Posted by dave horvath [173.245.54.28] on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 20:56:27 :
The NP-200 in the 1967 with 318 poly blew up on the interstate last week. Still drove, but I could hear a gear clanking around and spinning loose on a shaft. Turns out it was the driven shaft clutch gear. The thrust washer failed. The two rows of needle bearings were strewn about the case. The clutch was shredded. Would not shift into low range.
I may have been partly responsible. I used John Deer corn head grease based on someone's advice, and maybe not enough of it. It's a miracle the TC lasted two years.
Other source of the failure may have been the original alignment of the Helitool kit. The intermediate shaft angle was so extreme the truck would buck and shudder violently starting from a stop. I shaved the rear engine mounting pads by half to angle the engine and tranny downward towards the TC. Shimmed the rear of the TC mounts with washers to angle the front of the TC upwards towards the engine and tranny. That helped a lot, but I think the damage was done.
Sure hope he damage was caused by the original alignment and my lubrication error. I don't want to trash another gear set in the replacement TC. Live and learn!
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