Noisey 5th gear / teeth rubbing???

[mastergunner53]

Hi Guys,
I have a 5th gear noise that sounds like a rapid tapping/clattering/light rapid clunking noise.
Actually,It sounds like the teeth of the gear is lightly rubbing on something.

1. It is a 1971 M109A3 shop van, it had had a complete rebuild from the military with 8k miles on it.
2. it is a spicer/brown lipe model #3053A ser.# A32631 w/ rebuilt data plate
3. The noise just started from no problems to the noise in 1 day
4. No clutch slippage or chattering
5. No shifting problems
6. 1st thru 4th are quiet and fine for past 2 years, 5th noise just recent.
7. Yes, i stopped driving it in 5th!
8. Is there a e-clip or circlip holding 5th in place?
9. I will pop the top loader and do a visual
10. Possible bent shifting fork?
11. No popping out of any gears
12. No grinding during shifting
13. I hope i covered any questions you might come up with?
14. Syncro problems????

I would appreciate any help from you guys so i know what to look for.
Thanks for your help

 

[gringeltaube]

Possibly a broken tooth. Remove the top and take a look at the 5th gear set.
See this post here https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?14128-transmission-noise.html#post192673

G.

 

[mastergunner53]

noisey 5th gear

Well, I got to the top loader and removed it!
The counter gear assembly at the bottom of the trans has 2 broken teeth for the 5th gear!!! ****!!
Well, my buddie told me he has a take out trans, so i will check it out and do a swap.!
I will upload some pics soon!
Thanks!

 

[gimpyrobb]

At least you know what your dealing with, sorry teeth are missing.

 

['48Chevy6]

How common of an issue is this? I had the same thing happen earlier this spring.


Zach

 

[glcaines]

How common of an issue is this? I had the same thing happen earlier this spring.
Zach

I lost 5th gear right after my recovery. The Spicer transmission is very tough, but 40+ years of abuse by GIs will take it's toll. Treat the transmission good by using the proper lubricant and proper slow shifting and it will be very reliable.

 

[mastergunner53]

5th gear

Well, i have seen and heard of several people on this site that had the same problem as us!
I drive the truck easy and shift it slow. It just happened with no warning or bangs and after no problems for past 2 years!
My trans is a govt. rebuild with only 9 k miles on it.
People on this site have told me that the 5th gear is a weak gear in this tranny!
Today i tore into 3 trannys that my friend has and all 3 we rusted on the gears from sitting in storage! DANG!!!

 

[supermechanic]

Richard, Rusted gears = no big deal, as long as we are talking about light surface rust.
Big, deep pits are obviously not good.
Gears are comparatively crude devices, (contrast ball bearing here, which need fine tolerances),
In a perfect world, no compromises are needed, go from there.

 

[m-35tom]

rebuilt by the mil means nothing. well maybe it means something, but that something is that it may not be as good as a used trans, i have seen some of the crap used worn out parts they put back in and you would not want them in your trans.

tom

 

[stumps]

Tom, wouldn't you think that perhaps the 5th gear breakages are related to the 2nd gear idler's tendency to seize onto its shaft?

-Chuck

 

[m-35tom]

if i had to say, that is sort of guess, i would say that most gear tooth breakage was directly related to some other failure where some small piece went between the gear teeth. 5th has the lowest torque and is possibly the best supported of the gears so i would expect it to fail least otherwise.

tom