There is a bearing retainer inside, there should also be 2-3 round shims for bearing pre-load.

There's no chance in hell that gearbox would run without it, the bearing in question meshes the counter shaft of the gearbox to enable all gears including 4th.

Very very odd my Dear Krytox, odd indeed. I have one shim sitting in front of me but definitely no sign what-so-ever of a bearing cup.

We are looking at part number 63 on the diagram... Without that bearing cup inside the mechanism the input shaft can move approximately 10mm forwards and backwards, but does still drive gears. Is it possible that the output from the engine was holding the gearbox input shaft in enough to make it work?

Have been told in no uncertain terms by the guy I bought it off that it was running in the car he got it from. The gearbox had been entirely pulled apart in last year or two as there is new sealant everywhere.

The only other option is that I have misplaced it upon removal of the retainer. Like I said, I don't remember seeing one, and by putting all the bits in one container and leaving container inside the bellhousing next to the box you'd expect it to be there. It is possible that it fell off the back of the retainer without me noticing it. Prefer to think I'd have seen it... It's a decent piece to simply vanish with no trace.

Anyway, the roller bearing is shot. It still turns, but is rough as guts.

Man, this manual conversion is the biggest, longest and most astounding thing I've ever attempted. Have bought two gearboxes, heaps of bits and pieces, been given a whole heap of wrong advice from New Zealand half wits. About $600 and six months later and I still have nothing to show for it all other than a nice firewall strengthener and a real strong version of a "Mal Wood Clutch Pin".


Thanks for the reply Krytox old mate soldering iron hands.

Suppose I should see if the roller bearing will come off and take it to the local bearing shop along with the retainer and see if there's a part to replace it with and buy one of those new retainers that ONE DRONE found for me on previous page.


Cheers everyone. Bare with me - all your help is appreciated and the car will love you all for it sooner or later.

The bearing cup must be there, it is most likely on the bearing or on the floor some where.

It's not on the bearing, and have been looking long and hard for wherever it has gone. No sign of it, and don't remember ever seeing it (which is not 100% guarantee it wasn't there...) May just go jump back in the car and go down to mates workshop and carry on hunting - it did take me over a week to find one of the spare throttle bodies and honestly don't hold out much hope of finding a bearing cup in that situation.

Any quick advice on pulling the roller bearing out? Should it simply slide right off without having to open the box up any more than it already is?

Would be real nice to take the lot to the bearing shop and simply hand over more hard earned cash.

The saga continues. Thanks again... Am sure to have looked everywhere, but will look again.....

I'd suggest you can't get hold of Mal Wood or anyone else because they're on break til 5th Jan, like just about everyone else.

I wouldn't rely on everyone replying to emails either. Your best bet wold be to call them as I've found most workshops hardly even check their emails, let alone reply to them.

Fabrication and stuff is well beyond me, so if this is a dumb idea or it's what you've been talking about doing already, just disregard it...

Can you not cut the shaft at the top of where you still have all the meat, then machine that down to as little as you can which would then become a guide for a sleeve, then weld that at the base and machine anything from there. I was thinking if you left the rest of it, you may have issues with the balance

Scaffy - You're spot on, almost, with everything you suggest.... Have got the new bearing and cup organised.

The main issue being the sleeve and all that... That particular piece DOES NOT SPIN. It is attached firmly to the gearbox housing. All it needs to be is circular - it doesn't need to be balanced.

There is not enough meat to trust any sort of proper alloy welding, but I have ordered some of this http://www.ultrabond.8m.com/ stuff for $30 inc delivery. It should be here late next week.

Looking forward to giving it a shot. Am going to try filling up the worst of the damage, putting it into a lathe and then pushing a very thin sleeve over it. Have to wait for metal places to open up again to find a good fitting bit of pipe or what-have-you....


Cheers - Am off kayaking for four days anyway, so make hay whilst the sun shines

Have now got new input tapered roller bearing and associated cup and put it onto input shaft. Far from being a knowledgeable mechanic type, I am learning heaps with this. Have bought the 15 pin rollers for the internal end of the input shaft, a new front seal and a 0.012 shim for the front input preload.

MAL WOOD did get back to me and he has replacement "input bearing retainer"s available for $100AU if anyone else is interested!...

How do you know the preload shim size before you install the bearing or is this a calculated guess?

I don't mate, I don't. I have a fat looking shim here already and a thin looking one (guess at around 0.01). I asked him for another of each, he replied with "they don't come that thin, but do come in 0.012"...!!!!

Well, hell dude. Give me a bloody 0.012 then!

Anyways - I don't know. Since they are $2USD or thereabouts, figured having a couple of options isn't going to hurt.

And whatever I do, it is going to be better than how it was going to run before pulling it apart! I have time on my hands, not money or knowledge! I'm almost at the point of believing I could do a rebuild on it after reading and re-reading the build documents. Never mind. If I get 10 or 20 thousand K's out of it I will be happy. THEN I can put the auto back in purely to go from A to B whilst I either rebuild the friendly (read CHEAP) T5 or find a TKO (or at least a World Class T5 / T56 whatever..)...

No worries Twason. Your inkling was correct. It is more of a guess than an educated guess even!

OK, you can and I have sand them down to suit.

Just be carefull how the synchro is re-asembled read and re-read the seciton in the rebuild document.

I take it your documentation details how to disassemble/assemble the transmission, along with preload figures, etc.
Surprisingly, the humble Gregory's has decent writeups.
You'll need a DTI (dial test indicator) to measure the input shaft/mainshaft preload, and you need to install the input shaft without shims to get this figure, then add the shims to suit, and then remeasure.
Normally if you reused the front bearing, you'd probably find the existing preload to be within limits. In your case, good idea not to mix new/old bearings and cups.

EDIT: The input shaft retainer (that the TO bearing slides on) needs to fitted in correct orientation - there are two oil drain holes at 180 degrees to each other, the larger is at the bottom, so oil from the bearing drains into the gearcase.

TWASON buddy... I did read that section a few times before putting it together as I wasn't convinced I had the bits around the right way, etc etc etc. I am 95% sure it's under control. There's always that nagging doubt tho. Is there a way to check it before putting it behind the engine? Can simply turning the input shaft and seeing if it selects gears nicely tell me anything?


Thanks for the EDIT Snappage dude. I was wondering about that as, simply put, I did NOT put a mark on the thing to define orientation before pulling it out. That's what happens when you're an overly keen novice with no cash!

Hah. Poor old me..!

Yeahp, have been looking at various documents - The first being the T5 manual from the Tremec site. Will have to borrow an accurate tool or two, or take the whole lot to Mikes garage when stuck...!

Anyways - Still awaiting all the loverly bits ordered from Ausland and Stateside to show up.

I honestly could do with a tame Snap or two tied up out back.......

The main point is the 'C' springs face in opposite directions one clockwise and the other counter clockwise and the hook ends fit into the same synchro key.

Thanks for all your help guys....

Am still awaiting for the parts to arrive and not without disappointment that my credit card wasn't billed anything today. Although sometimes this is purely a banking hold up - so maybe THEGEARBOX.ORG has taken my money already. Hope so...!

Anyways, thanks for your help again Snap and Twasonbrother. Will be back to ask more or show you the success photos!