i have a spare 3 speed on the floor of my shop. i took out the cluster gear at the bottom due to a broken tooth. is there a recommended technique to getting all those needle bearing back in there?

My first thought was

Grease

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

That's what I use and keeps thing where they are.

-D.Idiot

well i figured that was a given. i'm just expecting the action of slipping the shaft back in to knock at least some of them out of place and block the passage. i'm thinking of a piece of a broom handle cut to length. preload the needles in place outside the case, and push the dowel out as i slide the axle thru. maybe there isn't enuff 3 speeds still out there for much experience with this?

the procedure is similar to the rebuiding of the 4 speeds. The broom handle/wood dowel trick is what I use on my A-833OD rebuild and it
works great for what you are doing. I will also advise that if your 3 speed
has the side plate vs. the top plate that you check the case and plate for warpage, and you may need to use RTV instead of the gasket to get it to
seal right.

there are a fair amount of 3 speeds out there, but most enthusiasts sump them for a 4 speed since they were easy to get at one time and are almost a bolt in for the larger muscle cars, so that's why you'll be using the factory service manual instead of finding an article on line about the rebuild for the A-745/903/390/230.

Good Luck,

-D.Idiot

thanx for the confirmation of my idea D.I.

i have the top plate version. it lives behind a 225 in an A108. haven't really considered going to the 4 speed. this old truck don't get much use anymore and when it does, it does everything i need it to do with the 3 speed. i think i'd just like the leaks and bearing rumbles do stop, then i could be a happy camper.
that is. . . until the next gremlin shows up.