Transmission Overhaul Part 1
With the new year, I thought that it was time to change gears (literally). My brother and my two sons were out for New Year's and I was inspired by the thought of having help to move the parts for this heavy (350+ lbs.) transmission.
The transmission is an Eaton Fuller RT-6610. I have 4 tasks for this overhaul:
1. Replace/refurbish - replace all the bearings and the output shaft seal (the only seal) to ensure the longevity of the transmission.
2. Convert to overdrive - the difference between a RT (direct drive) and a RTO (overdrive) transmission is the input gear, 4/9 gear and the position of the first two gears on the countershafts. I purchased an overdrive kit for the transmission that included new input and 4/9 (now 5/10 - overdrive) gears, a new shift fork and new sliding clutch.
3. Installation of studs for the transmission rear support - although the transmission is perfectly happy cantilevered off of the bell housing, I want to install a rear support for it. The transmission weighs 350lbs. and the engine weighs 1100 lbs. so the rear engine mounts have roughly 900 lbs. on them when the transmission is cantilevered. I don't like putting that much weight on a single point of the chassis. The transmission arrived with plugs in the holes for the studs. The plugs have, so far, resisted all my attempts to remove them. I will probably end up drilling them out.
4. Cleaning and painting - the exterior of the transmission is very rusty. I will remove the rust and paint it.
Here's a shot of the beast on the operating table:
Here's a shot of the two sections apart. It took us hours to get them apart, even though the transmission has jacking bolts to speed the process, because the alignment dowels were rusted to the case.
The left side countershaft did not come out easily either. The rear bearing was on the shaft so tightly that I could not drive it off. I had to carefully cut it out of the transmission. Here's what was left after I got it and the shaft out:
All my help has gone home; but, we were able to complete the disassembly and press the gears off and back on the counter shafts (the difficult jobs). I'm left with the cleaning, painting and re-assembly. That will be the next post(s).