SOS trivia question

[Bern]

I've got an SOS trivia question that might even stump Larry! I'm currently working on a '68 4000 SOS trans. While researching the parts manual, it would appear that the "shift cover" in said manual appears to have a good-sized access hole of some sort. Was this for filter access on the older pre-'65 units? I don't recall seeing this on those models either.

 

[forddoc]

Early 6000's and Very first ones in the 6x's had oil cooler coming out top, they then changed and engineered the banjo bolts and tubes on exterior of the case.

 

[Bern]

Thanks for the quick response. I dug out my old 6000 manual, and there it was, a cooler manifold, on the early 6000 series tractors. Seems weird that they showed the hole for this in the post '65 4000 parts book. No mention of a cooler at all for the hundred series.

Here's another question for you, or anyone else: Why did Ford stop making the SOS trans? By the time they stopped producing it, they certainly had all the bugs worked out by then. The customer I was working for today asked me this question, and I had no good answer.

 

[forddoc]

Was told by our regional service rep back then that they had been working on a newer collection of manual and power shuttle trans. And at that point all manufacturers were leaning more towards bigger power and the fact that the SOS has its limits. The evolution of the industry developed faster than those limits could handle. But in the wake of its departure came a more reliable power shuttle trans with smoother operation. Don't get me wrong I still love the SOS, most of my collection features SOS transmissions. And we still do a lot of repairs as there are a lot of them around here. But having worked on 16x16's, Quad-mods, and the Funk power shift, they are all similar in the heart as their granddaddy SOS. So in one fashion it still lives, just revised and evolved.

 

[Larry NCKS]

If you're talking about the transmission cover, that hole did not exist in the pre-65 covers for 4000 and smaller tractors.

 

[Bern]

Not very many similarities between the old SOS and today's powershifts in my opinion. There are no planetaries for one, and only the Funk is a full powershift.

Also, that does not explain the over 20 year "pause" between the end of SOS production and the introduction of anything even remotely similar.

I suspect, and I don't know this for a fact, I'm just going by hearsay, that Ford was sued a number of times from former SOS owners and their fsamilies who were injured and/or killed when those trannies slipped into reverse because of misadjusted shift cables. Maybe the company lawyers made the coporate decision to stop making powershifts altogether?

I like the SOS trans myself. I also enjoy working on them. I stopped into my local dealership for parts yesterday, and they told me that I can have all the SOS work I want, as they refuse to even touch them anymore.

 

[Fordfarmer]

I wonder if maybe the popularity and reliability of the Dual Power transmission, and it's availability on 4-cylinder models after '72 or thereabouts contributed to the demise of the SOS.

 

[Bern]

Why would a 2-speed powershift and a crash box be preferable to a full 10-speed powershift?

 

[Tony Jacobs]

Hello Bern , I run that early 6000 cover with the complete spin on filter assembly on my HD Industrial tractors . It is so nice to just pull the plug at the bottom of the case drain the oil and spin on a new filter and be done with out having to remove the cover every time . Thanks Tony

 

[Bern]

I thought the manifold (part #1) was only for the cooler tubes, and that the filter was still under the hood? At least that's what the 6000 parts manual shows.

 

[Tony Jacobs]

Hello Bern ,You are correct it is under the hood , but the 1961 / 1962 6000's the lines come out of the cover part numbers 5 and 23 go into number 1 . I take the filter assembly and mount it in the cast nose piece where the tank and cooler are modify the lines to come out of the right side of the cast nose back along the engine where the power steering lines are to the trans cover almost looks factory . I have also mounted the filter right behind your right foot mounting it to the rear axle center housing up as high as you can and use the short filter then just make rubber lines to the trans cover . I have also just got the first samples of the new SOS filters in . Thanks Tony

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 15:20:51 07/04/14) Hello Bern ,You are correct it is under the hood , but the 1961 / 1962 6000's the lines come out of the cover part numbers 5 and 23 go into number 1 . I take the filter assembly and mount it in the cast nose piece where the tank and cooler are modify the lines to come out of the right side of the cast nose back along the engine where the power steering lines are to the trans cover almost looks factory . I have also mounted the filter right behind your right foot mounting it to the rear axle center housing up as high as you can and use the short filter then just make rubber lines to the trans cover . I have also just got the first samples of the new SOS filters in . Thanks Tony

Tony, how do the filters look? when do you think that they will be available?

 

[Tony Jacobs]

Hello Showcrop , They look perfect but I plan on installing one Monday to check fit on the pipes and to make sure the clamps hold it tight to pipes as on the original ones . They said 6 to 8 weeks delivery after approval of samples but I am sure it will be longer as it took longer to get the samples . Thanks Tony