T-20 broke loose again

[Rusty-Gunn]

This is a very educational thread. I'm enjoying it a lot. Very interesting.
I like how you made the brackets, very nice and neat.

[msafi65]

Canadian Zuk I trust your machine already has the front ears that look like the ones you fabed?

[Canadian_Zuk]

Canadian Zuk I trust your machine already has the front ears that look like the ones you fabed?

No, actually there are just the bottom 4 bolts and 2 metal straps the run from the top front of the T-20 down to the battery holder. Should there be?? Lol

[Canadian_Zuk]

Here where I'm sitting right now. I have the T-20 threads repaired with Heli-coils and sitting in place. The new mounting ears are bolted onto the T-20 and I'm about to burn them into the frame.

[Rusty-Gunn]

Zuk, the factory welds on them ear brackets up front, like the ones you cut out. They bolt on with those two angled bars at the top front bolts.

Just a note... The front brackets are welded on. I would keep the rear as a bolt-on so you can easily remove the trans. But if welding them on works then so much the better.

[Rusty-Gunn]

Rabbit929... I suggest you follow Zuk and install rear brackets to assist holding the trans in place. It took me and my wife a few hours to fab two (left/right) and bolt them in. We used 1.5" angle iron, bolted together. A single piece is stronger and stiffer though.

[msafi65]

I made several of these years ago to align 3/8" bolts. 1/2" round stock is great. I'm going to make some new ones a bit longer with cross holes in large end so I can pull with cotter key extractor. Makes putting T20 in MAX IV much easier. Just plug them in and then start one bolt at a time.

[Rusty-Gunn]

Mark, this tool you made is yet another sweet idea. It does get frustrating to get the mounting bolts in place every time the trans in installed. The trans has to be wiggled just right to get the bolts to go in. Your tool looks like it will make it a lot easier. Excellent educational thread!

[Canadian_Zuk]

I made several of these years ago to align 3/8" bolts. 1/2" round stock is great. I'm going to make some new ones a bit longer with cross holes in large end so I can pull with cotter key extractor. Makes putting T20 in MAX IV much easier. Just plug them in and then start one bolt at a time.

That's a great idea! I think I'll make a couple of those now, I sure could have used them last night. I was getting tired and made a few rookie mistakes, like fully bolting the T-20 in without installing the secondary So I had to pull it all the way out again, put the secondary on and bolt it all back in again while struggling to aline all the bolt holes up only to realize I left my chain tensioners flipped forward ARGHHHH! My back says I'm not pulling the T-20 out again this week so I'll just disassemble the tensioners to get them where they need to be.

[Canadian_Zuk]

Zuk, the factory welds on them ear brackets up front, like the ones you cut out. They bolt on with those two angled bars at the top front bolts.

Just a note... The front brackets are welded on. I would keep the rear as a bolt-on so you can easily remove the trans. But if welding them on works then so much the better.

Ok great, thanks for the information. I ended up welding my brackets in and now have to unbolt my shifter pivot bar thingy to pull the T-20. I will eventually make 2 more bolt on brackets for the front of the trans to replace the factory steel straps and use the same holes as the pivot bar to mount it.....but not today lol, I'll do that when I split my shifters.

[msafi65]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one to install a t20 without the clutch. A couple more notes, leave the angle braces when adding front ears and make sure the diamond shifter retainers are modified to lay flat against case. If not they stop the shifter from getting into full detent and pop out of forward gear.

[Rusty-Gunn]

I've installed the T20 without the clutch once, too. Of course, installed it with one side tensioner or the other in the wrong place several times. My back aches after a few times lifting the T20 out each time.

[Rabbit929]

Mine doesn't have the front straps either, I'll have to fake a good look at it. I'm pretty sure mines just 4 bolts, come to think of it that's a lot of twisting on just 4. You just used some of the case bolts as a mount?

[msafi65]

Factory added front brackets(2008) that made the mounts use 6 bolts very similar to max2 and Buffalo truck.

[Canadian_Zuk]

Mine doesn't have the front straps either, I'll have to fake a good look at it. I'm pretty sure mines just 4 bolts, come to think of it that's a lot of twisting on just 4. You just used some of the case bolts as a mount?

Yes, use all the case bolts . There are 4 bolts on each side that can be used for a total of 8 mounting points. There are the 4 at the bottom that go through the frame rails and 4 at the top that hold the diamond shift plate retainers in place. Fab up some brackets to grab the top of your case. My Max is a 2003, one of the earlier machines available with the 25HP Kohler. The older machines with the 16 & 18HP motors didn't suffer from premature failures like this. I would still beef everything up for peace of mind.