Trans stuck in 2nd

[Manstein]

I helped my buddy put the cargo top on his M36 and it got hung in 2nd gear going back to work. He's pulled the top off the trans and it sounds like the syncro wadded up and chewed up 2nd gear. Here is the question: Can you take it apart and fix it in the truck or do you have to drop the trans out of the truck? Where can I steer him to get the pieces? Would it be better to just get a whole trans? This truck is a "89 model with about 6000 miles. Is it just dumb luck?

 

[devilman96]

I have the syncrho listed if you want to swap it out but the tranny does have to hit the floor to do so... Most usually hunt down a used tranny as tearing into them is for the more adventurous at heart... Not a hard job, just something most like to avoid.

If your intrested.... http://odiron.com/store/index.php?cPath=4_48

 

[No.2Diesel]

I recently acquired the same problem with the 2-3 synchro and will be doing a full rebuild soon on my 3053A. I looked under my cover and all my teeth seem fine, no rounded edges or chips. My shifter rods had no corrosion and were not sticking. Look under my recent post "stuck in 2nd gear." Look for full write up in a few weeks with pics, procedures, & prices. Almost all service other than the cover requires the removal of the tranny. Hope everything works out for your friend. Was he able to drive it away?

 

[jasonjc]

You can replace 2-3rd with it in the truck. Thought it would be easyer to take it out. I did it in the truck with parts from another trans that had other proplems. Made 1 out of 2. But now I have alot of grear wine.

 

[acetomatoco]

Taking it out and rebuilding it with whatever it needs is the way to go if you are not in a hurry... Ya all remember to start in first gear all the time and this type of problem will not fester up as often... especially those folks with the sprag who need to do the first reverse shift at every stop to keep the sprag loosey goosey...ACE

 

[Manstein]

Somebody elaborate on the sprag issue. I thought only the front axle shift was sprag or no sprag. Are there different transmissions in the M35a2?

Update: Trans is out of the truck. The synchro hub in the center of the 2nd gear sheared out of the gear. Looks like it was just twisted right out of the center. No load in the truck when it happened. Maybe it had a previous stress crack and finally let go. He's rebuilding this one cause it's got such low miles (6000).
We have both been starting out in 2nd gear but I guess after this, maybe starting out in first will help??? We both work for Chevrolet dealers and nobody starts of in 1st in our heavy trucks.
What is everybody else doing on take off from a stop?

 

[cranetruck]

...
What is everybody else doing on take off from a stop?

First gear, always.

 

[clinto]

What is everybody else doing on take off from a stop?

First gear, always.

 

[jasonjc]

The sprag is in the xfer but it gets its fwd or rev input from the trans. 1st grear tell's it to go foward but not 2-5. So if you go from rev to 2nd the sprag is still set for rev. And then bad things happen.

 

[FSBruva]

What is everybody else doing on take off from a stop?

I put mine in second, but put the transfer case in low range. According to the -10-1 TM, 2nd (Low) has a max speed of 8 mph, and 1st (High) has a max speed of 9 mph. I can shift from low to high much faster than I can shift from 1st to 2nd. However, I should caution that as jasonjc pointed out... if you have a sprag front axle, ALWAYS START IN FIRST.

Matt

 

[OPCOM]

first high or second low. - in city traffic to go through the low range 2 to 5 then shift to high 4 and continue.

 

[houdel]

first high or second low. - in city traffic to go through the low range 2 to 5 then shift to high 4 and continue.

Me too!

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

High 1-5 always on the road...if off-road, depends really on the surface.