| Author | Message | ||
| Danny Ball (Aerocoach)
Registered Member Username: Aerocoach Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 76.7.238.115 Rating: N/A |
Hello, I am the proud owner of an obsolete 5 speed manual gearbox. The gearbox helps push my 1951 Aerocoach bus down the road. First gear has gotten chewed up in the nearly 60 years the old bus has been cruising the roads. I believe this is a Clark transmission original to the bus. Photos of the offending gear can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/theballgenealogy/AerocoachTransmission I've talked to all the smart transmission guys I can find, and haven't come up with much in the way of replacement parts. Can this be repaired, or will I need a new gear cut? Anyone know of a shop that can help? | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1185 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.66.116 Rating: N/A |
Hi, Danny. While it might be possible to repair your transmission so that you can use it carefully, I would be looking for a replacement. Since you didn't show a metal tag in your pictures, I assume that it is gone. If you take the transmission to a knowledgeable transmission man, he might be able to identify what it is and perhaps suggest a replacement. If you're going to try to repair the old unit, you're still going to need a transmission man's help to get yours usable. I believe that you're going to find a lot of bad bearings in yours, and that line of weldment on that one gear would make me really skeptical about the repair. The gear that the ground off one was engaging with can't be in very good shape, either. Good luck. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1186 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.66.116 Rating: N/A |
Danny, if you can't find anyone in your neck of the woods, there's a possibility that Ted Campbell of Coach Maintenance in Williams, CA, might be able to fix you up. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Registered Member Username: Tdh37514151 Post Number: 241 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.25.139.50  Rating: |
Hi Danny if the only gear that is needed is the small one I see in your pictures that gear could be made by any good gear hob shop. I wonder how the mating gear looks as well. The cost of hobing the gear would depend on the internal broaching of the spines. The cost may be high if the shop you go to does not have the correct spline broach and gear hob and would have to rent one for just one gear. If you can get me tooth count,pitch and center distance from shaft to shaft small gear to mating gear as well as internal spline count I will check with a local gear shop I do repair work for. I would suggest replacing the mating gear as well when going with a new gear. Best of luck. Tim | ||
| Danny Ball (Aerocoach)
Registered Member Username: Aerocoach Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 20.132.68.133  Rating: N/A |
Tim, the mating gear looks surprisingly good. I'll try and pull the offender out this weekend and get some measurements. I suggested welding, because a few teeth on the large bevel gears show evidence of old weld repair and seem to have held up well. Thanks for the suggestions. Danny Oxford, Kansas | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1237 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.68.133.166  Rating: N/A |
If you want to rescue the original, then go for it! If you want to upgrade, dreaming out loud: I'd be wondering about comparing the dimensions of yours to something a little newer that the shifter kit could be made to bolt up to. Perhaps a newer 5 or 6 speed from a medium duty truck would fit the bill? I'd bet that if you find the smart guys at the transmission manufacturers, Eaton/Fuller for instance, they just might latch onto this and have some good ideas just because it is interesting? happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Registered Member Username: Tdh37514151 Post Number: 242 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.25.139.50 Rating: N/A |
Ok Danny if you like e mail me the info my address is on my profile and by the way thats a very nice bus you have. I really enjoy the older buses and equipment of all types. Tim | ||
| Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member Username: Tekebird Post Number: 322 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.59.75.212 Rating: N/A |
what would a complete operating transmission be worth to you? | ||
| George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member Username: George_mc6 Post Number: 400 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 207.231.75.253 Rating: N/A |
From the pictures, I can see a large chip off of one tooth on what appears to be the mating gear. Not to mention the mating gear has been run with the really bad gear for a looong time. Now, we're going to take the whole trans apart for ONE new gear, bearings, and shifter fork, and not replace the worn, chipped mating gear at the same time? AND expect it to LAST, and stay in gear with a really worn profile against a brand new one? Apparently you have been very lucky, all the chips so far have gone down into the oil sump. One chip between the teeth, and the whole trans is junk, the case is broken, and the shafts are bent. George | ||
| Danny Ball (Aerocoach)
Registered Member Username: Aerocoach Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 76.7.238.115 Rating: N/A |
George, I can follow your line of reasoning, and I'd love to make this thing like new. My problem, is I've talked to what seems like every transmission man, salvage yard, and warm body from Florida to Alaska and I've not found a source for parts. We all know that getting gears cut is pricy business. It would seem that the last owner of my Aerocoach had a similar predicament, as the small gear that is causing me trouble now appears to be of the custom cut variety. I have been lucky, however, given that the mating gear shows very little corresponding damage. I'd guess they either forgot, or botched the heat treat. Douglas, Be a bit more specific...If you're hiding a working transmission somewhere, pull the blanket off it, and lets chat. Thank for all the input, Danny Oxford, Kansas | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 250 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 75.145.74.185  Rating: N/A |
Hi Danny, Good Luck on your repair. You have a wonderful looking coach. I don't know anything about an Aerocoach, but would appreciated a link of some pictures of yours. Sorry, I thought the first post with pictures was just of your transmission. Checking it out now. (Message edited by dreamscape on April 06, 2008) |
