MTFCA Forum

It takes a big crescent wrench and a cheater bar to turn my low band adjustment after the jam nut is loosened. Are there any thoughts on why this could be and if I'm potentially doing damage with the "strong arm" approach? As always, many thanks for your input.

Forcing something like that seldom improves it. It will only get worse. While you can still move it at all, I'd remove the adjuster and inspect the threads on it and in the hogshead.

First thought is buggered/stripped threads.
Pull the inspection cover. Pry the band tight with a big screwdriver. Does the adjuster now easily turn? That eliminates a bind in the adjuster & band ear. If still stiff, figure its a thread issue. Look @ the adjuster for buggered threads. Remove & clean as necessary.
Other than a rusted up HH, I have not encountered your problem. In an in service T, the adjuster turns about finger pressure after the jam nut is loose.

As Jerry said, make sure it is not cross threaded. The jam nut needs to be backed off more than just loose, otherwise a couple turns of the adjuster and it will jam again. Next I would take the inspection cover off and look at what is going on inside.

If it’s that hard to turn and with a cheater bar it sounds like it’s crossed threaded. If it’s that hard it would be best to remove the adjuster and find the correct tap and hopefully it can be rethreaded. Maybe someone knows on the forum knows what the correct size tap it would be. That’s the very first thing that needs to be done when the adjuster is taken out.
You can use a battery holder wire brush that’s round to clean out the transmission cover hole or any round treaded hole. It works pretty good for that purpose.

Thank you everybody. Your responses are in line with my thinking. Soon I will be putting her up for the winter and I'll get into it. I just wanted to pick your brains and see if there was something I was overlooking. You all are the best!! Happy holidays.

Acetone and ATF mix is the best penetrating oil. Soak well in advance then only 'crack' the thread wet, wiggle back and forth adding juice and feel the length of the loose stroke getting longer. Patience.

Good idea Ken, your suggestion sure won't hurt. I didn't think of using a penetrating oil due to the fact the threads are "wet" on the inside. Many thanks!!