Rebuilding Ford T18 for CJ5

[Turbogus]

I got the '68 T-18 up on the freight cart and verified the shift pattern it IS and early one (by the shift pattern) but with the somewhat fresh rebuild (except the reverse idler) the conversion may go well.

 

[Turbogus]

So far I've removed the shifter, keeping the pin safe in a ziplock, the top cover off and the bearing retainer and first snap ring, went easier on this '68 than on the '80. I hope the bearings are likewise, I brought my two brass drifts and my 5 lb. cross pien hammer and see if I can get 'em to budge.

 

[Turbogus]

Unlike the difficulty with the '80 Transmission , using this method the front bearing is already halfway out!

 

[mriplaybass]

Just an FYI. It may be that I just got a bad snap ring in the bearing kit that I ordered when I rebuilt a T-18 several years ago, but when I went to reassemble the Transmission , I could not for the life of me, get the new snap ring to go back in the groove. It was as if the ring was too thick, or the bearing was just a bit longer. Anyway, I had saved the old snap ring and it fit in with no problems. The Transmission never gave me any problems in the years after the rebuild. You may want to check this out before discarding the old snap ring and ending up pounding your head against the wall like I did.

 

[Hedgehog]

Excellent point. When rebuilding my T-18a I used the new big front main bearing snap ring that came with the rebuilding kit. When putting on the bearing retainer I thought the bearing was out a little and the retainer would seat the bearing properly, you could set it with gentle hand pressure, but it would move while working with the Transmission . While tightening the retainer I felt it give under relatively light bolt pressure. Sure enough I snapped the casting at the flange. EErrrrrrrr! With another retainer in hand it turned out that the new snap ring was to deep or tall. It snapped right in the grove, but was to tall preventing the retainer from seating properly. The original was reused with no problems.

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks Bass & Hedgehog. I'm even keeping the 1980 T-18 , just in case. Until this is complete I'm keeping everything in baggies and the gears in order and orientation on the dowel.

Doh! I may have gotten happy too soon plinking away at that front bearing and it seems not to be moving as much. I tried using the 3/4" drift on the bottom of the bearing with a wood cushion just in case it was crabbing out, only the upper side of the bearing is reachable from inside the case, but so far no progress that I can see.