Guest chevsun Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 Hi guys. My Z is down as the 80,000 mile bottom end would not stand the RPM heads and cam mixed with speed shifts so the 377 is being built and will be installed this winter. My question has to do with the T-56 reverse lockout. I love this trans over the T-5 I ran last year but it takes two hands to crash through the lockout to get it into reverse. Is there any way to make this easier? Is there a spring that can be changed or removed? By the way my t-5 held up to all the abuse I gave it but after reading all the negative about it I upgraded to the T-56 and a twin disc clutch (read big bucks). So after the new motor I expect my failures to be rear related. I am already breaking stub shaft u-joints but I am starting to suspect that a weak rear suspension is allowing the rear to squat so far as to create some excessive shaft angles any thoughts on this theory? I have read in my other post on u-joints that some seem to think the stock components should handle the power. I am only running 195-75-14 radials. Will the BFG drag radials fit the wheelwells on a 73 240? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 My site has pics of the spring that needs to be changed out. Needless to say it looks just like a damned valve spring - it's pretty beefy! It's mounted in a housing bolted to the top of th etrans on the driver's side near th eshifter. Unbolt that, unscrew the brass looking pasrt, remove a snapring, and there's the spring. However be careful you don't put in too WEAK a spring like I did A weak spring in there is at least as bad as too strong a one since hitting reverse becomes so easy. Once you unbolt that piece off the trans it becomes pretty obvious how it all works. If you run into problems lemme' know and I can snap some more shots of my spare lockout etc. I really need to redo mine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 BLKMGK, have you replaced the weak one yet? If you have, what are the specs on the new spring? It makes sense to post it so everyone with the same problem can be directed to the "best" spring solution. Just a thought anyway. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 As I said - I really need to REDO mine. Currently my spring is too weak. "Specs"? I picked up my spring at the local hardware store and chose it from a rack of springs mounted on th ewall. I ended up trimming it's height some but otherwise it was out of the box. Pics on my site show the new spring as I recall. http://www.blkmgk.com/development/testweb.nsf/4691e0edd8a01bd6852569ae0075e9c4/96b3c6baa6476ba685256ac00004f8d6?OpenDocument The assembled spring there is the new one. WAY too weak nd I was in too much of a hurry to test it before bolting the trans in. Hopefully I can R&R it again without removing the trans - we'll see. You actually do NOT have to unscrew the brass piece BTW. Snapring is in the end of the aluminum piece and sticks a nub into the trans that slows the reverse actuation. Hope that helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chevsun Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 Exactly what I was looking for BLK MGK thanks for the help. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 Thanks for posting the pic! You're the Man! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 Heh, I mentioned this when I did it and have had the pics on my site for at least a couple of weeks. Since I've now gone through 2 transmissions I've got a spare lockout hangin aound. If anyone needs clearer pics by all means let me know - pics are easy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 I'd like to know how to do this with the tranny in the car! Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 Depends on how much room is in the tunnel. In my case I might be able to get at it from the top and drop it down - there's only one bolt holding it in. However my exhaust goes under there and I've got little in the way of tunnel hammering... How much room have you got up near th eshifter? The piece is oging to have to come out in order to be modified, I'm not sure about the trans itself..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locutus Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 Why not put power to it and use a switch to activate the mechanism? I have heard all these other ways of modifying but no one ever talks about using it the way it was intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 It's a simple solenoid. Applying power to it retracts a pin and allows a MUCH weaker spring, not pictured, to be used instead. Honestly, I DID consider using it as it was supposed to be used. I considered using a momentary button and I considered wiring it to the brake light switch. In the end I decided that a momentary button would be a hassle and that wiring to the brake switch would both add load and force the solenoid to activate quite a bit. In a stock application I believe that it receives a signal that needs both brake pedal application and possibly the speed sensor telling the computer that the car isn't moving. Building a circuit to duplicate that was more complexity than I wished to pursue. No other vehicle I have EVER driven has had to have these sorts of measures in place to prevent me from shifting into reverse. If the spring were simply stiff enough but not too stiff like the T5 setup then I think it would work fine with no electrical mumbo jumbo (shrug). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted September 20, 2001 Share Posted September 20, 2001 Does anyone know how this thing works? I assume it reads data from the speed sensor to allow shifting into reverse? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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