Lost Fifth Gear

[glcaines]

While driving my M35A2 W/W today, the transmission suddenly started making a very loud clicking sound in 5th gear when I let up on the accelerator. It was quiet when driving at constant speed. Suddently, the noise got much louder when either slowing down or accelerating. I shifted down to 4th and no noise. I continued to drive the 10 miles to home in 4th, stopping and starting several times and the transmission is quiet and shifts well in all gears except 5th. The fluid level is full. I plan to pull the top off the transmission this weekend and see what I can find. Any ideas?

 

[jwaller]

easy. don't use 5th any more. but seriously I have several parts trannies and if you find what you need I prob have it. even a spare trans too.

 

[glcaines]

I'll know more when I pull the top off, or at least I hope I'll know more. I was lucky that I drove it home 700 miles from picking it up and then I just drove it almost 300 miles to and from the Georgia Rally with no problems. My problem happened about 10 miles from home and I had no indication anything was wrong. It shifted easy, was quiet, etc.

 

[glcaines]

I may go ahead and replace the clutch when I have the transmission out. It seems to work well, but I may as well change it out so I will at least know the condition. I'm really worried about the transmission, it was really making quite a lot of noise.

 

[m-35tom]

bottom line - - you need a trans

 

[ida34]

When I read the title my first reaction was to say "easy, 5th is right next to 4th gear." Problems solved let me know if you loose any more gears and I will let you know where they are.

Sorry. Had to do it.

 

[kaiser m35]

ive lost my fourt and fift gear the other day;( the tranny had the propper amaunt off oil in it... it did happend in fourt gear on top off a hill. when i did relase the trottle! it made a good bang. so ive thinck it best to get hold off a new tranny four here. she no makes a lot off noise in third gear in the higer rev range...

**** happends it a old truck and its a hobby....

 

[glcaines]

A neighbor with a shop close by that is big enough to hold the deuce is going to help me pull the transmission next week. I'll find out more then. In the meantime I'm looking for a good transmission, preferably with the winch PTO attached.

 

[elkhunter]

The shifting fork I believe could be worn. I had that happen and was able to put in a new one from the top. Hope I'm not saying the wrongb thing. I would guess the shifting fork. GZood luck.

 

[glcaines]

I plan on pulling the top of the transmission later today to see what I can. I hope you are right and the fork is worn. That would be much better than having to pull the transmission. Thanks.

 

[clinto]

A neighbor with a shop close by that is big enough to hold the deuce is going to help me pull the transmission next week. I'll find out more then. In the meantime I'm looking for a good transmission, preferably with the winch PTO attached.

Hey Gary,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Wish I could help.

I would like to add that unless you are looking to add another PTo to your stash of spare parts, I don't think your plan will work. I seem to remember that the PTO has to be removed for the tranny to come out or go back in, in order to clear something..... master cylinder? One way or another, I think you will have to remove it and re-shim it upon installation.

 

[elkhunter]

I can look up the part# and invoice when I replaced my shifting fork and where you can get one unless someone on this site has one for you. I hope that is the problem. I might be all wet and steering you wrong. I hope I am right But? Mine worked great after replacing mine.

 

[kc5mzd]

I had the same thing happen. I haven't fixed it yet. We were on the way back from OKC with 2 new deuces. I heard a strange noise coming from behind me. When I looked back there was a red Ford Mustange flying down the road sideways. I slamed on the brakes as she spun around another 180deg and crossed infront of my truck. I thought she was going under for sure. Somehow I managed to avoid her. She ended up on the right shoulder pointing the correct direction.
She aparrently came up on us at a high rate of speed - we were going 48mph on a freeway that was normally 70mph. We were in a construction zone posted at 50mph, double fines and all that stuff. I guess she swerved to miss the rear truck just barely brushing the mudflap on the drivers side . Then she lost controll and almost sideswiped the truck that my friend was driving behind me. My friend said that they felt the Deuce get pushed over to the right and thought they had been side swiped. The mustang then over corrected and started a spin. Thats when they went past me going sideways.
My friend slammed on the brakes in 5th gear and stalled the engine in the middle of their lane on the freeway to avoid hiting me as I slamed on the brakes to avoid the wild mustang. My friend was shaken up and wasn't able to get the truck out of gear or start it. It seemed fine when I went to move it off the freeway. We checked everything out and couldn't find any marks on any of the vehicles except a small smudge on the back of the rear trucks mudflap and a small smudge on the front fender of the mustang. The highway patroll officer sent us on our way after talking to the truck driver that "saw everything".
About 10 miles from my house - the end of a 500 mile trip My friend said the truck started making noise in 5th. They said it started to get very loud so they went the last 5 miles in fourth. I drove it around the block and sure enough it was making noise but only in 5th. It sounded like it had a chiped tooth or something. I went to check the trans oil and it was empty. I haven't touched the truck since. I guess I figure why spend the money on a trans when you can get another entire truck for under $1000.00. The only flaw so far is that all the "parts" trucks I get seem to be in good running shape and I just don't have it in me to part out a good running truck.
By the way we were never able to figure out just what it was that pushed the Deuce over preventing it from getting hit. No marks, nothing...

 

[glcaines]

Well, I now have the top of the transmission off. Everything looks good that I can see. With the transfer in neutral, I can spin the gears, change gears, etc. No chipped teeth and no metal in the oil. The forks also look good, but looks can be deceiving. I fully expected to see bad things once I opened it up.

 

[glcaines]

I'm trying to decide whether to try to rebuild the transmission myself, pay someone else to rebuild it or simply replace it with another one and hope it is a good one. Does anyone know anyone that rebuilds Deuce transmissions? I rebuilt a transmission from a Triumph TR3 once in the mid sixties, but fixing it was relatively simple. A tooth was visibly missing.

 

[twright]

I have two over in Rockmart Ga. if you need a tran.

 

[kc5mzd]

There is a shop here in San Antonio called "87 Gears" They should be able to fix it and have given me good prices in the past. I don't know how you would get it here?

 

[glcaines]

Bad news. Yesterday, I thought I didn't see any damage in the transmission. Today, when I can see better, one of the gears is damaged. I am definitely looking for another transmission now. I was hoping Elkhunter was right, but my luck never runs that way. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[elkhunter]

Sorry about the bad news! Somebody on this site can probably help. Hope so! How about it members on SS?

 

[glcaines]

I picked up another transmission to day from TWright in Rockmart, Ga. I plan to swap it out sometime next week. I will probably try to rebuild the old one and keep it as a spare.