unusual transmission install observations

[scout man]

So I came across a few weird occurances when installing this tranny, and wondering peoples thoughts on them. First, let me preface by saying this is the 5th (yes, fifth :erm:) time I have installed a tranny in this scout, and the following are things that have never happened before.

The first strange issue I had was when I went to re-install my crossmemeber that the tranny bolts to. It is a simple piece that goes from one side of the frame to the other, and attaches with 2 bolts on each side. Usually this just bolts right up. Today, however, the piece was wider than the frame was. It simply would not fit. I actually had to get the highlift out, and put it between my 2 frame rails and seperate them about 1/4 to 1/2 inch just to get the piece bolted back in there. I have never had to do this before, and cant imagine that I squished the frame at all, unless it is just a little torqued now, but that worries me.

Problem number two... my front drive shaft no longer fits. Now, I havnt looked at this personally yet, since Keith was helping me and he was addressing the front drive shaft, but the CV joint no longer fits. It hits the transmission. Now, it always has on the other tranny/tcase, but just slightly and I could grind the transmission slightly to make enough clearance.. this is hitting in a completely different spot. this setup should be indentical to the last one, so not sure why its different!

Strange phenomenon #3. I had a strange grinding noise in my old tcase that had been there for a while. It started shortly after my lift. I suspected that the unbalanced drive shaft I was running had damaged the tcase. However, I switched to a completely different transmission and tcase, and I still have the exact same noise in the tcase!! And this is with a new balanced driveshaft. Unless I just happened to put in a new tcase that happened to have the exact same problem, I do not have an explenation here. The rattle arises when I am neither off the gas or on the gas... meaning, when the input and output of the tcase is turning at exactly the same speed, and there is no pressure on the gears, they rattle like the world is about to end. I didnt notice when I had the tcase on the bench that there was a little play in the gears, but it seemed normal as the gears them selves apeared to be in exellent condition with no obvious wear or breakage anywhere.

Anyways, thats my weird stuff for the day. Ill tackle the front shaft tomorrow and have more info, the frame got figured out, but still weird, and the tcase I suppose will just have to live that way for a while!!

And thanks to Keith, he was a huge help today!

[transplant87]

no problem steve anytime.

[Hypoid]

Scrutinize the engine mounts.

[scout man]

they looked find to me. The tranny is sitting in the right spot. If it wasnt it wouldnt matter, since the tcase is attached to the tranny, so even if they were in the wrong location they would be in the same location to each other.

[Fordguy77]

Is it a weird like scratching grinding noise?

[Fordguy77]

Was the Xmember tweaked at an angle when you were trying to slide it in. I know in all my fords it has to go in a very certain way or it will have to be beat in

[scout man]

Its a definite rattle. I am very convinced it is slight play in the gears. The xmamber is very easy to put it. It was actually the bolt holes that werent lining up, the piece went in there fine. Like I said above, I have put this in at leaast 5 times now and never had a problem with it before.

Updates: Scout is all back together and running great!! Driveshaft just needed some slight grinding on the tranny and it now fits no problem. Power seems to be better than it did before, especially on steep uphills. I think the old torque convertor wasnt doing so well.

[Rob]

Good deal, Steve. C'mon, go on the run with us tomorrow.

By the way, big win on the strange animal avatar match.

[transplant87]

sweet steve, im glad it workin good. And i would try a little thicker gear oil it might help with the clatter

[scout man]

And i would try a little thicker gear oil it might help with the clatter
I was thinking that as well.


By the way, big win on the strange animal avatar match.
Thanks, i tried!

ill get back to you on tomorrow... i had decided no, but now I am thinking again.

[Rob]

i had decided no, but now I am thinking again.

Fresh powder. Your rig loves fresh powder. :)

[Brody]

Or a performance gear oil like Royal Purple or Amsoil. Could be the style/make of the T case is simply prone to noise, or that you have a little too much slop in the gears.

As far as the mounting, that is a bit weird because if the frame was tweaked that badly, then it would have sprung open when you were getting it apart and you would have had problems getting at least one of the bolts out.

Why don't you simply space the transmission up to clear the yoke instead of grinding on the housing? Just a 1/4-3/8" plate between either the transmission and the mount or between the cross member and the mounts. Your driveline will probably not know the difference and you will get the clearance you need.

[scout man]

Why don't you simply space the transmission up to clear the yoke instead of grinding on the housing? Just a 1/4-3/8" plate between either the transmission and the mount or between the cross member and the mounts. Your driveline will probably not know the difference and you will get the clearance you need.
its not that easy. Its designed for a u-joint style setup, and with a SOA I have to run CV joints. It is the CV itself that rubs, but not too bad. Every scout that has a spring over has to grind a little there. Its not a huge deal. Spacing the tranny mount would raise the tranny and the tcase, and not really gain anything. Its not a matter of angle, its a matter of cramming a large joint into a small space.

[Brody]

Thanks Steve. Last Scout I had was in 1972, so it has been awhile......

[Patrolman]

Did you re-use the t-case xmember that was in the Scout originally, or did you use one that came with the new trans? I know sometimes little things like that change. A small change that isn't really documented can make a huge difference.

[scout man]

its the original one. never changed it out.

[Patrolman]

That is really strange. I would have to say that either you have it in backwards or something or possible the frame shifted. The frame shouldn't move that much, but maybe without the x-member in it, it tweaked in a bit. That might be a sign of bad news.

[scout man]

definitely not in back words. It only fits one way, and the e brake cable runs through it, so I never removed it fully from the rig, just unbolted from the frame and it hung there from the cable until I bolted it back in.