Tranny/Xfer Case Questions...

Seems like replacement of the intermediate shaft and bearings is pretty common for these transfer cases. Both the front and rear wheels are driven through the intermediate shaft, so the transfer case sustains quite a lot of wear compared to the Dana 20 or Dana 300 or the newer chain-driven cases. Plus they leak-leak-leak. There is a lot of discussion in old posts here about making them leak less, and about overhaul and which intermediate shafts and bearings.

The factory limited slip for your year is a Dana PowerLock - an excellent unit.

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x390/kmfoffroad/1339718325679.jpg

Probably needs nothing. The clutch pack can be replaced if worn. Strong, fairly aggressive for a LSD.

Re service, generally Jeeps that have not been owned by enthusiasts need some service. The transfer case is one area where service/refurbishing is commonly needed. Another is the front knuckles and steering linkage. These Jeeps have a lot of moving, wearing drivetrain parts compared to passenger cars, and the normal service interval for drivetrain parts from this era is a lot shorter than we are used to today. The drivetrain technology of your Jeep is not much changed from the WWII/Korean War era.

Fix it up and wheel it. Jeeps are remarkably capable in factory form. I'd think about upgrading the brakes first, if they have not already been changed.

 

Timgr,
Yeah, I see the front seal is leaking already after cleaning it up. I possibly should have left the crud on it. Probably was keeping it from leaking.

The steering has already been fixed. I moved the steering gear box forward and set it up with a different steering column. Added some length to it with a few u-joints and a pillow block that can be lubricated. It is now mounted out front on the end of the frame. The bumper has been extended to allow for installation of a winch if I want to.

I have also added a vacuum assist assembly and reservoir for a hydraulic clutch operator to get rid of that miserable clutch linkage. I am looking for the right slave piston to mount on the tranny. It appears that maybe, just maybe, the assembly out of a Chevy Aveo, about 2005 vintage, just might work. They are cheap, so if the first attempt doesn't do the trick, I will go until I get one that will work. As far as the brakes are concerned, if the vacuum assist assembly doesn't do what I want it to do, I will just convert. I still have to figure out the linkage/geometry for the new clutch and brake pedal assembly, but that will come later. This jeep is a hobby for me. My therapist told me to get a hobby and do it during my down time instead of work. Work as a hobby will eventually take you down. It took 64 years for it to happen, but it did. Watch yourself, ok, especially as Type-A as you appear to be. I used to think I was 10 feet tall, bullet-proof and invisible, but I awoke one day to the fact that I wasn't. It will do a number on you mentally, eventually.

 

I think I will go pull it and do just that. Seems like a good idea. I may just look at rebuilt units and get one and then build this one as a spare. Thanks for the info. Later...

 

I did an examination of the Spicer 18. I found the "Spicer" stamp on the unit and a model number that begins with "18", so I assume that is what it is.

The rear yoke and oil seal seem to be nice and tight -- no slop and no leakage, but there is no resistance on the front yoke. I can spin it too freely. I can't feel the rub of the seal against the surface of the yoke like I can on the rear yoke. It leaks, too. I had the transmission sitting level and the only place I see any leakage is at this front yoke. It is leaking out, past the dust plate and down onto the x-mission cross member. So I guess I will pull it and take a closer look. It took a lot of effort to get that front yoke nut off. I don't think it has ever been removed. But a quart of penetrating oil and a 250 ft-lb. air gun eventually forced it to give up. The rear nut came off easily, and when I looked at the seal there, even though it is not leaking, it looks like the last owner put the seal in place with the backside of a ball peen hammer. What happened to the old tried and true method of using the right diameter socket, if you don't have anything else?

Can anyone tell me, do I have to remove the gear from the x-mission output shaft to pull the x-fer case? It appears that I do, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for the help so far. One of these months, I will have this thing on the road.

Later....

 

Yes, the transmission output gear has to come off to allow you to remove the transfer case. Take off the nut and it should just slide right off.
Make sure you have all 5 bolts out of the transfer case, one of them hides and threads into the transfer case instead of threading into the transmission like the other 4.

Don

 

Don,

Thanks for letting me know this. I will be pulling it apart tomorrow, starting early in the morning. Any help I can get on this is good. I have done a lot of car projects, but it is much better hearing from someone who has "been there; done that", than having to discover the pitfalls on my own. I hope someday my jeep looks as good as yours does. Have a good evening...

 

Thank you kind Sir for those words about the Yellow Barn Find. That was how it looked when I dragged it home, it has a little bit of rock rash on it now and the yellow is flaking badly.
I envy you your find of a F134 with an original optional T98, that is very uncommon and highly desirable.
Once you get the D18 out, you may find it needs only an intermediate shaft and bearings. That is easy to do without having the tear the Tcase completely apart. Check the output gear for wobble on the output shaft, that is another common wear point for a Jeep that has been flat towed a lot without removing the rear driveline.

Don

 

Thanks, Don for the information. I did find that "hard to find" nut you were talking about. Even a short 9/16" socket with a universal on it would not fit in that space. I ended up sacrificing a 9/16" wrench to get to it and even then it was one flat at a time until it got loose enough to spin it off with two fingers. I didn't have a set of crow's feet, which is probably what I should have used, but it was just as easy to fire up the torch and bend it as needed. The hardest thing to get off, though, was the 3/4" nut on the mount for the xfer case to the crossmember. I guess having been on there for 53 years must have cold-welded it to the threads. I finally got it to move and then put the air impact to it to finish spinning it off. It wasn't moving it originally. I had to use a good-sized breaker bar to get it started.

 

I tore down the Dana 18 today and it looks very good except for one thing. The ball bearing for the front output shaft has a bad ball in it. I can even see which one it is. So I have pulled the bearing. It is a New Departure 43206. Unfortunately, since New Departure is not making these anymore, I am trying to cross-reference it. I think the 43 series bearings became the "62" series, but I am not sure. Does anyone know what the replacement number is for this one? The reason I ask is because I can order it directly from a bearing specialties place if I know the number. I did this in the past when I rebuilt a 4-speed Saginaw and paid only 25% of what others wanted for the same bearing. As usual, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks...

 

I remembered to check this while I was under the Jeep today. It is a Dana 25. Is this good or bad? It has WARN hubs on it, so I guess it sits idle most of the time . Thanks for letting me in on the secrets of subtle differences for differentials...