FLU419 transmission question

[jgp]

Coolhandmatt,
Thanks for the tip, I was getting ready to tilt the cab when I found your post. $10.00 and 30 minutes later, it shifts like new.

 

[Pinemog]

One of the things you should also check before tipping the cab and diving into that project is the shifter bushing. It is the bushing that the shifter rides in and they do deteriorate with time causing the shifter to sit to low in the collar and then the shifter doesn't engage the shifter forks properly. You can get to it by pulling up on the rubber boot housing from inside the cab and then from the side sticking your hands in through the passenger side it will have a metal collar the detents down and putting downward pressure and turning it I think counterclockwise and it will let you release the shifter (BTW you need to disconnect the 3 airlines for downshift lever if you want to pull it completely out). You should have two guide pins on the inside of the transmission collar and they have to be removed to get the bushing out. Hope it helps

This piece of information saved me a ton of potentially costly headaches. My bushing was shot. I had the same issue with 1st and 3rd. Now it shifts smoothly. But what a pain in the rear to get to. Thanks!

 

[yipeeekia]

My flu419 SEE is having transmission issues. The transmission with the 1st, 2nd and reverse is locked up. I've checked the transmission fluid and topped it off, still locked. The other shifter/transmission operates without any issues. Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[yipeeekia]

How do you access the shifter bushing?

 

[Pinemog]

The upper boot was easy. The lower boot was a challenge to get the hose clamp off as mine was turned in a very hard to reach direction. 2 people would make it easier for the locking cup. One outside on the side and the other inside. I used a prybar and block of wood from outside to hold the locking cap down while I turned it. Someone inside could push down while outside person turns it. Yours may not be as tight of spring as mine. Pull shifter out of the way. I didn't disconnect air lines for bushing change, but all the way out would give more room to work. I put a rag in the shift hole so I didn't drop the pins into the trans.

 

[idosubaru]

Could bad shifter bushings cause this: A 404 unimog that won't go into first, and the F/R lever is stuck in forward, but all the other gears are fine?
Machine was shifting into first and reverse just fine before this started one day a couple months ago, oil level looks good, new clutch installed last year.

Shifter bushings seem like a good place to start before digging deeper.

I help a friend with his and it's hundreds of miles away so it's not convenient to figure out.

 

[jjmjmn]

So I've looked around could not find anything firm on what type of transmission fluidI should use for my flu 219. I saw somebody used 80 90 weight which I intend to do if no one replies to this.
That is as soon as I find the fill plug it's kind of hidden somewhere I guess.
Also does anyone know what transmission this is the manufacturer and model number I've looked in the manuals and can't find that information either.
Any description of where the fill plug is would help too, thank you.

 

[The FLU farm]

The fill plug is on the right side, not very cleverly hidden.

 

[Transformer68]

Just got onboard. Thanks so much to coolhandmatt the bushing trick worked on our unimog. Was only getting 2nd and 4th gear. Changed bushing and all works great. For anyone else looking for any type of fittings for the FLU 419 I found a guy that can make anything. We had air brake problems and the fittings we could not find. Contact Collifliwer Total hose and fittings at 770-627-4611. They are located at 1890 west oak parkway Marietta GA these guys are the best. Once we got all the air lines cleaned up and new ones on it solved a multitude of issues. And that bushing coolhandmatt was referring too was a bitch but was well worth it. Also our front loader was giving us fits. It turned out to be a stuck hydronic sylinder shaft at the back of the cab.

 

[The FLU farm]

Welcome to the group, Transformer.

 

[impulse787]

Welcome to the group, I'm in Dallas GA and use my 419 weekly. Let me know if I can be of any help.

 

[msharky007]

Good Evening,

I recently purchased a 1987 419 SEE, however when trying to drive it in hi range the transmission or ? locks the wheels up like a mild skid I guess you can say. You can drive it in low range all day long. Do you think this bushing could be my issue? I have no abnormal noises. Thank you all in advance.

 

[vtwin4christ]

My 1989 FLU-419 lost all odd numbered gears after being difficult to shift for some time. I assume it's the shifter bushing everyone speaks of.

A couple things I need from my fellow Unimog brothers.

1) I found the part for 13 bucks - But they want like 14 to ship it. It's a matter of principle that it doesn't cost that much to ship. Anyone have a Promo code for free shipping for this supplier?
https://expedition-imports.com/3102680035

2) For those of you who have suffered the pain of changing out this bushing... Could you please make a youtube video describing the process? I am sure you don't want to go out and re-monkey around with the cab area... But even a white board drawing would help our us newbies.

