leave those springs and things out until you put it back together because they are just going to keep falling out. You are going to run into another set when you start on the rear of the trans for the 5th reverse synchro assemly. When I reassembled mine I rotated the shaft so that the opening I was working on in the syncro assembly was at the bottom. I laid the tab in there placed the ball in it, then I put the spring in the hole above it and used a screwdriver to compress the spring and push it back in there so that it seats on the ball. Be careful not to move the slider gear too much when you are doing this or the springs on the ones you have already finished will come flying out again.

I know someone will laugh at this but I run "tractor hydraulic and transmission" fluid in mine, it makes no noise and is very smooth. The fluid is fairly thin but is meant to take a lot of heat and hold up for a while. I might change it over to a synthetic trans fluid, I just put the Hydraulic and trans fluid in there because it seems to meet what I was looking for and I had an extra bunch of it here from where I flushed out a tractor. My initial idea was to run it in there for a bit, then drain it and refill, that way it would flush any crap out that I missed when cleaning out the trans and casing.

 

[bajabomber87]

Ok that's easy. What brand fluid do you use? Do you over fill or how many quarts do you throw in? I can get the hydro fluid from Amsoil pretty cheap, thats what I use in my rock crawlers hydro steering..

 

[Agnem]

I'm sure ATF and hydraulic fluid are very similar. They probably have different properties though that make one ideal over the other for the indicated application.