transfer case needle output needle bearing removal

[smorneau]

How does one go about removing the needle bearings from the front output of the transfer case of a 97 tracker. It is directly behind the seal and runs on the driveshaft collar.

I would like to be able to remove it without wrecking it. but if that is not possible any easy methods and part numbers would be appreciated. I do not need to know how to spit the case or remove the output shaft assembly just the needle bearings that are left in the case once that is done. Installation insights also welcome.

Also if anyone has a reference to shimming the bearings from the factory manual I might need that as well.

Thanks,
Scott

[fixkick]

hello, and welcome to the forum.
The transfer case work is the most difficult with no tools.
most times its best to just buy a used box. and not rebuilt ours, due to the fact, most used boxes were never used at all and are perfect.
(Canada mostly excepted.)
down here most are unused. for sure in snow free states.
2nd reason , rebuild kit parts price, are more than a used box.... a super compelling reason, if ever.
im not sure what parts are bad, or the job, what job is being done,? new chain, or? just exactly what?
first look at my pages.
here is the first.
there are 3 shafts, 1 input and 2 output, 1 front input and 1 rear and one output front to front axle.
all three can fail.
my guess is the front shaft, bearings, marked, #43.
did you know there are free books (official) on all suzuki transmission work, full instructions on dismantle, (this one is tricky)
here is a contribributors set of photos and my horsed up, drawing, blk/red/blue.

http://www.fixkick.com/tranny/xfr-case/html/index.html

i think the box can only be dismantled in one specific order, not cheats. me thinks

How does one go about removing the needle bearings from the front output of the transfer case of a 97 tracker.
It is directly behind the seal and runs on the driveshaft collar.

I would like to be able to remove it without wrecking it. but if that is not possible any easy methods and part numbers would be appreciated.
I do not need to know how to spit the case or remove the output shaft assembly just the needle bearings that are left in the case once that is done. Installation insights also welcome.

Also if anyone has a reference to shimming the bearings from the factory manual I might need that as well.

Thanks,
Scott

[fixkick]

i just uploaded it.
with this comment.
Description: as you can see , you wont have this set of tools
so I pull the seal first. (after all its best not to reuse seals, using a pro grade seal puller, so as not to damage the bore)
then find some PIPe, that fits in the bore;
iron pipe, EMT, PCV, elect. plastic EPT, (any pipe you can find, best is to collect them , a life time project keep all scrap pipe, for jobs like THIS)
and make it fit the bore, some why . (mill it, or in lathe or any why to make it fit loose fit.)
the using rubber mallet drive it out.
or if that fails your press.
press it out. using a shop hydr. press.
what not to do, is use a screw driver and a steel hammer,.

keep in mind , you will need some pipe to put the new one back or the undamaged old one.
or other shims, washers, and the like.
or take it to a shop and have a machine shop pull it.
they know what to do .

[smorneau]

So much information... I will begin absorbing.
Can't thank you enough....Oh wait, I CAN make a donation

I have a raspy grinding noise in 4x4, high and low. Same noise with hubs locked or not locked in 4x4. Same noise but less volume in 2wd with hubs locked. Quiet in 2wd high and 2wd low (car has custom twin stick shifter).

Once removed from the car, the needle bearing that uses the front drive shaft collar as the inner race sounds gritty and raspy. I did run the car on a hoist ( yes I have one) and a stethoscope is loudest at bottom in the area of this bearing.

Swapping cases means moving crawler gears to new case along with the twin stick to "new" case. I have already done this swap. The "new" case also had a raspy sounding needle bearing when, on the bench, the driveshaft was engaged and rotated so I repeatedly flushed it with brake cleaner and light oil followed by some shop air and it now sounds pretty good. All the other bearings sounded and looked good. I am hoping it was simply some grit from poor handling or storage in the needle bearing and all will be OK, but I also aware this may not be the case so I am attempting to do some preemptive planning. BTW, other cases/bearings I have examined do not have this raspy sound. The "new" case is not yet reinstalled into the car because it needs a new boot for the twin stick (entry point for sand and grit?).

To this point i have had almost the entire T case broke down pretty far. I have also found there are two different sizes of speedometer gears on the main shaft. There may also be two different methods of locking that gear to the shaft (a small ball or splines); I have only seen the "balls" in the four cases I have had apart in the last couple of weeks. The different gears are identifiable by the type of speedo output without splitting the cases: mechanical and electrical speedo outputs use different gears.

There are also different splines , that engage the drive shaft, on the rear output shaft. Fine splines on earlier models and course GREEN splines on the later ones.

