I found this loose in a used transmission I installed the other day. Any idea what it is? Is it critical? Any chance that it's been there since new? It wouldn't come out through the drain hole so I took off the PTO cover and fished it out with a magnet. The used transmission occasionally grinds going into reverse and second but is overall ok.

 

iv never been inside one....id do a search, there are a couple of rebuild files floating around. you might find what your after in there

 

All the links for the exploded diagrams take you to the Zf web page. I was unable to find any diagrams from there.

 

You should get an exploded view at drivetrain.com I would think.

 

The files should be available from the ZF website.
But I can tell you thats the reverse lockout plate that prevents you from shifting from 5th into reverse. It goes on the top end as part of the shifter linkage. It pivots on the lower oblong hole, and a spring goes over the long part on the lower left to keep it in place. I think there is a pin that sticks up into the square hole to partially locate the plate as well.

Theres a quick test to see if there is one installed on your ZF or not. This can be done with the truck off. While holding down the clutch, put tranny in 5th (OD). Then try to pull the shifter straight back into reverse. If it slides right into reverse, you should reinstall that plate. If you need to pop the shifter back into neutral (center position), then bring it right and down into reverse, the lockout is working as it should.

Its quite possible somebody was working on this transmission and dropped the plate through from the top. Then they either didn't care, or replaced it and left it in the bottom.

 

OP: I thought you were kidding in your post until I scrolled down. I was thinking you found a nickle in the tranny! I wondered what kinda magnet you used to fish it out.

 

Can this be reinstalled through the shifter cover? I guess I should look around for the spring and bolt. I need to reseal the PTO unit and the cover on the unused side.

 

Yes & yes. :)

God#13 has it exactly right and so try your ZF's reverse
lockout before taking the top off it, is my suggestion. :)



How much play your lever got?
My ZF5-S42 gasser was loose as a goose. :/

I worked at it and figured out how to take the worn-in-play
out of mine and at the same time made it so its new snug
fit would last longer than the factory setup. Are you game? ;)

Alvin in AZ

 

Alvin, did you put some shims between the shifter and bronze cage? I know I got the idea from somewhere and did that to mine either when I was half rebuilding it, or when I swapped to 4wd (can't remember when). I want to say I used some polyethylene from a windshield fluid bottle sanded down a bit so it wasn't too snug.

Also, I was trying to find a picture I had thought you posted during your rebuild showing where the lockout plate goes, but couldn't even find your thread so I gave up on that one.

 

I don't believe I took a picture of that relying on the Ford Shop Manual to
fill in those details, maybe that's why you were having trouble finding it?

Page 07-03c-09 in the Ford Shop Manual, part numbered 13 and 14...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/etc/07-03c-09.jpg

---------------------

Yeah, I used thin steel washers to fill up the space after I'd took the hard
bronze cage apart and filed the "eaten into surfaces" flat again.

It was one of the creepiest things I'd ever run across in all my tinkering. :)
The hollow nylon blocks had worn (deeply) into the bronze cage that was
so hard and wear resistant it was difficult to file without a like-new file.

The nylon block looked to be un-worn too! 8-/

Yep, the bronze cage's original surface would make for a perfect-fit with
the old nylon blocks as if the nylon never-wore-any. It was creepy. :)

It's kinda tricky taking the bronze cage apart and not breaking it. It's got
to be fully supported while driving the pins out and later back in. I heated
the Bronze cage and put the pins in the freezer and that helped a bunch
getting it back together??

I wrote up something better than this way back when, I'm pretty sure. ;)

I plan to take much better pictures of the shifter mechanism now that I've
discovered the "flower setting" on the camera. LOL :)

The thin-hard-steel washers I used were just parts I'd picked up over all
my years of tinkering and pack-ratting away anything that looked like it
-might-someday- be useful. McMaster Carr has 'em but the pack counts
are like 50 at a whack.

Alvin in AZ
ps-
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/etc/07-03c-10.jpg
Parts 7 and 8 are the nylon blocks.

 

Not entirely sure what im reading but sounds like something helpful for sure. If you ever have it apart again and feel like doing a write up, i sure would appreciate it, and im sure others as well. Mine is loose, but nothing extra-ordinary, no where close to as loose as my old 4spd.

 

Here ya be:

http://www.zf.com/na/content/media/u...ce_manual_.pdf