Quote:
Originally Posted by SunSoaked
Great thread.
It makes me wonder if the newer (pre-95) low geared versions can be "upgraded" to the post 95 version. Maybe not so much swapping the first gear but the syncro's for 1st & Reverse? And something about the shift fork pads being better in the later one?
Mike
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You know Mike, I am by no means an expert with these thing. The little bit that I have learned has been trial and error (more empha$i$ on the error part), asking questions and looking through catalogs / parts books. That said, take what I say with a grain or more of salt.
I had looked into the idea of swapping the 1st gear for the later higher gear and was told that 1st and reverse could not be retrofitted into the earlier case. I too really like the idea of the syncro reverse as I always seem to be trying to get into reverse before Ive fully stopped going forward.
To the question on the 1st gear syncros - I believe that the early and later 1st gears are physically different sizes than each other. My experience with 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears is that they have "dogs" for (lack of proper terminology) that the syncros keep pace with and lead the adjoining gear into alignment as shifting takes place. I don't remember if 1st gear had these "dogs" and Im almost positive that reverse does not. What I do remember is that the ring of dogs or teeth seemed proportional to each gear in the cluster.
To get to the point about the 1st gear is that since the early and late 1st gears are not interchangeable, and the early ones likely don't have the "dogs" manufactured onto them, I don't think that the syncros can be used from the later trans in the older versions.
As far as the later shift tower being swapped onto an older unit, I have heard about that being done. I met a guy who worked for a large truck repair company building transmissions. He converted the shifters on the early units to the later ones on the side for a extra cash. The little bit that I learned from him was that the newer square tower had a better design than the early ball and socket that could wear letting the shift stub "sink" into the case a little giving the shift a "notchy" or dragging feel.
The shift pads as I recall did look pretty chintzy though. The looked like a thin plastic corner protector for a piece of glass or something. If I hadnt seen them come out of my transmission, I would have thrown them out as packaging
If you do find that the 1st and rev syncros can be swapped, by all means, post back here. At this point, if I ever get a crack at an affordable later trans, I will go that route. I do like the 4500, its strength, smooth shifts and oh yeah the OD. Syncro reverse and a higher syncro'd 1st gear is just extra icing on the awesome cake that I already have though.