Removal of Synchro-Clutch

Do any of you know of a step by step guide/checklist to remove the Synchro-clutch from the Columbia Two Speed rear axle in my '40 Continental? Surely over the years somebody has compiled the correct process and written it down for all of the Ford owners that are running this option. I have been advised by an expert to not try to shift from Standard to Overdrive with out removing and inspecting the assembly as bad things could happen.

I just finished rebuilding a 2 speed for my 39 over the winter. It's a good thing I did because the cork clutch pads were deteriorated and stuck to the outer housing. Start by draining the diff. oil then removing the brake lines, hubs and backing plates spring shackles. Remove the vacuum assembly. Remove the left side axle housing, then remove the wire tyed bolts on the ring gear. The center section stays in the car. Remove the ring gear. I then removed the right side from the center section as an assembly. I put the assembly on the bench and removed the "sheetmetal" housing. At this point I had to use a press to get the speedo gear off the axle, then remove the axle from the assembly. You will see an assembly with the shifter fork on it. Clean it all off withn a solvent and you will see a snap ring. Remove the snap ring and the washer under it. You will now see where the clutches are, I think there are 10. Carefully tap out the inner metal that holds the clutches in place, it kinda looks like a spider with 10 legs. The clutches and springs may fall out, or you might have to scrape the clutch cork off the outer housing. John Connely at Columbia 2 speed has rebuild parts. I needed the clutch rebuild parts and appropriate gaskets. You should check to see if all other parts are OK before reassembly.

Wow that is good stuff to know, thank you very much for taking the time to explain the process and sharing your pictures. Do you mind if I contact you with any further questions?

I can share my experiance with my rebuild, but John Connelly is the expert. Once you get into it, it's not that complicated.

When you start the reassembly of the synchro clutch with the new teflon pads stick the sun gear through both halves of the synchro clutch so the splines will be in alignment . Once you get those springs and pads in there you wont be able to turn it to align it.

This is my next move, the clutch seemed to work nicely, I've yet to take it apart....are their actual cclutches in there?

or is the cork act as clutch lining?

I replaced the teflon clutch linings, mine was shot, dont know if it was seized, car drove shifted quietly but

this thing needed new little strips, they were cork, now foamy plastic like pieces or small gum, about. 1 inch x 1/4. I posted pics and I think an outage in the net ate 'em.. I will post next week...good stuff.

Here is my project..awaiting me to have the guts to put together. The pinion is out, so i can install ring assembly and chk for bearing fit. It is easy to spin the unit, chk for slop..or as in my case..it is too tight new bearings and new billet steel indestructo columbia unit , which the ring bolts to, is all new so I expected some issues. The. answer is the blue gasket on the axle house to banjo body..it was slipping to i used Permatex. (i used some black ultra silicone, but I always have. kept some old #2 in my box.) just to hold gasket in place..Ive yet to test fit and will document it here. If the 2 blue gaskets free up the ring i am done..take back apart, install axles and pinion. 100ft pounds! I have new pinion nut keeper..but its not quite 100%. thats next.

I had my unit rebuilt six weeks ago by a pro, Jim Durall. I had several parts missing or incorrect from a previous rebuild by a former PO. If my memory serves me, Jim said the shifter fork from the vacuum canister on a unit with the axle speedometer drive has to be a two piece type. You can't get the housing off because of the speedo gear with the one piece fork. I had a one piece fork and they had knocked the speedo gear off. They had also ground all the threads off the axle speedo cable drive and siliconed the thing back into the axle housing. Luckily Jim had all the parts needed to return it to service plus he had a machinist named Stooksberry bullet proof it. $750.00 well spent with a one week turn around.

REAR END PICTURES OR WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING AROUND

Mssr. Bwatoe, The hub you are holding in your left hand about seven pics down is not 'bullet proofed'. As I understand it, it is one of the two things you do to these rear ends to 'beef them up'. The universal joint bangs the hub in the slots pictured and cracks the hub at the slots. The fix is to machine down the hub at the slots and also remove like amounts of the cross of the universal. Then a sleeve is pressed over the hub in strengthen it. I don't know the specs for doing this but maybe can get them from Jim Durall if you're interested. I'm sure some folks don't feel it's necessary but as much as the stuff cost and then, who wants to revisit this whirly-gig more than necessary.

Nice work bench by the way.

Mr. Beltfed, this sob is not that cast iron old fashioned stuff, it is completely new billet steel..and will not explode...i hope...

My original blew up internally, but did not break as they descrbe...i will add pic tomorrow..

Good luck, Sir.