I recently rebuilt the transmission in my 1910 runabout...It has a 1918 drivetrain (unfortunitely) and on my first test drive it broke the pinion gear in two and completly lost drive...can I just replace the pinion gear and bearings etc. without dis- assembling the whole rear end and if so how do i set the backlash etc...also the trans seems to bang when i shift to high a bit more than i would like...is there a setting to make it smoother...ps I am a reasonable car mechanic with 37 years experience but know very little about T's ...any help would be apreciated...joe
Joe, yes you can simply replace the pinion. If the gears were old, the mismatch might cause noise but it can be done. I've done it with success. Short of adding a shim between the spool and rear end housings, there is no mechanism for adjusting the depth of the pinion. The backlash is controlled by moving the ring gear closer, again with shims.
Re the banging noise when you shift into high, you might try loosening the set screws that adjust the clutch fingers, one half turn each, and see what happens. That will give you a softer engagement.
Thanks Richard...and wow what a beautiful T you have
Thanks, Joe let me know how things go.
Thanks Richard....I got her back up and running with a perfect 1917 axle I got from another T head.,for $200 complete...Such a great bunch of model T enthusiasts on here and so willing to help...The shifting into high is now smooth (after adjusting the clutch fingers) and the rear end is as quiet as the day it was new....I adjusted the bands properly and now have been able to putt about san francisco early mornings and after work in the evenings....and for a 105 year old machine it goes quite well...thanks for your help and emails...Joe