In exchange for one of you guys making this video... you can checkout the video I made on how to clean/rebuild the air brake regulator for the FLU-419 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku2w6G_m7HU

 

[expeditionimports]

If you are looking for cheaper shipping.......make sure to select SHOW USPS RATES and select that option. In cases like this if we can fit in a flat rate priority we will and usually will drop the shipping as low as possible prior to capturing the funds. Or you could just put a couple things together all at once and save on the shipping.

 

[monstermog]

Replacing the shifter bushing fixed the problem. There was hardly any old bushing left. Took about an hour. I did not remove the airlines.

1.. Pull boot up from rubber deck boot.
2. Loosen 4 bolts for the rubber deck boot and move down.
3. Push down and counter clockwise on the cap holding shifter in place
4. Theres a spring retainer, slide up. OD paint may make it difficult
5. Pull up...should pop out.. Inspect for damage.
6. Clean out hole of old bushing ( see pic)
7. Put a cloth in hole and remove 2 pins. Dont let them drop in the tranny.
8. One of the pins has a small E-Clip...
9. Clean hole...grease bushing and install
10. Reinstall pins in side. Smaller drivers...fatter passenger
11. Grease ball of shifter and slide in....firmly. it will pop in...if you don't feel it pop its not down and you wont be able to fet the retainer cup down.
12. Push spring cap down then follow with retaining cup...line up with pins and push down hard and clockwise. Make sure its all the way engaged. (Make sure the shifter peg is in the hole...centered.) Im not sure if its possible to get this wrong but Im sure some have tried.

Pull deck boot up and tighten tab bolts to cab(4ea)
Push boot down and into place.

Your done....take for drive.

 

[monstermog]

Anybody know if the Fwd/Reverse lever has the same shift bushing?

 

[SeeNebraska]

i just did the bushing fix last night. when i bought the SEE i was not able to find 3rd or 4th gear before the truck would slow down to the point that i would need to go back into 1st anyways. everything is tight and works as it should now.

i did all of this just removing the round shift boot and worked through that 6" hole. mine had a second boot that is hose clamped to the transmission. i was able to pull both boots up and out of the way to see down to the transmission. I did not remove the large tunnel cover plate.

try to clean up as much crud as possible before popping the shifter out but ultimately i think some will end up in the transmission because a lot of junk was under the covers. you have to pull pretty hard to get it to pop out, but as long as you've removed the compression cover like described in previous posts, it should come out.


next up is the remove the pins. BOTH pins have a small circlip that is pretty much impossible to get off the correct way. once the shifter is installed, the pins won't be able to fall out so i decided to just pop the pins out and let the clips fly.



remove whats left of old bushing and clean up as much as possible.


install new bushing. this was by far the hardest part for me. there are some small protrusions where the pins go which cause an interference to the bushing during assembly. once the bushing is forced in all the way, the protrusions will fit into the holes in the bushing to eliminate the interference.



i coated the inside of the bushing with a red lithium grease. hopefully that is compatible with the bushing material...

i have some wear on the shifter due to it riding too low in the transmission. shouldn't be a problem now that the bushing is holding it up at the correct height.



second hardest part is to reinstall the compression cover. i noticed it was easiest when i shift into 2nd gear because that lines the shifter up at a vertical orientation relative to the transmission. i was able to get both hands through the small opening from the cab and use all my weight to compress teh spring and give it a slight twist to catch the pins.


hope the picture help the next guy...

 

[Muellerter]

Msharky. I never saw a reply to answer you question about the wheels skidding in hi range. Did you figure it out. Mine is doing the same thing but it started just in hi but now is doing it full time. I can’t even drive the truck at this point. No abnormal noises. It just binds up like it’s between gears. I checked the shifter bushings which look almost new

 

[RayJH]

Thanks a lot for the pictures and details. Very helpful in changing this out and saved a lot of time. I changed both
bushings to avoid redoing later. Both are the same part number. Shifts like new.

 

[Watchman7]

Thanks a lot for the pictures and details. Very helpful in changing this out and saved a lot of time. I changed both
bushings to avoid redoing later. Both are the same part number. Shifts like new.

You said the bushings were the same part number for I, II and Reverse and the other shifter 1,2,3,4? Expedition imports told me there are two part numbers. Can you clarify?