I fixed one such case by machining it flat in the worn area and fastening a thick steel washer with c-sink screws thru the rear face into the washer. Made a simple face cutter from 3/8 square tool steel and piloted at both ends of the case with a piece of 3/4" water hardening drill rod. Although I did the machining on a good sized vertical mill it could be done in other ways.
Early ford trans case: Rear thrust face. Repairable?
- Thread starter Mart
- Start date
I've only crossed this bridge once, and it was back in the 60's. (So, I'm dated.)
At the time, we had a cast iron repair place nearby. I took the case to them, and they applied braze material to the severely worn area. Looking back, I know I could have done this myself.
Anyway, they put on extra material, which needed to be machined down for proper cluster end-clearance. I was VERY lucky to work at a place that had a great machine shop. And, I went to the tool crib and borrowed a back-side spot facer. The cutter was the same diameter as the thrust washer that needed to rest there. And, the shaft was the proper diameter to fit the countershaft hole. So, I simply did a back-side spot face, using my drill press. After reading all the above posts, I can't believe how lucky I was to be able to do what I did. It worked perfect.
And, by the way, I'm still in contact with the person that owns the vehicle with that transmission. It's been 50 years, and that transmission is still working fine.
At the time, we had a cast iron repair place nearby. I took the case to them, and they applied braze material to the severely worn area. Looking back, I know I could have done this myself.
Anyway, they put on extra material, which needed to be machined down for proper cluster end-clearance. I was VERY lucky to work at a place that had a great machine shop. And, I went to the tool crib and borrowed a back-side spot facer. The cutter was the same diameter as the thrust washer that needed to rest there. And, the shaft was the proper diameter to fit the countershaft hole. So, I simply did a back-side spot face, using my drill press. After reading all the above posts, I can't believe how lucky I was to be able to do what I did. It worked perfect.
And, by the way, I'm still in contact with the person that owns the vehicle with that transmission. It's been 50 years, and that transmission is still working fine.
Mart
Well-known member
The job is done.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
I slept on it and read all the helpful comments this morning. I started looking at what I had, thinking some sort of arbor was the way to go.
I found an old "tank cutter". It has a 5/16" square hole through it and is close to 3/4" diameter. I hand ground a lathe tool bit to act as a facing cutter.
I built up the shank with the mig welder.
I turned the shank down and set it up in the 4 jaw to get it as true as I could with the original diameter.
At that point I realised it was probably better to try and do the job in the lathe, as the arbor is now as true as it could ever be having just been turned.
I had to use the little myford lathe to turn up a stub to support the other end of the casing.
I couldn't pull the casing with the tailstock as the taper would probably let go, hence the stub support.
The trans case was set up on the arbor and the tool inserted and set up. I gave it a test spin and all felt well, so I started cutting. I all appeared to be going well so I kept going until the face was fully cleaned up.
But the problem was that the face came out concave. Hardly surprising given the setup.
I came up with a quick and dirty way to beef up the tool bit using one of the lathe quick change toolholders. This one has a V at the bottom so clamped squarely to the arbor.
This seemed a lot better so I continued on until the face was fully cleaned up.
As far as I can tell using a straight edge with a light behind the face is flat. It looks good anyway.
So thanks for the comments it really helped.
If I were planning to do it again I would probably make improvements to the tool. But, for what it took, I was surprised at how well it came out.
Mart.
Mart.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
I slept on it and read all the helpful comments this morning. I started looking at what I had, thinking some sort of arbor was the way to go.
I found an old "tank cutter". It has a 5/16" square hole through it and is close to 3/4" diameter. I hand ground a lathe tool bit to act as a facing cutter.
I built up the shank with the mig welder.
I turned the shank down and set it up in the 4 jaw to get it as true as I could with the original diameter.
At that point I realised it was probably better to try and do the job in the lathe, as the arbor is now as true as it could ever be having just been turned.
