MTFCA Forum

Happy holidays all!

After 3 and a half years my 22 Touring barn find restoration project is finally on filed trials!

Here's my problem - and some of this may be band adjustments and 'pilot error'... i.e. I'm teaching myself how to drive one by way of Youtube videos.

Reverse is fine - and from dead stop to low gear moving forward its nice and smooth - no grinding or chattering... (although I haven't go to very hi speed in reverse)

Once in forward motion I push the brake lever from center (neutral) to full forward, and when lifting my foot, the transition from low to neutral fine - but I may have that linkage from the brake handle to the clutch pedal off -since hi gear only seems to engage when the pedal is very near the top.
When shifting from low to hi, I throttle back to low rpm and lift the pedal, and from neutral to hi I get VIOLENT gear chattering that shakes the car... I chug through that- and it eventually smooths out somewhat but I've got a LOUD gear chatter while in hi and from under the floorboard...
This loud noise progresses to top speed on an open country road - but if I drop to say 700 to 900 rpm in hi its not too awful.

Now I tore the engine torn down to the block, and in the overhaul process we replaced a cracked drum and installed all new bands - All planetary gears looked very good - The engine also has new pistons- and runs fine.

I will need to pull the floorboards and adjust the brake in the next day or two - and plan to do a flex camera view of all - in the meantime,
what would the usual subjects be for this type of problem?

1 Just a bad driver? do you POP the pedal from low to hi? I tend to ease it out and in ---

2 Band adjustment?

3 Brake handle to trans linkage adjustment?

4 Rear differential issues? (saw this in a different thread) The rear differential is the ONLY thing I haven't reworked on this car...
(Murphy's law seems alive and well in this ol' gal... and I would not be surprised if that could cause it - but all the noise is from the trans)

any and all help and suggestions is always appreciated!

Thanks

It's the diff. top gear is direct drive, no gear train.

Here is a good video from Mitch Taylor on driving a Model T, Mitch has lots of good videos for beginners

https://youtu.be/xwacbtXTjQw?si=WUT2Hp30VsaJkSNM

"I chug through that and it eventually smooths out somewhat but I've got a LOUD gear chatter while in hi and from under the floorboards"
Gear chatter bothers me. I personally would pull the engine and check everything from the 4 flywheel bolts to the tailshaft.
That said, rear end noise typically sounds like it's coming from the transmission. But from the symptoms you describe it's probably in the transmission. There are so many things it might be any conjecture would be a stab in the dark.
For example. I once had a grinding sound coming from the transmission. Upon examination I found the driven grear was pressed on the brake brum a tiny bit too far and was rubbing against the low speed gear a tad. Who ever would have guessed that?

Kerry wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 12, 2023 4:21 pm

It's the diff. top gear is direct drive, no gear train.

dang! you are right about that...
Will update soon

I suspect the high speed clutch. The bands have nothing to do with high gear. The disks are held tight by a large spring. The spring could be worn out, or more likely the three fingers which compress the clutch are not allowing it to release completely. Another problem could be that the parking brake rods are adjusted too long which will not allow full action of the clutch when the brake lever is all the way forward. One other thing is the clutch disks themselves. They could be worn out, especially if you have a Watts clutch or Jackrabbit clutch. Those clutches are made to give you a softer engagement than the original clutch but are softer and can wear out if slipped into gear. And one last but quite frequent possible cause would be the inside of the brake drum where the clutch disks are located. If there are grooves worn in the drum, it could cause the disks to stick and not move freely. So Unless it it the link between the clutch lever or the brake rods too long, you will need to open the hogs head to fix it.
Norm

Even with a good transmission learning how to shift from low to high in a T going down hills, up hills and slowing down on a hill takes a little practice to do. And along with that using the mag and gas levers go all together in the process.

It sounds like it’s difficult at first but you’ll soon get to where it’s a smooth flow and the car will be smoothly going into high and etc.

The noise could be from the triple gears not having rndplay. Should be about .007 inch if I remember. Regardless these gears must have some axial clearance. This can be checked through the transmission cover opening.

Art Mirtes

Here is something else to check, Martin. I had similar symptoms when going into high on my first drives. I had a badly worn front drive shaft bushing. The noise was from the driveshaft bouncing inside the bushing. I replaced the bushing and that fixed it. It's easy to check the bushing's condition. Remove the plug from the torque tube where the U-joint pin is located. Push up on the driveshaft and look for movement. There should be no perceivable movement when properly greased.

Mark Nunn wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:37 am

Here is something else to check, Martin. I had similar symptoms when going into high on my first drives. I had a badly worn front drive shaft bushing. The noise was from the driveshaft bouncing inside the bushing. I replaced the bushing and that fixed it. It's easy to check the bushing's condition. Remove the plug from the torque tube where the U-joint pin is located. Push up on the driveshaft and look for movement. There should be no perceivable movement when properly greased.

Great advice! Thanks! I'll check that today - and plug? what plug? Mine didn't have one - might explain that blob on the floor , )

Thanks all for the good advice -

I' went ahead and readjusted all late yesterday and will do another test run later- In the meantime, I'll check the drive shaft bushing-

Does anyone know of any simple way of checking for problems with the pinion gear in the dif?

The wheels and brakes are new - and when I replaced all that I lubed up the dif- all wheel bearings looked ok - but I didn't check for 'excessive' play ????