Just wondering how many people are having or have had reverse problems out of there ZF5 transmissions.

The one in my old truck is having problems now, I just put the ZF5 in this truck and was wold it was good. But now when I put it in reverse it will most of the time just grind when I put it in gear. I can hold it in gear and it will still just grind and not move. It doesn't seem like it is jumping out or anything, and it feels like it is going in all the way but then when I let the clutch out it will just grind. About 1 out of 3 times I can put it in reverse and it will work just fine but then the other few times I will put it in and it will just grind when I let the clutch out. The truck has a brand new clutch, pressure plate, master and slave cylinders and the clutch is disengaging good and it doesn't grind when going into any gears including reverse, it only grind when I put it in reverse and then let the clutch out to back up.

Seems like I have going to have to pull the transmission back out and do or have a rebuild done. Anybody else had the same thing happen before?

 

yes i still had air in the slave cylinder it felt good but after a few days it cleard up i rebuild trainys on the side if it doesnt clear up and you nead to rebuild its not that hard to replace the 5th reverse sinks

 

try killing the moter and put it in reverse crank it and see if its in gear try it a few times

 

It's wierd it doesn't grind at all going into reverse. It grinds when I let the clutch out to take off like I am trying to put it in gear without the clutch in.

I can put the gear shift in reverse, take my hand completely off the shifter and then let the clutch out and it will just grind when I let the clutch out. Or I can try to hold the gear shift hard into gear and let the clutch out but it will still just grind like I am trying to put it into gear.

About 1 out of 3 times it will work fine like nothing was ever wrong. It doesnt seem to go into gear any farther or anything on the times that it works, I just let the clutch out and it works, Once it is working I can even dump the clutch and it won't jump out or anything, but then the other 2 times it will just grind when I let the clutch out.

Looks like I might be pulling the tranny back out and putting the synchronizers in there. I just wish it wasn't so heavy, I layed on my back and put the transmission up in there by myself and it really sucked. Looks like I will be doing it again.

 

has the trany been rebuilt i have seen the sink ring in backwards it has a arrow that says front check it you will need a tap and some short bolts for the shifter rods when you put it back together to hold the springs in place if you havent done this be for i can get you some picks of the trany apart and some things you need to look for and what to pull first

 

I am not sure if it has been rebuilt or not before, I was told it was good but never seen or heard it used before installing it. I was going to get the one out of the truck that I got the engine from but they needed it so I had to end up getting another one from someone else that told me it was good. Every gear is smooth to go into except reverse.

The truck I took the transmission had been sitting for several years and maybe their memory wasn't the best.

I sent you a message about the info, I would like anything you have that would make it simpler to tear into this thing, my back is already dreading taking it back out. I have been into a few other manual transmissions, tractors mainly and a couple other old ones but never been into the ZF transmission.

 

My ZF had the same problem, you cannot press it harder and get it to go, you have to take it out of reverse and then go back in, usually just takes one try but sometimes more. I read somewhere this was due to the case being stretched and it cannot be repaired, don't know if that is true or not. I replaced mine with another ZF I got off of Craigslist and it works fine.

 

Someone else on here said there are two problem areas with the zf. The case cracking in the bellhousing area, and reverse gear. The f350 we bought about a year ago has the reverse problem also. Sometimes it will go in, sometimes not.

 

Try pushing in the clutch, putting it into 1st gear, then go to R gear. Don't let the clutch up between.

 

Mine does that too once in awhile. Sometimes it will pop out too. Most of the time, it works just fine though, and the 2nd gear syncro is out of it. I just double-clutch 2nd.

 

I got another problem fixed and now I am back to this problem. I tried putting it in 1st and then reverse and all the other gears and then reverse and nothing worked. It seemed the only thing that did work was putting the truck in first and letting the clutch out so the truck rolled forward a little, then clutch it and right before it stops rolling, stick it in reverse really quick and then it would work in reverse, But I had to catch it just right. If it was still rolling it would grind, I had to catch it right as it stopped rolling, once it stopped it would not longer go in either.

 

I sent an email to you but I am not sure that you got it, I would really like to get this information you offered before. I hope you are stilll willing to share it.

 

Try going into 5th first then reverse.........

Have you checked the firewall by the booster for tin canning and cracks when the clutch is pushed.... Have you inspected the clutch mechanism under the dash for worn parts and bushings........ it all adds up.

 

I have tried putting in 1st then reverse, 2nd then reverse, 3rd then reverse, 4th then reverse and 5th then reverse and none of those things work. I have even tried multiple combinations of those just for the heck of it to see if it would work and the only thing that works at this point is to get is to put it in first let the clutch out just enough for it to rock forward a little bit and then put it in reverse really quick right as it quits moving, but not before or after, you have to catch it just right to make reverse work.

 

Mine does the same thing. I have to roll forward and then shift into reverse. I don't like it because it makes you look bad when you have to bounce off the curb to get your truck in gear. Ecspecialy those late saturday nights when you stop at the local bar.