VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 49-53 Transmission Differences

What is the difference between the 49-52 transmissions and then, too, what is the difference on up to 54 by year(s).

There is supposed to be something about the bearings used between 49/50 and 51/52. First having ball bearings and the latter having roller bearings, or something.

Which ones will interchange?

This is about straight drive not PG.

Charlie

The 1949-1952 passenger car transmissions were the same except the mount bolted to the case in 1949-1951 and bolted to the rear extension in 1952 (also in 1953 and 1954). They all had a single row of needle bearings where the main drive gear and main shaft joined. The cluster gear had bushings rather than roller bearing except there was a heavy duty option for taxi cabs, etc where the cluster got the needle bearings.

The 1953 and 1954 are ALMOST the same. They got two rows of needle bearings between the two shafts.This was done to eleminate the jumpimg out of high gear problem. They also got the cluster gears with needle baerings rather than bushings.
In mid 1953 the lugs on 2nd speed gear were changed from 2 to 4 thus the syncro rings are different. Also the gears were made to fit tighter together (the teeth) in id 1953. This was to help eleminated the gear rattle when hot (clutch chatter), etc so you didn't have to use #140 grease in the summer.
To eleminate the jumping out of gear problem Chevrolet suggest that the main drive gr and mainn shaft be replaced with the 1953 style and the double rows of needle bearings be used.

Thanks, Gene. That was a heap of information. I think I get it.

Charlie