Lost 5th gear

[Steve St.Laurent]

Ugh - this just isn't my week/month ! I lost 5th gear yesterday at just over 100,000 miles (actual miles, odo says 93,500). I had the Mopar 5th gear nut fix installed when I had my clutch installed at ~60,000 miles. At that time the gear was still completely tight but I did it as preventative maintenance. Of course I have added some power since then. Here's the funny part - just got done driving over 2000 miles last weekend up lots of steep grades (up to 7%) towing my 35' TT and in up to 30 mph headwinds, two days of drag racing, etc. It went out while I was driving unloaded at a steady cruise at 60 mph. I guess I shouldn't complain because it happened close to home rather than 13 hours away. Let me tell you 4. 10 gears without overdrive SUCKS!!! At 60 mph I was running at 2700 rpm - YUCK! I ordered the 5th gear tool from Miller tool today and will be tearing into it tomorrow. Hopefully the splines will be in good shape - if not I'll be rebuilding the trans with the fully supported mainshaft. I did let the engine get down to about 1700 rpm in 5th gear on some of the grades, I guess I'll downshift sooner in the future - I had set 1700 rpm as my minimum speed to run in 5th.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

If I loose 5th I'll just shift into 6th



Sorry to hear about the gremlins. Good luck!

Mark

 

[SOOT]

it sucks

Tell me about it



I lost 5th gear 3 times while I was in college:{ at the time I could not afford to have it fixed by someone. I could tear into it and put it back together in about 30 minutes After I got out of college I took it to the stealer and had them fix it and so far so good.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Yea, Steve it isn't yer month, are ya takin' it over to Gregs again?

Did ya hear about my headgasket? There must be somethin' in the air here in MI. LOL





Later, Rob

 

[DieselB59]

Strange, just had one in the shop as well this week. Used plenty of red loctite. This one had just crested 100K and had no power modifications whatsoever, and has run empty with no trailer since day one.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Bad news. Lsfarm and I tore into the truck tonight and 5th gear had pounded into the smooth part of the shaft big time (. 008 or so) and some of the material was gone from the mainshaft splines and the 5th gear splines (. 008-. 010 play). All those numbers are estimates - but the gear is DEFINATELY NOT a press fit any more! Looks like I'll be rebuilding the trans with the fully supported mainshaft. I have one possible line on a very slightly used trans (<2000 miles) with a fully supported 5th gear mainshaft that I'll be researching first but if that doesn't come through then I'll be rebuilding it myself to learn about the trans. There are a lot of specialty tools needed for the teardown/rebuild (I'm working on a list of those that I truly need since I'll be replacing all the bearings/syncros when I rebuild it) that I could use sources to rent/borrow them from (hint, hint, wink, wink)!

 

[danandamy]

Gee Steve, all you need now is for the site to crash...

 

[SmokinJoe]

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent

I have one possible line on a very slightly used trans (<2000 miles) with a fully supported 5th gear mainshaft that I'll be researching first but if that doesn't come through then I'll be rebuilding it myself to learn about the trans.

Does that mean that your old dead trans could become a R&D project? What do you think about those shifters where you push a button to go up or down?

 

[Turbo Thom]

transmission

Steve:

As you know about my transmission troubles, the fully splined shaft is the only way to go. I have no fear of fifth gear lose anymore, just the transmission cooking. So far I have 14K on the third one. I would suggest if you can keep your original tanny, do. You know what you have and would not getting a "pig in the poke". Don't get another mans shifting trouble. I have installed a temp gauge in the transmission and see up to 205, towing 14K lbs. When I lost my input shaft at 196K, there is no telling what the temps were. The front of the transmission turned dark blue. Still if the other transmission has not been gone into, I would like to have that one. But would it fit a 96? If I got another 5 speed I would go to the expense first, to fix the transmission and drive in peace



Good luck with the rebuild.



. . Preston. .