1978 5-speed transmission Tail-Housing Removal?

[zKars]

Air hammer would work too. Have to find one that hits 90 degrees at the tip to make it work on cases without the reverse lockout hole.

And can someone give me a bright idea on removing that inner grease seal that the shift rod passes through? There’s a dang metal ridge right behind it that prevents a punch from reaching it. Some kind of hook from the front? Going to have to invent a punch/holder thingy to re-insert it without hurting it too.  Will this transmission challenge ever end?

[chaseincats]

37 minutes ago, zKars said:

Air hammer would work too. Have to find one that hits 90 degrees at the tip to make it work on cases without the reverse lockout hole.

And can someone give me a bright idea on removing that inner grease seal that the shift rod passes through? There’s a dang metal ridge right behind it that prevents a punch from reaching it. Some kind of hook from the front? Going to have to invent a punch/holder thingy to re-insert it without hurting it too.  Will this transmission challenge ever end?

The shift rod comes out by pressing it through the end cap.  We used a press to push it through but if you put it in a vice and give the end of the rod a few good wacks it should come out the other side, allowing you to swap out the grease seal.

[zKars]

3 minutes ago, chaseincats said:

The shift rod comes out by pressing it through the end cap.  We used a press to push it through but if you put it in a vice and give the end of the rod a few good wacks it should come out the other side, allowing you to swap out the grease seal.

Thanks for that, I wasn’t clear. I have the rod out via the tap it through the end cap idea, and I now see the seal inside the bore. How to remove that seal? I can think of some crude ways.... What has worked for people?

[chaseincats]

35 minutes ago, zKars said:

Thanks for that, I wasn’t clear. I have the rod out via the tap it through the end cap idea, and I now see the seal inside the bore. How to remove that seal? I can think of some crude ways.... What has worked for people?

I actually haven't seen the seal yet - that method is what I relayed to the person working on my trans.

I believe its just a lip seal so you should be able to just pick it out

[zKars]

1 hour ago, chaseincats said:

I actually haven't seen the seal yet - that method is what I relayed to the person working on my trans.

I believe its just a lip seal so you should be able to just pick it out

If it weren't 6 inches down a 1" hole.....

[zKars]

So here is a simple solution to the shaft support issue while whacking.

The pipe is a chunk 1/2” electrical conduit with a 17/32 hole (perfect fit on the shift rod BTW), 1” from the edge. The pipe is 0.8” diameter. It butts up against the 3/4” angle iron real nice. You could drill a 1/2 hole and file it out to 17/32” to save buying that bit. I have more pipe on the right than you need.

The “punch” is nice and straight on the wedge bolt (its dangling free in the pic, ie not straight) and more or less in the center of the reverse lockout hole. Note that the 1/4 extension has the end cut off some to make sure it traps the end of the bolt, but leaves enough exposed to let it move when you hit it. That’s a 3/8 plate spacing the shift casting off the bottom. Helps keep things in place while you place the angle iron and pipe.

The rear shaft pin is out of the casting, and the other guide/spring are out as well to all the shaft components to move in and out and rotate to get everything lined up.

Edited February 19, 2020 by zKars

[Captain Obvious]

3 hours ago, zKars said:

If it weren't 6 inches down a 1" hole.....

How about something like this?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mayhew-Pro-37019-Seal-Puller/dp/B008M238HU?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

I've got something similar from HF, but I can't find it on their website.

 

[Zed Head]

I usually punch a hole in them then use a screw in the hole to pull on.  That seal is probably pretty small though.

That pipe with the hole in it is pretty slick.

[zKars]

Well I tried my fancy azz press tool on a “fresh” tail housing pin. Not quite perfected. It was not pushing dead straight and the threaded portion began to bend. Quite happy it didn’t snap.

resorted to more heat and a punch with the fancy azz new support tube/angle iron. Still no joy. Still too much bounce in the system. 

Decided to try the air hammer. Machined one of the tips with a flat and 1/4 hole to catch the end of the bolt.

Well I have to tell you, it popped free in about 2 milliseconds of pounding. I suppose I had loosened it up a bit with previous attempts. Let’s just say that’s true...

For me, the right thing to do is to just use the dang air hammer, making that hole in the side of the case first if you have to, and plugging later. Having decent backup, even a chunk of wood wedged in there, would be plenty.

 

[chaseincats]

nice job!

[madkaw]

That’s why I love this site - you guys have done everything on these cars and are a wealth of info.

 I have a customers car with the early 3 piece 4 speed that leaks out the gear shifter . The A looks different from the outside , but not any different from the inside ? The trans was rebuilt sometime in its life , but maybe they skipped this part ?  I found receipts for the rear seal being changed several times in its life , but it had probably always been coming from the shifter .

I’ve never even cracked open a trans before , so this seems very intimidating to me, so might need to source this . Then I wonder what trans shops will deal with this 50 year old trans . The trans shifts well enough and is quiet . Shifter is sloppy , but I know it’s an early 4 speed. The clevis fork around the shift rod needs to be shimmed up or something . The trans is out of the car so I can just carry it somewhere . 
 

Any thoughts on whether the 71A will be any harder or easier ?

 

[zKars]

Well my first impression is that the seals in the end there are likely different than the B type 4 and 5 speeds, as the mechanicals are different. Never seen a kit for the A type. You’re going to have to take it apart and look what is in there for seals and then go hunting. If it’s o-rings, finding new ones is likely not that hard. If there is an oil seal, then maybe a bit harder. 

I have a couple of these transmissions, one of which I plan on recycling, so if worse comes to worse, I can send you the tail housing and maybe it won’t leak. 

As to the sloppy shifter, I used to put a 1/4” bolt through in place of the pin/C-clip and tighten the bolt down to draw the fork together to remove some of the play. If the fork is worn down and rounded over, you might be able to take it to a welder to build it back up. You can get stiffer poly bushings for the shifter rod receiver too to remove some of the softness there as well. 

If I get a chance, maybe I’ll tear down that A type I want to scrap today or tomorrow and let you know of any tricks, but usually its just that you get the trans in neutral then push the shifter rod to the left to cause the pin that sits in the shifter forks to move away from them, allowing you to pull the tail shaft off. Just wiggle and twist until it separates. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by zKars