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Flathead T-5 problems

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by poolmike, Oct 9, 2010.

  1. poolmike
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 71

    poolmike
    Member

    A quick history...in my '37 Ford pick up with all stock drivetrain I had clutch chatter issues and usual 3 speed grind problems, but otherwise it was a functional truck. Then I broke an axle shaft and decided on an open driveshaft/T5 swap during the rear axle build. I bough the adapter from Cornhuskers, installed it with all new clutch/pressure plate/bearing/bushing, resurfaced flywheel, etc. The trans got new syncros, the bearings looked and checked out perfect so they were not changed....

    Now the problems....as soon as I let the clutch pedal up the first time to back the truck out of the garage, I had chatter...but it drove fine otherwise for roughly 1 month when it started making a noise only when the clutch/trans were engaged that everyone swore was the front bearings in the trans. I pulled the trans out to find a totally egged out pilot bushing. Had the trans checked out and everything is fine. Took the clutch/p-plate/flywheel to a local shop that rebuilt and resurfaced everything. I check the bellhousing alignment with a dial indicator, and it is within .02". Installed the trans again with new pilot bushing and TO bearing. I still have chatter, bad bearing-like noise is gone, and now...2 weeks later I have what sounds like a failed T/O bearing when I push the clutch in.

    What am I doing wrong??!?! Any advice is much appreciated.
     
  2. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
    Member

    Did you mean to write .002? If you runout is actually .020, there lies the problem. Make it closer to .002.
     
  3. poolmike
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 71

    poolmike
    Member

    Sorry, yes .002. Forgot the extra zero.

    Without the clutch and pressure plate, I installed some studs in the block and the trans slides right into the pilot. Tightened up the mounting bolts, spun the output shaft with the trans in gear and didn't feel any resistance like it would be binding up in the pilot bushing. So I don't think there is an alignment issue.
     
  4. poolmike
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 71

    poolmike
    Member

    Might be time for an automatic.
     

  5. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Are the motor mounts is good shape?.
     
  6. poolmike
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 71

    poolmike
    Member

    Motor mounts are new and in great shape as is the trans mount. I plan on pulling the trans back out tomorrow. Hopefully I will see what is squealing when the clutch pedal is pressed in.
     
  7. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]


    If you used this S-10 trans mount like I did then you may need to make some anti chatter rods like Henry did. The mounts look fine but they allow the engine to move and the clutch chatters. I made some anti-chatter rods from 3/8" rod using front shock upper rubber bushings and washers for vibration dampening. That took care of the problem. Easier than pulling the trans. Good luck and tell us what you find.
     
  8. Just found this thread & am having a similar issue. Did you ever get this fixed? Did you try the anti chatter Rods?
     
  9. brokenspoke
    Joined: Jul 26, 2005
    Posts: 2,968

    brokenspoke
    Member

    X2 on chatter rods
     
  10. You mean they worked for you?
     
  11. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Flatmotors need the chatter bars......I run an 8BA in my 40 pickup with a RUG 3 speed, open driveline,..and had to fab a set.
    You said the pilot bearing was "egged out"....is the trans pilot and the pilo a good fit ? If pilot os smaller than the trans input shaft,...that can happen....

    4TTRUK
     
  12. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    OOps...Correction....if pilot on the input shaft is smaller than the pilot bushing,...the "slop" can make the pilot bearing "egg out"

    4TTRUK
     
  13. I constructed a migshift ant-chatter & it didn't seem to help.

    I found out that the pressure plate arms are contacting my offy adapter when the motor is at higher RPM possibly throwing the pressure plate out of alignment?

    Also could the aluminium shavings be contaminating the clutch?
     
  14. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    Anti chatter rods solved my problem immediately after install in my '35 w/flathead and T5.
     
  15. I'm in the process of fabricating some real deal ant-chatter rods. Keeping my fingers crossed.
     
  16. Installed original type chatter rods. Helped a bit but still not like I'd like. Any more ideas?
     
  17. flyinlow1000
    Joined: Sep 21, 2011
    Posts: 20

    flyinlow1000
    Member
    from SE Wa. St.

    I just backed my '34 out of the shop yesterday for the first time in several years. I scattered the truck tranny back when and put a T-5 in it along with an 8ba. AND IT CHATTERS! I'll drive it around the block today and see how bad it is. I'll watch this thread close.
     
  18. I'm running a 10.5" Long type clutch. I talked to some clutch gurus and they told me i'll have a hard time getting it not to chatter due to the style of clutch. He told me to throw it in the trash and swap it out to a diaphragm style pressure plate. I have friends who've run the same setup as I am who have had the same issues but have corrected it some way or another. Seems like most cases are all different.
     
  19. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    We put a T5 behind the wife's 8BA and it has been perfect, however...it is a noisy transmission and I am 100% sure that it is mechanically perfect. Coming from a background of many years with GM products I realized that fact from the beginning.

    Sure makes that little roadster a road rocket.
     
  20. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    OK, can someone show me a set of these anti-chatter rods? Where do they go?
    Thanks!
     
  21. Red
     

    Attached Files:

  22. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
    Member

    When I had a T5 behind a flatty, I pushed in the pedal and noticed the motor move ahead. I never even started the motor untill I had built an anti chatter rod along side the clutch linkage. Mine never chattered.
     
  23. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Not sure where the 37 chatter bars went.....The 40 went from back of engine bloc, to the bottom of the X member....They're approx 18" long. For the 8BA block, you'll need to fab brackets, one for each aide, from bell housing to to the holes in the X member. 59A had a boss on each side of the back of the block, to accomodate them. Chatter with an open drive line is greatly reduced, because any fore / aft motion of the driveshaft is taken up by the slip yoke. Torque tubes would "push" the engine / trans forward or back, affecting clutch operation via the linkage.

    4TTRUK
     
  24. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    After my first av8 in 1960 that had chatter problems a veteran old time hot rodder had me install anti-chatter rods and every flathead build since hasn't left the garage without them. Some of the early swap kits had an L-shaped bracket the preloaded the front motor mount biscuits essentially locking the motor in a for/aft position duplicating the function of the anti-chatter rods.

    Frank
     
  25. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    OK, I see. Thanks, I'll have to add those.
     
  26. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Hurst anti chatter clips were used on engines adapted to the early Ford trans. Used to limit the front to back movement on the motor mounts just like the Ford rods that limited the movement. The problem is in the Ford and in my case the Studebaker clutch linkage.(same design with a cross shaft in the bellhousing) When you let out on the clutch the torque wants to push the engine forward on the mounts which allows the clutch to unload and slip a bit. Then the engine moves back and the process recurs at a very rapid rate...it chatters.
     
  27. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    Makes perfect sense to me. I guess if you ran a hydraulic clutch slave this problem wouldn't happen. (Mine's mechanical).
     
  28. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    exactly.
     
  29. gas pumper
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 2,957

    gas pumper
    Member

    I think with the T-5, a change to the TH350 type trans mount stabilizes the back end and prevents chatter.

    Even GM had support rods on the T-5 when used with the bisquik mount.

    frank
     
  30. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Factory "chatter bars" ran from bosses on each side of the 59A blocks,.just outboard of the bell housing. For an 8BA, you need to fab brackets to bolt to the bell housing bolts....The rods run back, to the lower side of the "X" member. The 40 frams have a "dimpled" hole, the rods are approx 18" long.

    4TTRUK
     

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