t-handle removal on dana 20

Kauaiman · Mar 20, 2018

i have a 1971 bronco and am trying to remove 3 speed manual trans and dana 20. i have all the bolts loose, but have a question on T handle. the long bolt that goes into the adapter will not clear the tunnel. do i have to cut my tunnel where the bolt is to get it out? hoping there is a better way, thanks for your replies!

AZ73 · Mar 20, 2018

You can try dropping the trans cross member and seeing if lowering the trans slightly will be enough, but I don't recall I had a problem. Then again, maybe I pulled the body off before I took the shifter off.

camp9k · Mar 21, 2018

2nd on dropping and tilting...watch to make sure you fan blade doesn't dig into radiator...just did it this weekend.

Kauaiman · Mar 21, 2018

Ok, thanks. I’ll drop it down tomorrow.

DirtDonk · Mar 21, 2018

Did you read the part about not separating the t-case from the trans until the trans is locked (literally locked) into gear? I can never remember if it's reverse, or first, or if that bit even matters, but the point is to keep the tailshaft of the trans from going that extra little bit out to cause trouble.
That's when the roller bearings that support the input shaft to the output shaft literally fall out of their pocket and down to the bottom of the trans case.

Sorry if you knew that part already, but many still don't the first time they dig this deep into a 4wd.

Paul

Kauaiman · Mar 22, 2018

Thanks for the heads up. I welded a piece of 3/8 rebar and made a jig to hold the shift linkages in place. I have a good service manual that shows a picture of the jig. Put the transmission into first gear ,then slide the jig on to hold the linkages

DirtDonk · Mar 22, 2018

Stellar! Glad you got that important step handled.
I actually tried to get away without it once. Not the first time, because I'd read the book. And not all the other times. But the last time I had mine apart I thought, "Hey, I can do this without that tool. Mine's loose and I can separate them without pulling the shaft too far."
Uh, no...

Did not work as planned, so my perfectly working transmission had to come apart to fish a bunch of little rollers out of it!
Felt a lot like one of those, "here, hold my beer and watch this" moments in life.%)

Glad you didn't fall prey too.

Paul

t-handle removal on dana 20

Kauaiman

Newbie

AZ73

Bronco Guru

camp9k

Sr. Member

Kauaiman

Newbie

DirtDonk

Bronco Guru

Kauaiman

Newbie

DirtDonk

Bronco Guru

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