OT;;;; Almost a waste of money Pic's

Ten years ago we went over to the Mn Wi border and purchased a 92 F150 4X4 with manual transmission and 4.9l engine. Brought it home in a blizzard and had one flat tire on our trailer. Stopped in the service station,who charges .75 for air. It wouldn't blow up the tire (mobile home tires). Any way we got it home and rebuilt the truck (ex mudder). Had the wrong rear end in it,we changed back so the speedometer would work,rebuilt numerous parts, redid the body and repainted it. Made new gas doors,New oil pan ( got rid of the Mexico built one that leaked). Before we started all the repairs we ordered all the factory shop manuals.

Here recently 1st gear kept kicking out,so it's now into the transmission forks. Ordered new ones,thicker and better constructed than original,or at least it looks like it to me. It went from 1/8 inch to 1/4" thick shifter fork plates that engages the gears.
Upon disassembling the second shifter fork rod would not come loose. I threatened to take it on our shop press, and it's a good thing I didn't. My son found the problem,all three rails have to be removed, the 2 out side ones hold the key to the center rail removal. You have to have both the outside rods all the way out to remove the middle. Without removing the two outside rails,there is a center type elongated bearing that holds the center on in,until the other two are removed. The shop manual nor the internet we looked for said anything about this.Damn good chance of damaging a part that would cost over $200.00,had it not been for my sons visual inspection and thought process, we would have had a junk top plate,and have to buy new,guessing the cost would be around $200.00-400.00 for a replacement. Anyway we got it back together and it shifts nice and snug,like original new. Should be back together completed by tomorrow. The synchros and gears in the transmission weren't hurt at all.

Was wondering if any of you guys had to replace shifter forks in this type (M5R2) transmission and found out the hard way that there is that cross type shaft bearing? Anyway we do not completely trust even the factory manuals,which never listed that. Pictures are of the original shifter forks and second one is of the transmission gears and synchros.

LOU

I would venture to say your original shifting forks had removable/replaceable plastic tips on them that made them wider and they improved the new forks. I've seen plastic tips on many shift forks years ago.
Good thing you did not try to press out the shifting rails. What your Son found is a shift inhibitor which keeps you from putting the transmission in more than one gear at the same time. (Keeps two rails from moving at the same time)

good to hear from you. see you have been busy.
stay warm
john bowers

John B.,
Thanks for the reply.Looked like our original forks had thinner design 1/8" or so, the newer ones are 1/4" or so. Mazda transmission manufacturing messed up on their original design and made the web thinner to cheapen up the forks.Newer ones are thicker on the web so wear should be extended wear.
I think you are right on the shift inhibitor,shame the book didn't mention removal of them.
Regards,
LOU

John,
thanks. Sure have been busy,nice to have a heated garage when it's snowing and cold outside.Right now temps are 20 and lightly snowing.Just think only 6 more months then it's garden time again.lol.
Regards,
LOU

Lou, that's great to know, having a '96 F-150 4x4 with the same drive train. Something went awry in my trans, so I had bought a rebuilt one, have yet to install it. Might have gotten taken as I saw some bolt holes with the threads not looking so good on part of the case, top side, and it can be removed. There is also 3 different sizes of the part in the photo.

Lou, my four speed had to have the forks replaced also . Found that the previous owner liked to rest his arm on the gear shifty knob while driving down the road.This causes constant pressure on the forks and wears them thin.

Side shift gear levers by the seat arm rest on some tractors are good for that to. A good many have had syncro's and selectors messed up by guys riding with their arm on the rest and hand on the shifter.
my loader tractor has power shift and a clutch button on 2 out of 3 levers. It's real hard not to drive with your hand on the shifter when loading in short distances or baling.
Regards Robert