Transmission removal and rebuild ZF5

[csdwarf11]

Hey guys, I've had my truck about 2 years, and finally sick enough of the bad syncros to take it out and go through it. I also think I might have a bad bearing because it pops out of 4th gear once and a while.

its 7PM and I'm just about to roll the truck into the shop and start tearing it down. I will hopefully have it out sometimes tomorrow, and order up parts.


Any tips/suggestions ect would be awesome, I'm thinking about buying a rebuild kit off ebay, and World Drivetrain for any other parts I might need (shift forks ect)


any suggestions on better places to get parts would be awesome. Ill keep updated how it goes. I have read they are not to bad to rebuild no NEEDED special tools, so I'm confident It will go alright, but wish me luck

[csdwarf11]

Thinking of going through the transfer case while I have it off. It does have 205k on it...

[Diesel_brad]

Good luck getting the collars off

[csdwarf11]

I've been thumbing through a few manuals, what do you mean collars, syncro collars?? exactly what part?

When pre-loading everything to compensate for case expansion. I'm a little confused there.

I have an entire machine shop at my disposal, so I should be able to get anything apart, or make anything I might need.

[csdwarf11]

Well, its out. After removal it looks like the top of the bellhousing is stitched up with welds from a dual mass coming apart.

I guess thats what you get for not chaning it on time. Doesn't seem like it would effect anything, might look for a new case if they are cheap.

Tearing it down this weekend!

[csdwarf11]

Alright, so I got a rebuild kit ordered up. So I'm 250$ into this. Turns out my transmission has a ****ed up bell housing, and a its had sensitive sycros from the day I got it. The detent plugs are full of silicone and some idiot has been inside this tranny for sure.

I'm taking it apart tomorrow, I'm rebuilding it if all the gears look good. I kind of want an opinion on when I should call this tranny totaled and just get a new one. I'm thinking I could get one for 1200$ but all of them are local pickup only.

Would mine be worth anything for a core? with the case being messed up and repaired?

[csdwarf11]

Alright, so I got the transmission apart, everything went very well. Got everything organized and the collar bearings?(Outside ones?) off the main shaft. and that shaft is coming apart very well. I stopped for the night though.


My question after looking at everything is. The secondary shaft, there are bearings on the ends of that. They are tucked up under gears and I think its going to be a pain to find a puller to fit up in there. They don't seem bad at all, so I might not bother replace them? Or I will modify a puller to work.


Sycro's appear to have basically no teeth left on the inner taper. Testing them, they don't even close to clear a .6mm feeler gauge (spec out of the manual).

The new ones are very close to not clearing the same .6mm though, so that was confusing. The new ones have very large teeth on them compared to the used ones though, so I feel confident that was the issue.

next issue was the 4th gear pop out, no bearings look bad ect. I can only assume that possibly the small detents under the shifting fork drums(on the main shaft) are worn out? or the syncro its self was causing the pop out issue.


After seeing how easy these transmissions come apart, I can always do it in the future if there are any other problems, I plan on throwing the rebuild kit and and seeing how it performs.

[JJFLASH]

Subbed cause i want to see how this pans out. You are a brave man for tackling a ZF5 green and by yourself

[csdwarf11]

haha, Its going very well, I just need to find a place to buy the shims for setting the pre-load if the factory shims don't work.

Main shaft is coming apart very well, I need to get one of the sycro bodys off though, and its on there really well. There is a special tool to remove it, but Im hoping ill have it off here in the next hour. Going to grab some lunch :p.

Ordered some MTL last night, that will be going in when I get everything back together.

[Diesel_brad]

Do NOT use the MTL with all new syncros. You want synthetic ATF