34 trans help
 

Hi. I have been rebuilding my 34 trans for my fordor so it’s been start and stop over a couple a months over getting time and getting parts. Thought I was finishing it off today.
All seemed good, before I had the front bearing retainer tight just snug, put the shifter in tested the gear shifting , seem to work good, pulled shifter back out, tightened up front bearing retainer, then noticed it’s snug to turn by your hand now to snug grab a rag and twist pretty good by hand.
Slack it off a bit, not much, turns over nice feels like it should.
Bought all my parts pretty much from Mac at Vanpelt sales and a few nos pces. So pretty confident everything is correct there. So I must have done something or missed something.
Before I start to dismantle thought I would throw it out there and see what the most likely cause would be ? Something I missed or did on the main shaft assembly I am assuming .
Thanks in advance.

Re: 34 trans help
 

I don’t know maybe there is nothing wrong it’s just snug thought it would be a little looser to turn , maybe it’s the difference in gasket thickness I’m just not sure , just a little tighter than I am use to say with Muncie type four gear.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Is the u joint tightened up?
that pulls the main shaft tight to the rear bearing.

Re: 34 trans help
 

I don’t have the u joint portion on at this time only the retainer

Re: 34 trans help
 

Should spin freely

Re: 34 trans help
 

I just put it on feels about the same., Maybe it’s just me maybe there is nothing wrong , it’s not dumb tight it’s just a bit of a grip twist type turn just tighter than I would have thought . More like when you try and turn an automatic input shaft. …
I will try my pinion torque wrench and see what it reads

Re: 34 trans help
 

If I put my pinion torque wrench on the nut through the u joint it takes 25 inch pounds to turn it . About the preload of a diff. Is that slightly tight ?

Re: 34 trans help
 

Can you wiggle the synchro back & forth a little? Sometimes the brass cone will grip the main drive gear enough to drag

Re: 34 trans help
 

I have currently have it all buttoned up so can’t wiggle it right now

Re: 34 trans help
 

Is it dry in there or have you added some lubricants?

Re: 34 trans help
 

All good advice above, pull the top cover, make sure the brass rings are not stuck, and oil things up

Re: 34 trans help
 

Yes everything is all oiled up and I did shift through the gears I will put the shifter back in it tomorrow and do it again and see how it acts, but yes used assemby grease in areas and poured some oil I rotating the gears before putting the top on.
Thanks everybody appreciate it

Re: 34 trans help
 

25"/# is too much. Is the transmission in neutral or in a gear? How does it turn in neutral?

Re: 34 trans help
 

Yes that is neutral
I would have to agree it just seems a little to tight
I just loosen off bearing retainer on either end a bit and it makes a noticeable difference and turns more like I think it should.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Just to be sure - stock ‘34 transmission? Do you have the oil baffle on the main drive gear? The early synchro is not held by a snap ring and should slide back and forth easily about 1/8”. If it hangs up on the main shaft that can be a problem. We don’t put assembly grease on the brass surfaces as it makes them grab sometimes, but we do spray with a thin lubricant called “power lube”.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Hi yes stock 34 transmission, Yes I remember correctly yes on the oil baffle
On the grease, I use a lighter one made by driven that I use for engine bearings during assembly.
I put a new synchro in it and seems to me it was hanging up at first until it was moving freely. Would It be worth trying the shifter , turning trans by hand and going through the gears see if it frees it up ?
Thinking to try a few things like that before I tear things apart which I am hoping not to have to do. It does turn smooth just tight
Thx

Re: 34 trans help
 

I would remove the shift tower and make sure the synchro is moving freely - not hung up on the main drive gear or second gear cone. Put the slider in neutral and then see how it feels. Do you have gaskets at the front & rear retainers?

Re: 34 trans help
 

Ok I will do that thanks. Yes I have thin gaskets at each end , and it seems like if I doubled one gasket up it would about the right amount of clearance seems like it’s about that close to be correct in my mind.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Pics would be helpful. Are you using the early front retainer (original) or the later one with the seal (78)?

Re: 34 trans help
 

I am using the original earlier one with out the seal I will see if I can figure out some pictures thx

Re: 34 trans help
 

I had a similar problem and the rear bearing was not all the way in. With the cover off see that the oil baffle just before the rear bearing does not turn freely. It should be locked in place by the rear bearing. If not drive the rear bearing in further.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Thanks everybody for the responses
Will…. I think you nailed it !!!

I put the shifter on it went through the gears that part was fine until you tried to turn like it was tied right up at times.

Pulled shift tower off ……and started looking at things…….think it was my bright idea to use driven assembly grease on it ………started to spray it off with wd40 to try and dilute it and wash it off the synchro , I did use it every where within the assembly including brass surfaces …..which I might have well just glued it………….after a lot of spraying, turning and working synchro back and forth, things loosened up. It’s like a few inch pounds to turn now in neutral. Some of the gears a little stiffer just yet , but pretty sure it’s just the grease…….it does not wash out to well with wd 40 or dilute to quickly but it did seem to work. I will drain that run in the car a bit to warm it up,and dump again. But thanks very much !!! Everybody ……and to Will…..the winner of today’s contest….

I am sure I will be back with more trivia and problems as I get the 40 flathead dropped into it here soon I hope.
Stayed tuned for more problems !!
Thanks Again RC

Re: 34 trans help
 

Glad I could help. I have encountered just about every mishap you could possibly imagine - self inflicted & otherwise.

Re: 34 trans help
 

Appreciate think I could have chased that one for awhile haha