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T-15 Transmission Pre-rebuild Question

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by Everett Reed, Aug 6, 2019.

  1. Aug 6, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2018
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    Okay, So I pull the Trans and transfer case from the "73 304 Jeep knowing it's a T-15 to get it ready for the the '74 258. I knew the trans was locked up in gear when I bought the Jeep, but didn't know why. I always intended to do a rebuild anyway. When I remove the shift tower I find out why. The shift rails are completed rusted up and have heavy rust scale on them. I roll the transmission on its side and water pours out, but the gears aren't heavily rusted. They are dark in places but I don't see any hugely alarming. I pour some used motor oil in the case and just the slightest pressure on the input shaft with a wrench and everything starts to move. in the case. After setting overnight the trans spins by hand with no unusual resistance.

    I my question is, What has been anyone experience with the cluster shaft in a situation like this? I'm afraid that the cluster shaft will be bad due to the water and they aren't available that I can find. I spoke to Herm the overdrive guy and he doesn't sell them because he uses the ones he has for his own rebuild work. I completely understand about feeding your own children first, but it leaves me sucking wind. Is there an aftermarket source of quality cluster shafts?

    Thanks in advance for any insight.

    Everett Reed
     
  2. Aug 6, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    A few years ago, Nickmil (who works on these transmissions professionally) said parts for the T-15 are getting increasingly scarce.

    Do you mean the cluster shaft or the cluster gear? In your situation, I think complete disassembly and inspection is unavoidable, unless you use this as a core to sent to Herm. I would not condemn the cluster shaft without inspecting it. These transmissions are not hard to take apart - you can wiggle the main bearings out of the case without a puller, and there aren't that many parts. Just keep strict track of what goes where, especially the snap rings. In my experience, your small parts kit will come with a whole bunch of extra parts, and you need to put things back like you found them.

    So you have two donors, and you plan to mate the T-15 from the 304 Jeep with the 258 from the other?
     
  3. Aug 6, 2019
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    I suggest you take it all apart clean and inspect before you worry about what parts it may or may not need.
    Countershafts are oft times re-usable.
    I happen to have a used T15 mainshaft in case you need that part.
     
  4. Aug 6, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Reading your old posts, it seems you also have the T-14 that came behind the 232. That would provide satisfactory service witht he 258, esp since you said you're not planning on jetting around on the street. The incident I recall with the 225 blowing up a T-14, the driver speed-shifted at full throttle on the street (?) and missed the gear, and it broke. Abuse like that will break the T-14. Seems like it would be hard to do ... these are not particularly fast shifting transmissions. If you get in a situation where you want to rock back and forth between 1st and R (not uncommon), take it easy on the impact load. A T-15 would be better then.
     
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  5. Aug 6, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
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    I was referring to the cluster shaft. (I've always hear it called the counter shaft) Yes and no. Yes, I am using the T-15 from the 304 and mating it to the 258. No, I actually have 4 donors for this project. ('73 304/T15, '73 232/T14, '77 258/auto, 73 no engine/T14)
     
  6. Aug 6, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
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    Jul 7, 2018
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    Your absolutely correct. I won't know what I need until I get it broke down and cleaned up. I was gathering part source locations when I ran into the scarcity issue with the counter shaft and thought I would ask what other were doing or not doing.
     
  7. Aug 6, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
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    Since this is a ground up rebuild, I wanted to take advantage of the extra strength of the T-15. If the inspection reveals a can of worms then I can always fall back onto the T-14(s). I won't be beating on the Jeep, just figure it's like tires and if I can run heavier ply tires then I do.
     
  8. Aug 6, 2019
    oldtime

    oldtime oldtime

    St. Charles,...
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    As you know often times the used parts can be nearly as good as new.
    T15 are fairly rare to locate through CL and other sources but do show up on occassion.

    I bought out an older farmer down in of south central Il. just a couple years back.
    I scored a nice T15 in that pile of jeep parts.
    But its already long since moved on due to supply and demand Ha Ha Ha !
     
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  9. Aug 6, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    So the '77 is a TH400/Quadratrac CJ-7? I'm a big fan of the intermediate Jeeps, but if I built one of them first, I'd build the CJ-7. The Quadratrac is cool.
     
  10. Aug 6, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2018
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    Yes sir, that is correct. But I am only able to harvest the engine and power steering group at this point, as it's my brother's Jeep and he did not want to mess with the engine. I traded some Ford 300 engine parts with him for the engine and steering components. He intends to build it out for his wife. It was in her family for a long time.
     
  11. Aug 9, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
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    We are going see how it goes this weekend. I've received my rebuild kit from Novak Conversions. I just need to pick up a bearing separator today. I'm hoping it is going to fit the snap ring groove. I'll get a cheap one so if I need to "modify" it, I won't be too upset.
     
  12. Aug 10, 2019
    Everett Reed

    Everett Reed New Member

    Southeast Missouri
    Joined:
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    Well, today was a bummer. Looks like this transmission is a loss without a complete gear set. All ofthe gears have heavy pitting on a quarter of the teeth. I would be wasting my time to stack it up with a kit. Unless I can find a gear set, I'm out of luck. I see some IH scout stuff out there, are the internals the same?
     
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