Ironhead Transmission Case Wear/Shafts

[ZachXLCH]

Hello
Recently tore down the primary/tranny on a '74 I bought. The shift lever was bent and the shift shaft would spin 180 degrees around, and was very hard to find gears in. I assumed that the shaft had popped out of the pawl.

Primary came apart with very little problems, there was about a metric ton of clutch material in the bottom of it but I already have new fiber plates coming in and nothing looked too burned or warped.

The real fun starts when I pulled the transmission. I know I have the correct trapdoor, it does not have the crossover hole for '75 and later shift shafts. I believe I have a late model trans stuck into a correct year trapdoor, as my counter shaft 1st gear (the one closest to the case) does not have the spiral gear before it. This gear was also snugged directly up against the case without a washer in between. There are wear marks on both the gear and the case, and it seems there are ridges I can feel on the case as well. I am wondering if I can get away with a new gear and proper washer (provided correct endplay), even with the shitty surface on the case. I do not want to pull the engine to take it to get that surface machined. I would also like some help identifying whether or not I have an actual '74 transmission or not. I will come back and Post pictures ASAP.

Thanks

[ZachXLCH]

Few corrections, the low gear I've been talking about has those spiral gears for a speedometer and came on '72 and earlier, my manual doesn't specify so there's less of a chance I have a later transmission. Here are some photos of what my dumbass is talking about.







and here is some clutch carnage if you guys find that funny like I did

[needspeed]

With proper end play and a thrust washer between the gear and case the condition of the case is not a problem. There is some scoring but the surface is still flat and true.

[ZachXLCH]

Originally Posted by needspeed

With proper end play and a thrust washer between the gear and case the condition of the case is not a problem. There is some scoring but the surface is still flat and true.

I'll give it a shot with a new washer, just bothers me cause some of those grooves seem pretty deep. I don't suppose theres anything I could do outside of machining anyways. Thanks!

[bustert]

these trannies are pretty forgiving and by no means precision as hd says if it fits, ship! my 74ch was always winy and clunked on shift but after blue printing to lowest spec value, some time you swear it did not shift and it did. the andrews gears have ramps but hd dogs ride till the drop.
mr. need is probably right but you do not need to pull the engine as a machine shop can do it with an alignment plate and a pilot mill fitted to the torrington bearing hole but that would be $$$$.
do not forget the all important oiler groove!

[needspeed]

I'm posting this picture as a point of interest concerning the aforementioned oiler groove. This case is a 1977 with no groove.

I think the groove was a good idea. Apparently HD doesn't think it's important. The groove in the earlier cases appears to be part of the casting so they didn't save a machining operation by leaving it out.

Anyway I'll say again. I would have no worries using the OP's case in the condition it's in, providing the gear spacing and end play is set correctly.

[bustert]

the same thing can be said about the other end also. hd was slow to change anything and wasted nothing, my 74 is more 73 than not.
even the mainshaft falls into that area.
amf was considered bad but they actually did some good, at least hd now advances, my evo is solid compared to my iron but both have +/-'s