The Lister Tractor Project
Page 2
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---- Transmission Modifications ----
The following 5 pictures show the modifications to the Ford transmission and a mock up of how the shift linkage was changed to relocate the shift lever.
This view shows how the tail housing was cut off of it's flange and the flange machined to take a machined piece of aluminum now containing a new oil seal. This new seal mount was then heli-arc welded in place. The output shaft was shortened, turned smaller, and had a keyway cut for a pulley or sprocket. Above the shaft is some of the special shift linkage. Originally, the shift lever was mounted in the very end of the old tail housing, and will now be 90 degrees to the gearbox, being mounted remotely on the frame rail with two control rods connecting it to the gearbox.
This shows the new linkage at the shift lever. Both fore & aft motion, and a rotational motion have to be transmitted to the gearbox. A simple pair of bell cranks, one in each motion plane, did the trick, but took nearly a day to figure out!
A shot of the output shaft and the new linkage at the gearbox. The bell crank transmits the fore & aft motion around the 90 degree turn into a slip joint on the end of the shift rail, while the small arm pointing down from the shift rail, directly over the output shaft, rotates the shift rail to select the appropriate shift fork inside the gearbox.
A view under the shift lever showing all the custom parts including the small aluminum block that the lever itself mounts in. Fore & aft motion is transmitted directly to the gearbox, while the side-to-side motion is directed through the bell crank next to the lever.
A view of the input end of the transmission. Like the output end, the input shaft was shortened and turned to a smaller diameter with a key slot added. The end housing was modified my removing most of the sleeve, which used to guide the original clutch throw out bearing, and a steel cup was turned and brazed into place providing an outboard second bearing. A large hole was bored into the left frame rail to allow the end housing to come through and align the gearbox with the tractor chassis.
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The first real snag, the rear axle is too short in it's original form. Extending the existing shafts by sleeves is not a possibility due to the lack of sufficient room. Complete new axles had to be fabricated. Note the three rows of sprocket teeth on the differential. The final drive is chain driven from a 10:1 gear reduction in the rear end housing using triple row chain. This is part of the old David-Bradley unit and is extremely heavy built. A recent update (2005) to the saga: While actually operating the unfinished tractor, the unsupported outer end of the new small rear axle bent, as I was affraid it might, now requiring a rebuild of a new axle. It is currently planned that torque tubes will be installed over the ends of the rear end case with wheel bearings mounted out at the ends of the tubes. This was originally thought of but didn't happen soon enough to avoid damage. A setback to be overcome...
With the chassis on it's top, the modified rear end is put into position to allow measuring and fabrication of mounts to bolt it to the frame. The string and level are used to verify the chassis will sit level once the rear axle is in place.
Once the mounts were fabricated, installed and the rear end installed, the frame was righted and the mock up items reinstalled.
Same stage, different view.
Shown with the right frame rail removed, the differential, steering gear, transmission and shift linkage are all in place. Some of the linkage hinges on a stud threaded into the top of the right frame.
A close up of the input side of the differential showing the new mounts, pillow block (blue items around shaft), and the extended input shaft.
This shows the new linkage at the shift lever. Both fore & aft motion, and a rotational motion have to be transmitted to the gearbox. A simple pair of bell cranks, one in each motion plane, did the trick, but took nearly a day to figure out!
A shot of the output shaft and the new linkage at the gearbox. The bell crank transmits the fore & aft motion around the 90 degree turn into a slip joint on the end of the shift rail, while the small arm pointing down from the shift rail, directly over the output shaft, rotates the shift rail to select the appropriate shift fork inside the gearbox.
A view under the shift lever showing all the custom parts including the small aluminum block that the lever itself mounts in. Fore & aft motion is transmitted directly to the gearbox, while the side-to-side motion is directed through the bell crank next to the lever.
A view of the input end of the transmission. Like the output end, the input shaft was shortened and turned to a smaller diameter with a key slot added. The end housing was modified my removing most of the sleeve, which used to guide the original clutch throw out bearing, and a steel cup was turned and brazed into place providing an outboard second bearing. A large hole was bored into the left frame rail to allow the end housing to come through and align the gearbox with the tractor chassis. 
The first real snag, the rear axle is too short in it's original form. Extending the existing shafts by sleeves is not a possibility due to the lack of sufficient room. Complete new axles had to be fabricated. Note the three rows of sprocket teeth on the differential. The final drive is chain driven from a 10:1 gear reduction in the rear end housing using triple row chain. This is part of the old David-Bradley unit and is extremely heavy built. A recent update (2005) to the saga: While actually operating the unfinished tractor, the unsupported outer end of the new small rear axle bent, as I was affraid it might, now requiring a rebuild of a new axle. It is currently planned that torque tubes will be installed over the ends of the rear end case with wheel bearings mounted out at the ends of the tubes. This was originally thought of but didn't happen soon enough to avoid damage. A setback to be overcome...
With the chassis on it's top, the modified rear end is put into position to allow measuring and fabrication of mounts to bolt it to the frame. The string and level are used to verify the chassis will sit level once the rear axle is in place.
Once the mounts were fabricated, installed and the rear end installed, the frame was righted and the mock up items reinstalled.
Same stage, different view.
Shown with the right frame rail removed, the differential, steering gear, transmission and shift linkage are all in place. Some of the linkage hinges on a stud threaded into the top of the right frame.
A close up of the input side of the differential showing the new mounts, pillow block (blue items around shaft), and the extended input shaft.