clearances inside the forward clutch drum for a disk replacement

[Richard Osman]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 5r55e ford explorer. This is the first time so I am going very slowly. Inside my forward clutch drum my service manual states that I should have approximately .050 to .070 clearance between my last of the disks and the retaining ring. I have only .008. I also installed a new replacement rubber from the kit in- between the first metal disk and the piston that acts like a cushioning spring. Is this cushioning gasket acting like a variable that gives me my required clearance? The manual says that if I don't have the clearance then I must change the thickness of the retaining ring. My gasket kit did not provide a different ring.

My manual also emphatically states that I should throw away the eight blue bolts which hold the bell housing to the transmission and use new ones.
Are these torque to yield bolts? What is the chance that I would exceed the strength of the bolt since I am torqueing it to the required torque. How is a new bolt keeping me from stripping the threads if I over- torque?

 

[Rick]

I moved your thread to our Transmission and Transfercase subforum.

 

[Kiliona]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 5r55e ford explorer. This is the first time so I am going very slowly. Inside my forward clutch drum my service manual states that I should have approximately .050 to .070 clearance between my last of the disks and the retaining ring. I have only .008. I also installed a new replacement rubber from the kit in- between the first metal disk and the piston that acts like a cushioning spring. Is this cushioning gasket acting like a variable that gives me my required clearance? The manual says that if I don't have the clearance then I must change the thickness of the retaining ring. My gasket kit did not provide a different ring.

My manual also emphatically states that I should throw away the eight blue bolts which hold the bell housing to the transmission and use new ones.
Are these torque to yield bolts? What is the chance that I would exceed the strength of the bolt since I am torqueing it to the required torque. How is a new bolt keeping me from stripping the threads if I over- torque?

If I were you, I would pull out this "cushioning spring/gasket" you are talking about and then remeasure clearence, if it's within specs without it, and when you pulled the clutch pack apart it didn't have one to begin with and doesn't need one, I'd just get rid of it. If not, you definitely need a new retaining ring (tbh you could probably pick them up in most sizes at most tranny shops, just say you have x thickness and need y thickness, give me a z thickness ring x D)

The way to tell if they're torque to yield is by whatever the tightening sequence is. If it gives you a torque measurement (i.e. 20 ft lbs) but then continues to say "and an additional half a turn or 45 degrees/w.e" then they are torque to yield and can not be reused. Bolts are springs, they hold parts together with the spring tension of the steel bolt, if the spring has been overstretched (torque to yield) then they will not provide the proper spring tension clamping the two components (bell housing and body).

On the other hand, even if they ARENT torque to yield bolts, if the manual says to replace them I would simply because it is surely only a few dollars to replace, and if you figure out after you put the tranny back in the car that you should have replaced them and didn't then you have a hell of a lot of labor added by needing to pull the tranny again because you wanted to save a few dollars the first time

Last two transmissions I rebuilt I did not replace those bolts, but do as I say not as I do x D

 

[Spoofed]

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[JK080]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 5r55e ford explorer. This is the first time so I am going very slowly. Inside my forward clutch drum my service manual states that I should have approximately .050 to .070 clearance between my last of the disks and the retaining ring. I have only .008. I also installed a new replacement rubber from the kit in- between the first metal disk and the piston that acts like a cushioning spring. Is this cushioning gasket acting like a variable that gives me my required clearance? The manual says that if I don't have the clearance then I must change the thickness of the retaining ring. My gasket kit did not provide a different ring.

My manual also emphatically states that I should throw away the eight blue bolts which hold the bell housing to the transmission and use new ones.
Are these torque to yield bolts? What is the chance that I would exceed the strength of the bolt since I am torqueing it to the required torque. How is a new bolt keeping me from stripping the threads if I over- torque?

Make sure after you install the clutches and steels into the drum that you seat the clutch pack against the snap ring. I do this by turning the drum over and give it a good bump on the table or air check it on the center support. Maybe this will show you more clearance and its not as tight as it appears. Measure the frictions and steels to make sure they are the correct.

I have never seen this drum without the rubber cushion ring in the piston so I wouldn't leave it out.

I have never replaced the blue pump bolt on any rebuild I have done on these, I don't know anybody that has replaced them either or had any problems.