Wanted - T98 4-Speed Synchro (Helical Gear) Transmission

[philbirkeland]

Must be from any year any model truck with Champion engine (not Commander, Big-6, or V-8 as neither the transmission input shaft nor bell housing fit my recently overhauled Champion engine). Complete with drive-shaft parking brake (either band or disk type) and all bits and pieces. My truck is a 1950 2R10 with 170 CID Champion engine and the optional T-9 4-speed non-synchro (crash) gearbox. Parts truck with title located a reasonable distance from Tacoma WA considered. Referrals encouraged. Please telephone or email. Thanks.

[StudeRich]

Low power and Low Gears!

Just keep in mind that if one does not appear on your doorstep tomorrow, that the Truck that Trans. needs to be from, is definitely a rare beast!

Undesirable combos like that, are hard to find now because most were scrapped long ago, so when you want one, it may take a while.

[philbirkeland]

StudeRich- I know, I know. Didn't learn until well after I had bought the truck. Your comments are forthright and true. I'm now stuck with $2K for rebuilt wheels (to cure unsafe split rims) plus new tires, and $3K in overhauling the engine, plus plus. There don't seem to be many 3 speed OD combos out there either. Note that I can always cure the problem by going to a Ford 3.0L V-6 with 5 speed OD transmission, but that's cheating - no longer all Studebaker. I will enquire tomorrow of SI whether their SASCO stock just happened to include a T98 input shaft for a Champion engine. A vanishingly small chance but worth asking about. I know of at least one T98 that comes from a Commander-engined truck, and I am sure there are more out there, especially for trucks one ton and over. The parts manual does list the PN. BTW, I know of two Champion engined trucks with the T9 - my 2R10 and a 2R5. The 2R5 is a family heirloom not to be sold except to a good home. The granny low is useful for a farmer to load hay bales in a field by himself. Idle is a slow amble. So, I can see why some farmers bought that option. If I can get the shift pattern fixed on my existing T9 so I can find the gates (now found by memory only, certainly not by feel), an option is to find a junkyard axle from a Ford etc with a 3.9 or 4.0:1 ration. That would get me a 60 mph cruise. This is all part of restoring an old vehicle. Lots to think about. Best, Phil.

[garyash]

So why not just put in the readily available T86E-1A 3-speed with overdrive? That gives you 5 gears (1, 2 , 2nd OD, 3, 3 OD), an overdrive ratio of 0.7, and it's all-Studebaker. Even with a stock 4.82 rear end, you wind up with 3.37 final drive ratio and you can go 65 mph - or faster if you're real brave driving with 2R brakes and suspension. Gerry Kurtz in Dover, PA will ship you a completely rebuilt overdrive transmission with a floor shift at a fair price. It will plug right into your current bell housing.

[philbirkeland]

Hi Gary - Thanks for the reply. The T86 with OD isn't so available either, so it was good you mentioned Gerry Kurtz. How do I get in touch with him? BTW, my 2R10 is even worse for rear axle ratio than a 2R5 (5.3 vs 4.8). Present cruise is 45 mph at 2900 rpm. Very noisy! Top speed so far is 63 mph indicated on a calibrated digital VDO speedometer, but I didn't have space to fully wind it out. Best, Phil.

[sasquatch]

Philip mentions the vague shifting of the T9, which mine also has. Were they vague when new or are there worn parts in there that can be replaced to tighten it up?

[philbirkeland]

Rick - Two things I will try when I next take the shift tower off my T9.
(1) Fit a new pin - the one that keeps the shift lever and ball from twisting. Both the one on my truck and the one on my spare T9 are badly worn, allowing the lever to wiggle sideways when in any of the four forward gears.
(2) Replace the reverse spring - the one that resists moving the shift lever over to the reverse gate. The one on my truck is too short to provide any resistance until the lever is well past the 3-4 shift gate. I will do some combination of a longer, stiffer spring and spacer washers. This would proved something of a guide for how far to move the lever over to the right before trying for the gates into 3rd or 4th. Finding the gates into 1st and 2nd is easy, just move the lever to the left until it stops, and then move it up or down.

All- Please, anyone who has a T9....is a vague shift pattern like Sasquatch also has in his T9 normal? If not, what do you do to fix it?

Best, Phil.