Transmission Lid

[jarhead]

What is the correct procedure for using the transmission lid from a ratchet tranny to align the shift forks? All info would be appreciated.

[Sir_Rat]

The correct way is to get the alignment tool.

Good Luck....Mike

[jarhead]

Money is tight so the correct tool is prohibitive right now. I'm sure its been done by many "shade tree " mechanics like myself. Any help would be appreciated...

[jarhead]

Also this is not a rebuild, just a quick inspection of the gears which look good to my untrained eye...

[Ohio-Rider]

If you just took the lid off to look inside then you can just put it back on. Put the lid in neutral and the tranny in neutral and slip it back on.

I believe the service manual has an alterative method for doing it, if the tool isn’t available. Its kind of a trial and error method that takes a lot of patience. That alignment tool could probibly be rented from one of your local indys, if you ever need one.

[jarhead]

Ok , I did move the shifter cam by hand, when I took the lid off. The picture below where the scewdriver is pointing is the correct position for the cam follower to be placed when the lid is in neutral?...In other words the shifter cam must be rotated to the left..

[Bosheff]

The pic ya posted shows the lid in 1st gear. Click it once and you'll be in neutral. That will be yer startin point on the lid. Center yer shift clutches between their respective gears and there's yer startin point in the tranny. Set the lid on the tranny. Now carefully lift the lid off being careful not to move the shift fingers in the process. One must be very patient as it is easy to move the fingers while removing the lid. Make sure you have the clown hats on while doing the procedure. After 10 minutes of cursing because the fingers insist on moving each time ya remove the lid you will understand why there is a specialty tool made for this procedure. Keep in mind that the shims used to make adjustments are only about .007", therefore you can really dial in the adjustment if you use the proper tool. I highly doubt by eyeballing it, yer gonna notice any difference from what ya initially started out with. Make sure ya have the lid gasket in place before ya start the fun and games....bosheff

[jarhead]

Thanks for the info guys. One more question while we are on the subject about the lid. How in the heck does the cam shaft pull out of the shifter cam? I removed the lock screw. My original HD manual says to engage head of old valve in notch in cam shaft and tap end of valve stem to pull cam shaft from cover. Tap? I tried pulling the cam shaft with channel locks to no avail... I don't understand the " engage head of old valve in notch part"...

[Frankenstein]

Drill a small hole at the opposite side of the lid and drift the shaft out. I made the hole about the size of a 6 penny nail, and then used the nail for the drift. That valve trick is a quaint factory tip that isn't worth sh*&t on a transmission that's been out in the real world for awhile. I've done several lids this way, the hole doesn't hurt anything, I suppose a little chain lube may find its way in there, but who really cares,
I've also used the "shade tree" method described above, and as stated, with patience, you get acceptable results.
DD

[Ripley/Fla]

I went at it ass backwards from the usual shade tree way. Get some plastic shim stock in different thicknesses. Anything flat, get it from tupperware tops, peanut can tops, etc. Cut these into "U" shaped pieces and then push them into each side of the shifter forks till they are centered with the same amount on each side. It is a little hard on the high/3rd fork and you will probably end up with one leg of the "U" cut down a bit. You will also have to stack one side in first because it is hard to get in place. After all this messin' around (Be patient!) put your lid on and see if it fits easily. Peak inside and get a Mag-Lite and look for any bind. You then swap shims on the fork to center the clown hat in the slot. Then, you can remove the low side shims, shift it into !st or second so you are the longest straight part of the high side slot. Leave those shims in and it is a little easier to see because the slot is longer. Idouble checked this way because nuetral is kind of a small area on the cam. Hope this makes sense.I'm writting this from memory and don't have anything in front of me.

[jarhead]

Ok thanks ...Frankenstein I still would like to know the "valve trick" for the cam shaft anyway. I don't understand that part. I see how drilling a hole would work though...

[Frankenstein]

The Valve trick is this: Grind away on the seating surface part of an OLD valve until you make a thin edge that will fit into the groove machined in the end of the shift drum shaft. Then fit the ground portion into the groove, stem of the valve pointing away from the lid. Now, take a hammer and hit the face of the valve where it sticks up above the top of the shift lid. Hold the end of the valve stem so most of the hammer's blow is supposedly directed on the face of the valve and tends to transfer some of that energy in a direction that will make the valve move away from the shift lid, and pull the drum shaft along with it.
So, you're depending on that small edge of the valve engaged in the groove to give enough purchase to hold while wailing away with your hammer on the valve head. Of course, you're holding on to the valve firmly enough so it doesn't jump out of the groove, doesn't snap off a portion of the shaft adjacent to the groove, blah, blah, blah.
Not one of their better thought out ideas. I've still got a ground down 80 flathead valve somewhere if you want to borrow it. They work best 'cause the longer stem gives your poor hand more leverage to resist the valve's tendency to go flying across the room.
Just drill the hole.
DD

[jarhead]

I get it now Frankenstein. You think the factory would have casted the lid in that area a bit larger so as to drill a hole and plug with some sort of set screw. Then again the lid and drum seem pretty durable which would require little service. Thanks once again.