Front Housing and Input Shaft Bearing Retainer Installation

Fig. 113:

1. Install input shaft bearing in front housing bore (Fig. 114). Use plastic mallet to seat bearing. Bearing goes in from front side of housing only.

Fig. 114:

Fig. 115:

2. Apply liberal quantity of petroleum jelly to countershaft, front bearing. Then insert bearing in front housing race (Fig. 115). Large diameter side of bearing cage goes toward countershaft (Fig. 114). Small diameter side goes toward bearing race in housing.
3. Reach into countershaft front bearing with finger, and push each bearing roller outward against race. Then apply extra petroleum jelly to hold rollers in place. This avoids having rollers becoming displaced during housing installation. This will result in misalignment between bearing and countershaft bearing hub.
4. Apply small amount of petroleum jelly to shift shaft bushing in front housing.
5. Apply 1/8 inch wide bead of Mopar Silicone Sealer, or equivalent, to mating surfaces of front and rear housings.

Fig. 116:

6. Have helper hold rear housing and geartrain in upright position. Then install front housing on rear housing and geartrain (Fig. 116).
7. Work front housing downward onto geartrain until seated on rear housing.

CAUTION: If the front housing will not seat on the rear housing, either the shift components are not in Neutral, or one or more components are misaligned. Do not force the front housing into place. This will only result in damaged components.

Fig. 117:

8. Tap rear housing alignment dowels back into place with hammer and pin punch (Fig. 117). Both dowels should be flush fit in each housing. Have helper hold transmission upright while dowels are tapped back into place.
9. Place transmission in horizontal position.

Fig. 118:

10. Apply Mopar Gasket Maker, or equivalent, to housing attaching bolts. Apply sealer material sealer to underside of bolt heads and to bolt shanks and threads (Fig. 118).
11. Install and start housing attaching bolts by hand (Fig. 118). Then tighten bolts to 30 - 35 Nm (22 - 26 ft. lbs.) torque.

Fig. 119:

12. Install shift shaft bushing lock bolt (Fig. 119). Apply Mopar Gasket Maker, or equivalent, to bolt threads, shank and underside of bolt head before installation.

Fig. 120:

CAUTION: If the lock bolt cannot be fully installed, do not try to force it into place. Either the shift shaft is not in Neutral, or the shaft bushing (or lever) is misaligned (Fig. 120).

Fig. 121:

13. Lubricate then install shift shaft detent plunger in housing bore (Fig. 121). Lubricate plunger with petroleum jelly or gear lubricant. Be sure plunger is fully seated in detent notch in shift shaft.

Fig. 122:

14. Install detent spring inside plunger (Fig. 122).
15. Install detent plug as follows:
a. Install detent plug in end of Installer 8123.
b. Position plug on detent spring and compress spring until detent plug pilots in detent plunger bore.
c. Drive detent plug into transmission case until plug seats.

Fig. 123:

16. Install backup light switch (Fig. 123).

Fig. 124:

17. Install input shaft snap ring (Fig. 124).

Fig. 125:

18. Install new oil seal in front bearing retainer with Installer Tool 6448 (Fig. 125).

Fig. 126:

19. Apply bead of Mopar silicone sealer, or equivalent, to flange surface of front bearing retainer (Fig. 126).

Fig. 127:

20. Align and install front bearing retainer over input shaft and onto housing mounting surface (Fig. 127). Although retainer is one-way fit on housing, be sure bolt holes are aligned before seating retainer. Be sure that no sealer gets into the oil feed hole in the transmission case or bearing retainer.

Fig. 128:

21. Install and tighten bearing retainer bolts to 7 - 10 Nm (5 - 7 ft. lbs.) torque (Fig. 128).