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What can I use as a plastic coating for the tips of my shift forks?

Robert79K5

Robert79K5

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Okay people. While sitting here at work getting work stuff done, and not at the garage getting important Blazer stuff done I started thinking about my shift forks. (I mean who dosnt sit around and think about their shift forks right?)
Anyways Im going to get around to rebuilding my sm465 soon and I want to do something about the worn out plastic tips on the end of the shift forks.
It looks like GM probably had a big ole "pot-o-melted-nylon" that they would just dip the ends of the forks in, but Im not sure.

So I would like to brainstorm here about what might be a good way to get a nice plastic coating back on my forks. Is therre anything I can heat up and melt on there that would work good for this purpose?
 
Perhaps flow some brass on there instead? Won't be a noise insulating, but will last longer.
 
Those are some good Ideas. Brass is nice and soft but I would worry about wearing little pieces of it off that would end up floating around in my gear oil.

That tool coating... is it the same consistency of the stuff that comes on channel lock handles and such? If so I would almost think that would be too soft and not plasticky (highly technical terminology) enough.

Thanks for the ideas so far keep em coming!
 
I don't know... not sure something air dry could be tough enough.. I just remember the old tv commercials for the stuff... think it dries pretty shiny and hard as opposed to cushiony like some tool handles..

I kinda like your original idea of melting something down, but what, I don't know...
 
I recall this coming up before, as mentioned, nothing anyone could come up with that is "dippable" was thought to be a good fix.

Personally, I think the fix is to change the design over to what all of GM's transmissions went to, replaceable "pads" that clip onto the forks. I've got a set of the T56 pads, but it would take some pretty decent machining to make them work, as they are setup for a non-rounded mount, and a thinner fork.

Never seen the 208/241 fork pads(or coated too?), but if those are replaceable, are they an option?
 
LOL.

I've got a better idea. Go get a bad computer hard drive, take it apart, pull out the permanent magnets, remove your PTO cover, stick the magnets on the inside, and bolt it back in place. Done!

Only non-magnetic particles in there will be brass from the synchros, (and the nylon form the forks) which are softer than the steel anyway. Without an actual pump in the transmission, I doubt the brass particles do anything other than settle to the bottom where they sit harmlessly. With the longevity of these transmissions, filtering the fluid would be my last priority in bettering them.
 
Robert79K5 said:
Those are some good Ideas. Brass is nice and soft but I would worry about wearing little pieces of it off that would end up floating around in my gear oil.

That tool coating... is it the same consistency of the stuff that comes on channel lock handles and such? If so I would almost think that would be too soft and not plasticky (highly technical terminology) enough.

Thanks for the ideas so far keep em coming!
Click to expand...

Not uncommon to see shifter forks made completely from brass. I know that my old air cooler VW transaxle had one in the 1-2 position.
Brass also work hardens, which is why it's good for bushings, so the surfaces most likely to try to sluff off will be harder than the rest of it.

The tool coating bothers me as it really wasn't intended for that use and the end result is very unpredictable.

How much is a new fork, assuming it's available? Might not be worth doing anything else but buying one.
 
Rolled said:
How about rhino lining?
Click to expand...
Same problem, not designed to go there. Is it worth risking the trans by that stuff coming off?
 
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