Replace syncros in an FG

kerry

Expedition Leader
Anyone here done it or had it done? Mind are worn. Wondering whether I should attempt it myself or have it done? Any recommendations?
 
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engineer

Adventurer
There's a cir clip which is hard to see discernable wear on the main shaft, let me guess, it's fourth gear isn't it?
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
There's a cir clip which is hard to see discernable wear on the main shaft, let me guess, it's fourth gear isn't it?

4th is the worst but it does grind in 3 and 2. Are you saying wear is hard to discern? Have you done it? Is it within the scope of a reasonably competent back yard mechanic or is it something I should leave for the pros? The guy at the Fuso dealership where I bought my starter thought that it was a pretty easy job that I can do if I generally worked on my own vehicle.
 

engineer

Adventurer
Kerry, Unless you have
1. steroids
2. transmission jacks
3. patience to pull it apart insitu, which also requires a bloody good memory
I would strongly recommend that you use the dealership, unless they are an incompetent bunch of freaks that will overcharge.
They aren't the easiest 'box I've done, and require a fair amount of physical strength.
I've never met you mate, so I don't know
But I get the dealership to do mine, I've not got the patience.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
No steroids here. I would buy a transmission jack if I decide to do it myself. I don't know if the local dealer is competent or not since they haven't done any work on my truck. I'll call them and get an estimate before I decide. I've pulled out a number of transmissions in cars and small trucks over the years but I've never dug into the internals of one.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
Dealer quoted me $2600 to replace the syncros. Any opinions about that price out there? Seems high to me. What's the labor on a job like that? With the truck on a lift and the tools handy, 12 hrs or something like that?
 

alan

Explorer
$2600 seems reasonable, a lot of heavy work involved and without the right equipment it's even harder.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
Got an estimate from a local transmission shop for $2500-3500. Not sure it's worth that money at the moment. I can do a lot of double clutching for those prices. Maybe when the transmission needs to come out to replace the clutch, I'll do the syncros then.
 

engineer

Adventurer
Good thinking there Kerry, replace the clutch slave and master cylinder too, re-race the box whilst it is all apart.
I'd go with the one with the most experience on your particular type of truck, the cheapest quote isn't always the cheapest in the end.....
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
True enough. There's often no correlation between price and quality

How far have people driven FG's with bad syncros? I've driven mine about 15k since I got it and the condition of the transmission seems to be the same. When I am at a stop, if I pull it into 3rd before second, no grinding. When moving if I shift slowly from 5th into 4th no grinding. Quick shifts require a double clutch and downshifting from 3rd to 2nd when moving always requires a double clutch.
 

SkiFreak

Crazy Person
I can do a lot of double clutching for those prices. Maybe when the transmission needs to come out to replace the clutch, I'll do the syncros then.

Yep, double clutching is definitely the cheaper option.
If I were in your situation I would probably hold off too until other work needed doing on the transmission; then do all of it at the same time, as you have said.
 

engineer

Adventurer
To be honest Kerry, It'll probably go forever like that, unless it self-destructs by a gear ring letting go or bearing collapse.
I once drove around Fraser Island for 3 days after losing the clutch pressure plate fingers and slave cylinder, starting her in 1st gear low range and split shifting with no clutch!!!
Amazing what you're capable of when you are pushed to your limits.
But it was that driving that stuffed the syncros, so I know what you have to do to replace them.
Just leave it until it blows up, then give her a good O/H.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
Talked to a guy in Denver with a 92 Fuso FG 5 spd for sale today and got some useful info. He's owned a lot of FG's for a golf course landscaping business. A 92 transmission will not fit a 99. Transmissions were changed in 98.
He's had a lot of problems with syncros in his trucks. He said Fuso upgraded the syncros in 2001 and 2007 so the replacement products are better than the originals. He said the recent set of syncros he had put in cost $500. He pulled the tranny and took it to a rebuilder who installed them. He did say that something often gets broken (part of the gear?) when the syncros fail and if that has happened, the new syncros will also fail.
He has a 2006 FG which is currently in the shop having new syncros put in it.
I'm getting the impression that if you have a standard transmission FG, you will be replacing the syncros sooner rather than later, or learning how to double clutch.

By the way, I have an hypothesis on why these syncros frequently fail. The throw on the shifter is much shorter than you would typically find on a larger truck. This short throw means the shifts are much faster than would typically be accomplished with a shifter a couple of feet long that moves a couple of feet from gear to gear. My suspicion is that these fast shifts wear out the syncros quicker.
 
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SkiFreak

Crazy Person
Kerry,
You mentioned that over the years Mitso has made changes to the syncros.
I realize that you said "the replacement products are better than the originals" but by how much? Is it still a regular item that fails?

Your suspicion that the short shift may be the culprit is an interesting one.
 

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