transmission cluster gear

R

rkatk

Senior Member
What would be the problem with substituting a long needle bearing for the center spacer on the cluster gear shaft?
I have a new reproduction spacer, basically a piece of galvanized pipe, it fits loosely in the gear and on the shaft, seems like it would just rattle and make noise where the needle bearing fits and is the same length as the spacer.
Randy
 
I have taken several transmission apart and found that someone had substituted the long roller bearing for the spacer. I don't see where it would hurt, but I don't think it is necessary.

I am not able to tell the difference between a repo spacer and an original. I have a box full of spacers and they all look the same.

The very early cluster gears had a spacer system where two flanged inserts were tapped into place in the middle of the cluster tunnel. Whenever I find one of these that is serviceable I knock both flanged spacers out and use one of the sleeve spacers. I always bead blast transmission gears before assembly and blast medium would pile up and become trapped behind the early flanged spacers.

Tom Endy
 
Tom, Interested as to why you would bead blast transmission gears?? What would be the advantage ?? Is this done on mismatched used gears or are we talking new gears, I had heard of it done on used ring & Pinnion that were not a pair , was told they would run quieter once Bedded in ?? , This was not the case , & rear had to be pulled again . Going to n/West meet in June ???
 
I bead blast them to clean off all the accumulated crud and rust. The bead medium I use does not alter a machined surface or a casting. When I put a transmission or differential together the parts look like new.

Tom Endy
 
It was once believed than an extra bearing would be an improvement and I think that it was published in a club magazine, as such. I feel that it is just a waste of a bearing and money. My thought is that it would just be another bearing to eventually come apart and stack up in the cluster gear. Stacked bearings cause mis alignment of gear teeth and catastrofic transmission failure. The spacer will help hold closer tolerance between the cluster gear and shaft and help prevent needle stacking if a bearing comes apart in years to come.
 
Some of that accumulated crud was probably the Cosmolene that the NOS Ford gear came wrapped in. New Ford gears were not so bright and shiny.
 
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