I had to use the little myford lathe to turn up a stub to support the other end of the casing.
I couldn't pull the casing with the tailstock as the taper would probably let go, hence the stub support.
The trans case was set up on the arbor and the tool inserted and set up. I gave it a test spin and all felt well, so I started cutting. I all appeared to be going well so I kept going until the face was fully cleaned up.
But the problem was that the face came out concave. Hardly surprising given the setup.
I came up with a quick and dirty way to beef up the tool bit using one of the lathe quick change toolholders. This one has a V at the bottom so clamped squarely to the arbor.
This seemed a lot better so I continued on until the face was fully cleaned up.
As far as I can tell using a straight edge with a light behind the face is flat. It looks good anyway.
So thanks for the comments it really helped.
If I were planning to do it again I would probably make improvements to the tool. But, for what it took, I was surprised at how well it came out.
Mart.
Mart.
Attachments
Last edited:
Cliff Ramsdell
Senior Member
Good going Mart. nice and simple. I too have used stainless shims inn the past to fix a damaged case. I think they came from McMaster Carr or MSC products, can't recall but the machinist at work helped me out. no issues.
Cliff Ramsdell
Cliff Ramsdell
Charlie ny
BANNED
Mart,
Now I know why the industrial revolution started in Great Britain.
I'm thinking you attached the case to the cross slide to feed it into the tool,
yes ? Your method makes the repair absolutely doable...
Charlie ny
Now I know why the industrial revolution started in Great Britain.
I'm thinking you attached the case to the cross slide to feed it into the tool,
yes ? Your method makes the repair absolutely doable...
Charlie ny
Talkwrench
Well-known member
Great ...Geez you don't muck around, job done!
JM 35 Sedan
Well-known member
Nice job Mart. Thanks for posting the pictures showing how you did the job. You got the wheels turning in my head on how an amateur machinist like me might attempt doing this if it becomes necessary to save an otherwise good transmission case.
Fine job. 
Mart
Well-known member
Not quite, Charlie. The case was floating between the stub arbor in the 4 jaw chuck and the 3/4" support in the tailstock. I just nudged the toolpost against the casing and gently pushed it to the right allowing the tool to cut the inner face.
I didn't take a photo of the setup but did make a couple of little movie files, I can't post them here, but if I get them up on youtube I'll put a link in here.
Thanks all for the kind words.
Mart.
Charlie ny
BANNED
Bloody genius !!
Charlie ny
Charlie ny
JM 35 Sedan
Well-known member
Yeah, post those movies on YouTube please 
Mart
Well-known member
Ok, you asked for it..
A bit rough and ready and not edited at all. I'm a very untidy and messy worker.
Part 1 (the first attempt - came out concave due to insuffient tool support).
https://youtu.be/WBRWMXzZXR4
Part 2 (just a quickie. - with the tool backed up by improvising a tool holder clamped to the arbor)
https://youtu.be/uFWaF82F8yU
Mart.
A bit rough and ready and not edited at all. I'm a very untidy and messy worker.
Part 1 (the first attempt - came out concave due to insuffient tool support).
https://youtu.be/WBRWMXzZXR4
Part 2 (just a quickie. - with the tool backed up by improvising a tool holder clamped to the arbor)
https://youtu.be/uFWaF82F8yU
Mart.
Angledrive
Senior Member
Well done, where there is a will there is a way.
Ol' Ron
Well-known member
I go with Charkie. Making up a spot facer would be quite simple and a steel spacer could be pined and epoxyd to the case. Or a standard mill could have the reverse cutter on it. My onlly concern is how thick is the case in this area. I gave up on these transmissiond 60 years ago after I blew my third or fourth one. However for the restorers I believe these are fixable, at a reasonable price. At my age and eyesight , I think I could still do it. If someone had bad case I'd' TRY and fix it, at no charge. But it has to get alittle warmer, it was 16 below this morning.