34 Brg retainer

[elwood]

Hey guys, Im working on a 34 transmission, I pulled the brg retainer to reseal it, and I found this, the case has the oil return hole off to the side, and the brg retainer has the hole at the 6 oclock position, the gasket has a cut out for oil drainage ? Im just not thinking the gasket cut out will allow enofe to to drain.
Will this work, or do I need to find a brg retainer with the drain hole same as the case ?

[Terry,OH]

later cases still have the offset oil return hole, at some point even later the hole in the case was moved to 6:00. The early retainer is without a seal. later it was modified and the seal was added and the oil return passage was increased in width. The later retainer will fit the 34.

[elwood]

Thanks Terry, but can I use the setup I have now with the gasket cut out ?
This is how the car came to me .. and it didnt seam to be leaking into the clutch ..

[cadillac512]

Hi elwood


If it were me, I'd grind a relief in the retainer over to the oil hole area-not huge but enough to make sure oil can flow well. Also, I'll bet that trans doesn't want to be overfilled at all with no seal up front. Better to be a bit below the fill hole.


Terry

[elwood]

Thanks Terry, I was thinking the same thing, there isnt much meat right there tho ..
easy does it : p

[Terry,OH]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Yes you can use the set up you have. Could also use bearings with metal shield on one side for both the front input and the rear main shaft.

[elwood]

Thanks Terry

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

Yes you can use the set up you have. Could also use bearings with metal shield on one side for both the front input and the rear main shaft.

Terry, did you mean to say he could use ball bearings with a seal on one side for both front input and rear main shaft? A metal shield on a ball bearing will not stop oil from coming through the bearing.

[Brian]

Actually...you can use a front bearing with a front mounted seal, not shield, particularly as the early style front bearing retainer does not have provision for a seal; rather, just a reverse helix machined into the bore immediately in front of the bearing. [Look at your photo]
I actually run this same setup with the later seal equipped bearing retainer...[to be sure, to be sure]

However, when it comes to the rear bearing, leave it open both sides; a certain amount of lube is supposed to escape through that bearing to lubricate the universal joint

[Lawrie]

It also has the metal slinger thing as well, I thought they were maybe to stop bits of the gears getting into the bearing,like bits of teeth etc.
Lawrie

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Brian

Actually...you can use a front bearing with a front mounted seal, not shield, particularly as the early style front bearing retainer does not have provision for a seal; rather, just a reverse helix machined into the bore immediately in front of the bearing. [Look at your photo]
I actually run this same setup with the later seal equipped bearing retainer...[to be sure, to be sure]

However, when it comes to the rear bearing, leave it open both sides; a certain amount of lube is supposed to escape through that bearing to lubricate the universal joint

Brian, there are different schools of thought on seals vs. open face on that rear bearing. I prefer to use a sealed rear trans bearing, because I don't want the lube I'm using in the universal to migrate into the transmission, and also, I do not want the lube I'm using in the trans gear box to migrate back into the universal.
I've worked on several transmissions, for these early Ford V-8's, that had large amounts of chassis lube pumped inside the trans gear box, because someone with a high volume/high pressure grease gun pumped so much chassis grease into the universal housing, that it went straight through that rear trans open race bearing and into the trans gear housing. I believe in doing things the way Henry did them, until/unless I find a better way to go.

[Brian]

John, Do as you like...after playing with these things for years, and reading various opinions on here, and elsewhere on the web, I prefer to keep that rear bearing open as Henry designed it. The whole system is basically pretty crude; designed to allow migration of lube from one area to the other, also to find a third escape route onto the garage floor! lol. The main thing in my opinion, is to ensure all areas have sufficient lubrication, if your intention is to have a reliable driver.

[Terry,OH]

John: The use of a metal shield will reduce to a minimum the amount of transmission fluid getting through the bearing. Any that does get through can drain back. I also use the single metal shield on the rear bearing. Just my way of doing it. I do not believe bearings were available with shields or seals before the war.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Brian, I know we normally won't go wrong doing things as Henry did them, and 99% of the time I also do, and preach to others to do the same. However, in this particular case I know I can keep the garage floor below the transmission a lot cleaner by not doing it the way Henry did, and at the same time keep both areas (trans & uni) well lubricated, for short, and long distance driving.
Now to be totally honest with you, last summer I rebuilt the transmission in my '35 fordor (Avatar pic), using the later/better syncro '39-'48 gears, and also special '35 shifter top with modifications to work correctly with later gears (I think even Henry would have approved of this, LOL ) But in my haste to get this done, and have this car ready to drive to Auburn, Indiana for the EFV-8 C/A Central Nat. Meet, I used the stock open type rear output shaft bearing instead of a sealed bearing. Now, I'm kicking myself in the arse because the new concrete floor in my garage has been spotted/stained!! ☹️

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

John: The use of a metal shield will reduce to a minimum the amount of transmission fluid getting through the bearing. Any that does get through can drain back. I also use the single metal shield on the rear bearing. Just my way of doing it. I do not believe bearings were available with shields or seals before the war.

Terry, when I actually worked for a living, our manufactured product line used many different types of bearings, including ball bearings in transmissions, and by design we only used shelded type ball bearings in applications where we needed to keep dust, dirt and other debris from getting into the bearing race, but did not want the drag and resultant heat, or other issues in a presision product that a seal may have caused. A shield might help slow down the migration of some oils or greases, but it definitely will not stop the flow.

[David J]

Yessir to this .

Originally Posted by Brian

John, Do as you like...after playing with these things for years, and reading various opinions on here, and elsewhere on the web, I prefer to keep that rear bearing open as Henry designed it. The whole system is basically pretty crude; designed to allow migration of lube from one area to the other, also to find a third escape route onto the garage floor! lol. The main thing in my opinion, is to ensure all areas have sufficient lubrication, if your intention is to have a reliable driver.