NV3550 pulled the wrong bolt

[H20rider]

Halfway up the drivers side of the NV3550 is a bolt. By mistake that bolt was removed. From diagrams, it seems that that bolt secures a support for a bearing. When the bolt was removed, the support slipped (probably down) and threaded hole in the support is no longer aligned with the casing hole.
Any ideas of how I might fix this without having to remove the transmission and open it up, etc.etc.

 

[H20rider]

Okay, I’m answering my own question. Maybe this will help someone else who encounters this mistake.
There seem to be 3 options to deal with having let the reverse idler support slip.
#1 Tear down the unit enough to access the support and then reposition. Or, have a shop do it.
#2 Use two thin flat head screwdrivers through the bolt hole to walk the bearing back up into place.
#3 Drain the unit. Then, use a short length of coat hanger wire to manipulate the bearing support back up into place.
I am opting for #3 as a first effort. Fortunately I have a boroscope so as I try to adjust from the drain hole, I can watch for the threaded hole in the bearing as I try to reorient it.
(Corrected the term boroscope.)

 

[.94 OR]

Horoscope​

A horoscope is an astrological chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, astrological aspects and angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth.

Never thought of using one of those to align bolt holes.

 

[JB Fab]

Really, I keep one in my top drawer right next to my magic 8-ball....

 

[JB Fab]

Okay, I’m answering my own question. Maybe this will help someone else who encounters this mistake.
There seem to be 3 options to deal with having let the reverse idler support slip.
#1 Tear down the unit enough to access the support and then reposition. Or, have a shop do it.
#2 Use two thin flat head screwdrivers through the bolt hole to walk the bearing back up into place.
#3 Drain the unit. Then, use a short length of coat hanger wire to manipulate the bearing support back up into place.
I am opting for #3 as a first effort. Fortunately I have a horoscope so as I try to adjust from the drain hole, I can watch for the threaded hole in the bearing as I try to reorient it.

Best of luck! I hope you have a comfortable creeper (sincerely) that always makes these type of procedures easier.....

 

[jamesroney]

A borescope is often called a boroscope. A boroscope is similar to an endoscope and a colonoscope. An endoscope is useful for inspecting the upper Gastro Intestinal tract. The colonoscope is useful for inspecting the lower GI tract. Neither of these devices are useful for inspecting the cranium. In this case, the user needs a device to have their head examined. (...Autocorrect is not always your friend.)

In the NV3550, the reverse idler is a retained by a threaded bolt thru a half-moon shaped retainer. There are legends on the Internet of people rotating the retainer back after accidentally removing the bolt. Here's a couple of pics. Item 2 is the piece you need to align. The threaded reverse idler shaft is deeper into the case...but the half moon is first. It might be possible to reach in with a pick and rotate the half moon back up until the hole is aligned. Problem is that it wants to roll back down as soon as you roll it up. I admit It's been a while since I was in an NV3550.

 

[H20rider]

A borescope is often called a boroscope. A boroscope is similar to an endoscope and a colonoscope. An endoscope is useful for inspecting the upper Gastro Intestinal tract. The colonoscope is useful for inspecting the lower GI tract. Neither of these devices are useful for inspecting the cranium. In this case, the user needs a device to have their head examined. (...Autocorrect is not always your friend.)

In the NV3550, the reverse idler is a retained by a threaded bolt thru a half-moon shaped retainer. There are legends on the Internet of people rotating the retainer back after accidentally removing the bolt. Here's a couple of pics. Item 2 is the piece you need to align. The threaded reverse idler shaft is deeper into the case...but the half moon is first. It might be possible to reach in with a pick and rotate the half moon back up until the hole is aligned. Problem is that it wants to roll back down as soon as you roll it up. I admit It's been a while since I was in an NV3550.

Right on all counts.
This morning I went with the #3 option I mentioned above (access through the drain hole). By inserting the bolt through the side hole/port and holding it lightly against the surface of the support, and then using a coat hanger wire to rotate the support upwards, when the holes were aligned the bolt slipped in. Big surge of relief!

 

[DirtDonk]

Wow! Great fix!
Apparently the horoscope did come in handy after all. You must be using a very accurate one.

 

[thegreatjustino]

access through the drain hole

Which is what the colonoscope James mentioned is used for...