A Look at Auto Parts: Transmission Bearings, Seals & Parts

In order to understand how the parts work, you should have an overview first of how a transmission works in general. Mechanically they are somewhat simple machines, but a quick lesson on what it does can help you understand the place each part has in the process.

Learning More About Auto Parts: The Basic Transmission Set Up

A basic manual transmission will have a shift lever and clutch; a layshaft and gears; shaft that runs to the differential and holds gears; gear selector fork; and a collar with dog teeth. As you press the clutch, it causes the clutch to disconnect from the engine, effectively placing the car in a neutral gear position—no matter how hard you press the accelerator, the car will not move.

When you engage the clutch, however, things start to happen. After you have chosen a gear with the shift lever and begin to let the clutch out, it begins to make contact with the engine again. How? By allowing the collar with the dog teeth to make contact with the proper gears and begin the turning process. This allows the gear you have chosen to give the proper power and energy to the engine.

Seals and gaskets in a transmission help ensure the smooth operation and lubrication of the mechanisms. Once the fluids are in place, they must stay within a closed system to prevent leaking and contamination. Seals and gaskets are critical to this process.

Bearings are the devices that allow machines to operate at greatly reduced friction. The bearings in a transmission help it run smoothly and efficiently with less resistance. The kind of bearings used in transmissions are roller thrust bearings, and are designed to reduce friction involved in thrust loads that it must bear up under. This thrust load must be supported between the gears and between rotational devices and nonmoving parts.

Finding Auto Parts -- Transmission Bearings

Although many car enthusiasts like to tinker with transmissions and even replace or repair the mechanisms themselves, most ordinary car owners don’t have the ability or tools to work on them. They require highly specialized equipment, including transmission jacks, that most auto owners don’t have. If you think there is something wrong with your transmission, you should get it to a shop immediately—there may be a point where it simply won’t operate at all, and could leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.