Time To Change Transmission?

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Have an 8-speed on my bench ready to go into my Commando 8. It is all rebuilt and is super smooth (can use one finger tip to turn the 4" input pulley and the axles spin in all gears, hi and low). I've already got the wheel studs installed on the hubs, and the hubs are in place with new keys and hardened grub screws.

 

Things I still need to do are:

- swap brake set-up over (brake drum on same shaft, so should be simple swap, no fabrication)

- swap over slot hitch and drawbar

- replace idler on clutch pedal for drive belt

- install new slot-hitch lift cable

 

Never swapped a manual trans before on these, so I don't know what I'm getting into. Is this something I should be able to do in a couple hours? Or is this a weekend project?

 

Thanks!

[953 nut 55,771]

11 minutes ago, 71_Bronco said:

swap over slot hitch and drawbar

This will probably bee the hardest part of the job. Otherwise it shouldn't take more than a couple hours.

Just remove the belt and rear fender pan and support the frame securely. Unhook the brake rod and lift cable and remove the four bolts that hold the transmission in place,   roll it out. I have found that a couple of long 3/8 bolts will help you align the replacement transmission as you roll it into place.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Yeah, I have a bad feeling about the hitch. The slot hitch and drawbar are loose on the hitch pin, but the hitch pin seems stuck in the case.

 

I do have a new hitch pin for the new transmission in case this one gets boogered up

 

EDIT: I also have a new brake liner too, but but I need to look at my current one first before I dive into that. Plus I can always do that another day.

Edited July 2, 2020 by 71_Bronco

[953 nut 55,771]

11 minutes ago, 71_Bronco said:

I also have a new brake liner too, but but I need to look at my current one first before I dive into that. Plus I can always do that another day

Do it while you have the parts in your hand!

[squonk 41,329]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

This will probably bee the hardest part of the job. Otherwise it shouldn't take more than a couple hours.

Just remove the belt and rear fender pan and support the frame securely. Unhook the brake rod and lift cable and remove the four bolts that hold the transmission in place,   roll it out. I have found that a couple of long 3/8 bolts will help you align the replacement transmission as you roll it into place.

I use 3/8 studs. Screw them into the trans line it up and use a nut on a couple to hold it. Then unscrew the other 2 and bolt it in and then do the 2 studs.

[ebinmaine 68,347]

Have to agree with Richard on that - do it all while it's apart.

 

If your existing brake lining has plenty of meat left, bonded well all the way around, and has NO oil anywhere on it, I would reuse it.

 

I would add that if your transmission has a dipstick tube sticking up you may want to remove it as well.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Got the old trans out. As predicted, the hitch pin was a major PITA to get out. Breaking for dinner, after which, the 8-speed will be finding it's new home.

 

And I will definitly be doing the brake band lol. Got a nice step where the material over-hung the brake drum.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Got the 8-speed in. Had to wrap it up for the night before I was able to button everything up, but at least I was able to make it a roller. Still have to re-mount the seat pan, and re-install the brake band.

 

Got the new slot-hitch cable in, and got the slot-hitch and drawbar onto the new trans with a new pin.

 

Now I can free-up space on the bench for my motor swap, and she will be running again. I've dubbed her the "Commando 8-8", as a tribute to the newer WH tractors, using the -8 suffix noting the 8-speed trans.

 

One thing I did notice, is that the new 8-speed is about 1-1/2" or so wider than the stock 5053 3-speed. This is with both wheel hubs flush with the ends of the axles. On the 5053, the hubs were pretty much touching the trans case, but on the 5060, there is about 1-1/4" or so of exposed axle showing on each side. Hope this is "normal" for the 5060.

[ebinmaine 68,347]

3 minutes ago, 71_Bronco said:

Hope this is "normal"

Yepp.

 

All our 3 & 4 speeds have hubs close to the transmission case.

All our 6 & 8 speeds there's a bit of space showing the axle.

 

 

[stevasaurus 22,863]

The axle hubs should be flush with the end of the axles.  Any axle showing will be between the hub and the case.  

 

The case is an 1 1/2" wider...that is good to know.  I did not realize that.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

53 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

The axle hubs should be flush with the end of the axles.  Any axle showing will be between the hub and the case.  

 

The case is an 1 1/2" wider...that is good to know.  I did not realize that.

 

Steve, I did not measure the case, I measured from outside-of-hub to outside-of-hub, basically determining where the wheels / tires would sit. The 5053 was about 1-1/2" narrower than the 5060, so my total tractor width has grown slightly.

 

I can take a measurement of the cases, but they looked identical when I measured the width.

 

To install the transmission, I propped up the frame on some I-Beams I had sitting in my garage. Then I placed the trans on a floor-jack, which allowed me to get it into place, and allowed me to wiggle / tilt as needed.