Gearbox Wire

[S2Jay]

Hello to everyone!

As I began to dismantle the gearbox and I see that the shift rails have set screws wired down. [refer to Pic]

First, may I assume that one should just cut this & replace with a new wire on reassembly?

Next, what wire is recommended to use. This wire appears to be thicker than the ?safety wire? used in racing applications [although it has been awhile since I have used any safety wire, I may just not be recalling that properly].

Finally, I am also curious to know if these trannys came from the factory like this. I am reasonably certain that this unit has not been apart before. This car has only about 42K miles [69K km?]

Any opinions / advice appreciated!

Jay
26/5009
LHD

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[types26/36]

Yes the wired grub screws are as Ford made the gearbox, soft iron wire is fine, not quite sure what safety wire is but as long as it prevents the grub screws from unscrewing it will be fine, is not subject to any excesses forces.

[elansprint71]

Safety locking wire in the aero industry is stainless; I've got a reel with about a million miles on it, courtesy of Boeing. It is much finer than the iron wire, as suggested.

[AHM]

Yes there should be locking wire.

The parts manual doen't show it and Lotus helpfully list it as "Lock Wire" and give it a Ford part number!

I don't suppose the gauge is critical.

Simon

[jk952]

Hello Jay,
Incidentally look out for the horizontal shuttle pins at the front of the shift rods, particularly the middle one that will fall out into the trans., if you don't catch it, when you rotate the rod 90 deg to remove it. Someone noted this to me and I appreciated the tip.
Jack

[CBUEB1771]

This wire appears to be thicker than the ?safety wire? used in racing applications [although it has been awhile since I have used any safety wire, I may just not be recalling that properly].

Stainless steel safety wire is available in several gauges. I have .020", .025", .032" and .041" diameter bought in the US from Pegasus Racing. I am sure that the same range of diameters is available in the UK.

[S2Jay]

A big thanks to everyone for all of the tips & background info! This is all very helpful, and a bit reassuring.

Brian, types26/36, I had never heard of a ?Grub Screw?, now I will have to add it to my unofficial ?British-to-American? Dictionary, along with bonnets, wings, lorrys, lifts, petrol, etc.

Russ, CBUEB1771, thanks for the note about Pegasus Racing as a source. They look to be a good supplier of many items of interest.

A Special Tip of the Cap to Jack, ?jk952?, for the tip about the ?horizontal shuttle pins?. There seemed to be a reason that I did not proceed with disassembly until I consulted this board, and here a good example why. I checked my trusty Workshop Manual after reading your note, and sure enough, there were the pins that you referenced and that I had not noticed. You may well have saved me some added stress & bother as someone had noted this to you. If this is ?pay it forward?, or whatever, I suspect you have increased your Karma quotient, and I appreciate the voluntary effort you took to go ever so slightly off topic.

Jay
26 / 5009
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[Elan45]

Jay,

I have always called the pins Jack referred to as "horizontal shuttle pins" as "interlock plungers". They are there to prevent you from selecting 2 gears at the same time. You will want to remove them completely from the gearbox before washing it out w/ solvent, else they fall to the bottom of the wash tank. They can be removed by just sliding them over into the shift rail bore and pushing them out at one end. You do not need to remove the little plug at the end of the plungers bore. They can easily be replaced by sliding in a shift rail up to almost the crossbore, then placing the plunger down the bore until it contacts the tip of the shift rail and with a small screwdriver, pushing it into the crossbore. Be careful when installing the 1st-2nd shift rail then with the little plunger inside it.

With only 42k on your gearbox, you may be able to just do a cleaning and replace the rubber seals. Pay particular attention to the 3rd-4th shift fork. Wear on its surfaces where they contact the syncro hub will eventually result in missed shifts, grinding going into gear and popping out of 4th gear. Check the wear on the syncro rings by making sure there is at least 1/32 inch gap between the face of the ring and the gear when the ring is pressed firmly up on the cone of the gear.

Be kind to every component in the box, as some replacement parts are not available at all. I just rebuilt the original box in 45-7380 and I was surprised by what is available, what repro parts are and what is not available at all. Most of my parts came from DBE and Tony Ingram, but I also looked at Burton Performance and their lack of anything meaningful.

You will want a dummy layshaft to re-install the laygear (countergear). I have made one from aluminum bar stock (3/4" IIRC) and it has worked a couple of times. I also use Redline MTL as assembly lube.

Roger

[Elan45]

Jay,

Please also note that the rear end of the layshaft is a few thousanths larger than the rest of the shaft and it must be removed by drifting it out front to rear and then replaced by reversal so that the end with the flats on it is the rear and the unflatted end goers back into the rear face of the gearbox and it is then pushed forward until the flatted end is protruding just the amount needed to lock into the tail housing.

Be careful. Don't force anything.

Roger

[garyeanderson]

I been asked a couple of time what is this part in the bottom of the gearbox after they have stripped down there own 4 speed box. I had taken these photos a while ago but never got around to posting them. I don't think I want to try to explain the workings of these parts but just let people know what they are so when they look in the bottom of the gear case and see them they can take the appropriate action and put them in a safe place so they are not lost, You are not going to find them when you want them if you loose the originals.
The pin in the middle shaft (almost certain to fall out when withdrawing the middle shift rail) looks like a buggered up needle bearing and may be inadvertently tossed.