Crunching In First

('57 CJ5 Dana 18 transfer case, T-90 transmission.)
O.k. I got everything back together again. One problem, one question: Gears grinding trying to get into first from neutual. I don't know how much tighter I can adjust the clutchcable. Any suggestions? Magic would help, I'd rather not tear this thing apart again. -G

 

If you push the clutch in fully and wait, say, a real 30 seconds to shift into 1st, and it still grinds, then you have a clutch problem.

When you are sitting at idle, the input gear is spinning the cluster gear (in the bottom of the transmission) at idle speed. The main shaft is connected to the transfer case, so it will be turning proportional to the speed of the car. When you push in the clutch, you need to wait for the input and cluster gear to come to a stop, or else you will get gear clash.

This only happens in 1st or reverse, since they are unsynchronized... essentially naked gears colliding with each other. Shifting into 2nd then 1st can prevent this clash, because the 2nd gear synchronizer (a type of clutch) forces the cluster gear and main shaft to spin at the same speed (here stopped) - this is what allows you to shift into 2nd or 3rd without gear clash.

 

sounds like it's time to master double clutching before you break all the teeth off 1st gear (don't ask how I know).

 

9.5 out of 10 times this is what you'll have to do if shifting into 1st from neutral.

 

:iagree:

Never really tried to think of why, but Tim just explained it.