Moving a flu 419 trans locked up ?

[Robscj]

Hello all
To make a long story short riding down the road and the rear locked up. Think it’s in the transmission . can’t get into 3 or 4 gear
Just want to be able to flat tow to house only 2 miles away how to unlock rear axle
Any suggestions ?
Thanks

 

[glcaines]

Why do you think the rear axle locked up, but it's in the transmission? You mentioned that you can't get it into 3rd or 4th gear. What about 1st and 2nd gear? If it runs fine in 1st and 2nd gear, this eliminates everything behind the transmission. I suspect you need to replace the plastic bushings for the shifters if it runs in some gears but you can't get it into other gears. This is a common issue. and there are several posts that you should read on the problem. Expedition Imports sells new bushings and it isn't that difficult to replace them.

 

[Robscj]

Thanks for the reply . It doesn’t run fine in 1or 2 gear When I was moving down the road about 25 mph both rear wheels locked up leaving about a 25’ skid mark .
The rear is locked / unable to move fwd or back ward
Confirm today that the big gear at the rear of the transmission just before the output shaft is locked up solid all the other gears move. also, confirm today by jack in the rear of the vehicle up that moving forward or backwards with both tires they will not move. The tires will move with one spinning One Direction, and the other spinning the other direction, but not in the same direction forward or reverse. That tells me that the axles, reduction gears , spider gears are working so the ring and pinion gear could be locked up, (which made no noise before this happened )or the gear that is locked up in the trans is causing the problem either way I just want to be able to move it to the house as the truck is stuck on the side of the road.

 

[glcaines]

Can't you get a heavy wrecker to pick up the back and tow it home backwards? If the problem is in the transmission, you should also be able to disconnect the driveshaft and pull it home.

 

[Robscj]

Heavy wrecker coat way to much around here to move it
Ended up disconnection the drive shaft and found out that there are no thrust ball housing on either front or rear propeller shaft so with be on the hunt for those
Any one ?
Next are make sure breaks work better than before and push it home where the process will begin to put it back in service
Any help appreciated on finding the thrust ball housings and seals

 

[glcaines]

I had my FLU419 break down and towed home approximately 30 miles and if I remember correctly, it only cost ~$200.00. Actually, they didn't tow it, they loaded it on a truck. If you try to move it yourself, towing would definitely be better than trying to push it. You will likely damage the front of the vehicle pushing it. In any case, if your brakes aren't perfect, don't try to move it yourself! The best place to find parts outside of Ebay is to contact Expedition Imports.

 

[Robscj]

Thanks for your advise ,

 

[brandan34]

I think you are talking about this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1811142048...55-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050


The FLU operated with out that and still worked ok, till now?

 

[Robscj]

Yea that what it is it has a hefty price
Think that was a contributer to what happened

 

[brandan34]

If it did not have that it probably did not have the rubber covers either? If not get them and replace them while you are doing this project, EI has them. At some point i will get to pull the shafts again just to change the rubber boot seal things.

 

[tennmogger]

Guessing this is what happened: The six bolts holding the driveshaft U-Joint to the transmission output shaft/flange have worked loose and one or more have trapped the transmission output flange. The output shaft wont turn, the rear /front axle will be locked, and the output gear that you mentioned wont turn.

Those bolts are notorious for working loose if not locked by Locktite and a retaining clip/keepers (the kind you bend up alongside the bolt head to keep it from turning).

Someone probably started open up the thrust ball to work on the mog and took the thrust tube clamps off, and left them off but never fixed the flange bolts. Running the mog without the ends of the thrust tubes attached would also strain the bolts. Those thrust ball housings were off for some reason.

Expedition Imports can supply new bolts, the keepers, and boots.

Rob Pickering at Colorado Unimogs parted out some FLUs a while back and might have those parts available.

 

[Robscj]

Any contact information for Rob at Colorado Unimogs

 

[tennmogger]

Terry Lee Enterprises: Home Page 2014

That is the historical name and website. I should have included that. good luck.

 

[Robscj]

Thank you

 

[Robscj]

So the 6 bolts that hold the drive shaft on the trans we’re not loose what I think happend after looking at it is that the drive shaft beat the tapered bearing and something broke not for sure till I take the trans out .

The axles in the flu are like the old 50s chevys and Buicks that had a drive shaft housing .

An explanation from Jalopy Journal here :
Torque tube rear axle has a long solid tube that goes from the back of the transmission to the rear axle. The drive shaft goes inside it. The drive shaft has only one universal joint, at the front. The torque tube pivots on a ball joint at the front, attached to a frame crossmember (attached to the transom flu ) .
This anchors the rear axle assembly and stops it moving forward or backward. The springs are arranged so the axle can float, they do not locate the axle like a regular open drive rear axle.

The thrust ball housing is what holds the thrust tube in one spot not allowing the drive shaft to move fwd or aft
With out the thrust ball housing there is a big gap that allows the dive shaft to move on the splined end at the pinion ( I know this because I use a come along to move the whole axle and thrust housing back to undo the bolts that hold the drive shaft to trans )
Coming to a quick stop and axle moving would be enough to shock the rear taperd bearing on the trans possibly breaking something there
But I’d course I will not know for sure till trans comes out
I know it’s along post and mybe confusing

 

[BELinNC]

Well welcome to the forum from another NC guy. Sorry to hear of this trouble. I have never heard of this problem before! Going down the road minding your own business and the rear end locks up! Lot of bad possibilities there. Glad you are OK. Wonder if there was some previous damage inflicted by the military or govt surplus people and their fork lifts!

 

[Robscj]

Do not know if there was or not a problem the person I bought it from only ran it around his yard maybe 100 yards before he put it away. I also suspect that it was from the previous owner before him that had taken the thrust ball housing off.
what I do know is it was running down the road fine and the lack of a thrust ball housing
I think was a contributor
I will be getting into it more so in time I will find out