The shift collars that run it the forks also need to be indexed correctly (I will probably run across this information in your suggested reading material). I have not seen it in any of the aftermarket Tcase instructions. I found it the hard way.

I have not had the main shaft completely out a case but I have had the front gear section completely taken apart (to clearance "new" case and install crawler gears) and i have split the back section on two cases to swap speedo gears on mainshaft and a third parts case I was given to examine/experiment with. I have also taken the front output shaft assembly from a case along with the chain and reinstalled with the chain. So I am getting to know these cases fairly well.


I have a 20 ton shop press, bridgeport, and other fabrication equip. My pipe collection is never large enough and is currently being eclipsed by my transfer case parts collection LOL. I have access to slide hammer, pilot bearing puller that might fit, and if need be a lathe.

The stumbler I have is the access to the needle bearing. It is seated from the inside against a shoulder that is right behind the seal. The shoulder and entire bore where the bearing sits have two slots in them that are sort of across from each other. I assume this is to allow access for some small hooks on a pilot bearing style puller and allow lube to the seal. There is no way to drive that bearing out with a pipe as the out race is pretty much hidden behind the shoulder. Mill back the shoulder?

I removed one needle bearing assembly from junk case with a brass drift but it was not pretty and no chance of bearing survival. I have considered a plate with threaded rod made to pull endwise though both slots as a puller toward the inside of the case. Bearing survival??

Thanks for the response I will study the information you have provided and update if I can add any new information.


Scott

[smorneau]

Yes part 43 is the suspect raspy bearing. Do you have a PN?

Acksfaqs docs don't give much for tcase info... no diagrams like the one you uploaded. looks like my GEO manual. Great if you are interested in the speedo pickup or have no clue on seal replacement but otherwise pretty weak.

Apparently there are different configurations for the counter shaft. I have not seen anything like part 45 and the adjacent parts...is that the synchro?

The two special tools shown in your diagram are interesting. Looks to me like the lower one has the feet/hooks that would run in the slots I was trying to describe.

I have not yet run across any reference to indexing the shift collar(s).

Depending upon what you are attempting to do, there may be options (cheats). Looks to me like the main shaft could be removed in either direction. It is also possible to remove the chain without touching the upper chain gear on the main shaft.

[smorneau]

special tool G looks like this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/p/original-suzuki-...7675.l2644

and apparently used in motorcycles.

Scott

[fixkick]

they dont spec those tools for size. so who knows./

[fixkick]

i listed the worst book,, GM,. sorry, here is correct , books.

http://www.rhinoman.org/

i see that bearing listed as Bearing(40x47x30) on web sites random. mm sizes. sure.

I see suzuki stock is for near $29 (the true maker of bearing is unknown, unless you see marks on it , a logo stamp and number.

https://www.suzukicarparts.com/parts/199...eid=214820

[smorneau]

I know a lot but I am always learning, often the hard way.

i have a good friend at ex suzuki dealership that still deals with zuki parts. So $29 bearing is closer to $20. One of the front u-joints is slightly stiff and, while i doubt it is causing the noise, I have one on order. Yes, the U-joint is on national back order and it will have to come from Japan. I fear this is a sign of things to come for factory parts. Looks like only throttle cables available for 97 tracker are OEM Suzuki. Speaking of U-joints, the factory Suzuki parts are better than any of the aftermarket parts. I have some friends who are extreme at offroading zuki vehicles and they will harvest a used factory joint before using an after market part.

I will try and attach a couple of images. One of them shows, if you look hard, the shoulder with the slots in it and the other shows the quicky puller I slapped together using threaded rod. It worked fine removing the old outer race, which was easily reinstalled with a seal driver, and left very little scarring in the slots which can be easily cleaned up with a couple of small files.

   
   



Scott

[smorneau]

I never meant the other parts were junk or unsafe. The idea the suzuki, or perhaps I was actually told "stock", joints are superior was given to me by some very well known off road Suzuki enthusiasts who have broken a pile of drive train parts in real world thrashing. They believe the joints are stronger and will use a used if one is available from a parts car. I was just passing what I have been told along and I should not have tossed it out there as a proven fact.

I heard similar view from guys who were competitively pulling Dodge trucks who maintained the stock Dodge u joints were stronger than offered by aftermarket.

The rock auto site show identical pictures for Delco and Moog. I will compare to what I have in the front drive shaft. It would sure be a lot cheaper than Suzuki joints.

Thanks for the support.
Scott