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Getting the gearbox back in...


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Hello chaps. For the second time I have had to get the box off (clutch change) and for the second time I am struggling desperately.

 

I just cannot understand it. I had the box off my old six four times and each time it virtually fell back into place. Yesterday, I spent 8 hours farthing about, heaving shoving and swearing and I have now given up!

 

I did use a plastic clutch centring tool and I put the friction plate up to,the flywheel with and only then secured the cover, tightening to the required 20lb/ft. I also wired the clutch lever so the RB didn't fall off (and I know it was working ok).

 

I am as sure as I can be that the faces are parallel, but it seems that i can get the top three studs to engage, or I can get the nose of the in put shaft partly into place, but not both!

 

I know the splines have to line up but it seems to me that I have developed a unique talent for moving the prop flange always a hundredth of an inch in the wrong direction.

 

On at least three occasions I got the flange to "stick" implying the splines were just engaged but bloody thing would not move any further forward (yes the rear mount has bee removed). I am now wondering if I should extract the top dowels).

 

Any helpful suggestions gratefully received. Even humourous ones might help morale. I am on the verge of a spot of arson at present.

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David

 

I have done this many times now on both my Trs and the Groups cars.

 

Did you try the clutch plate onto the gearbox splines? I always make sure the gearbox splines

are spotlessly clean, free from dirt, rust , grime, and any burs. So the new clutch plate slides on nicely

 

And also try the spigot bush onto the end of the shaft prior to fitting as have come across spigot bushes

of differing sizes.

 

Cheers

Guy

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Greatly appreciate the suggestions, chaps (especially yours, Roger!) but er, spigot bush? Spigot bearing? Is that the end of the input shaft? Anyone got a picture?

 

I am sure that I have refitted the gearbox previously on the 6 without knowingly getting involved with a spigot or any other kind of bush. I do admit that the only time the gearbox has come out before on the 5, my dear friend, Colin Bradshaw, popped it back in about 30 seconds after I had spent two days at it (I could have massacred him!) thus making me feel totally inadequate.

 

Did he secretly introduce a spigot bush into the proceedings? Is there some sort of spigot or bush freemasonry from which I am excluded because I am a recovering Catholic? Or can anyone join? Does it involve some sort of quasi religious ritual?

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On a serious note, does anyone think I should extract the top three studs?

 

 

They should be ok left in, have you tried guiding the gearbox in to the engine using 4 -6 inch bolts. One on each side of

engine back plate.

 

Spigot bush is the brassy looking polo mint inside the centre hole in flywheel.

 

I had one box that would not go, i gave up and had a go next morning, it went straight in. Its not an easy job on your own,

the gearbox tends to get heavier and heavier.

 

Cheers

GUY

 

 

 

Cheers

Guy

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Hi Dave,

Us catholics must stick together. There must be a patron saint of gearbox fitters. Offer up an invocation or two.

 

 

 

As mentioned have the GB in gear so that the output shaft can be turned to align the splines.

.

Try not to linger too long when lifting the GB as your lack of strength will cause it to go pearshaped. Have a good rest between attempts.

 

Good luck - The last time I did it on the TR4 I removed the engine and assembled it on the garage floor then refitted as one huge lump.

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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With the body off my gearbox slid on with a satisfying clunk.

 

Once the body was on and I found the the clutch was slipping, the next three refittings were a mm by mm ordeal.

I used the same technique that Jersey Royal recommends, long bolts to do the guiding and slow winding into position with the nuts.

I had one jack under the box, and one jack under the engine, to do fine adjustments to the alignment as the two items slowly came together. Hurrying is not an option.

By go number three it becomes a bit ho-hummy.

 

The new clutch plate seemed to be thicker than the original so I am using the top hole on the disengagement lever, and the rod from the slave cylinder is wound out a long way. The "book" adjustments were no use to me I had to put it up on jack stands with the handbrake on and 'tune' the adjustment on the rod until it engaged and disengaged the way I wanted.

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Once again, I am most grateful, chaps. I especially like JR & Littlejim's ideas re long bolts as this would appear to reduce the required muscular effort!

 

Roger, having not been to confession since 1993, I think any such invocations would be treated with the contempt they deserve!

 

Thanks guys. Unlikely to have time now for at least 10 days as next weekend is a family one.

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  • 3 weeks later...

It's in! I got the faces parallel and balanced the box on a jack. Once the top studs were engaged it was just a case of turning the flange until the splines began to engage and then using the overlong set screws at 3 and 9 o'clock to draw the shaft into the clutch.

 

Then it was just a case of crawling round balancing spanners over the bolt heads and tightening up.

 

Not much movement on the clutch lever though - maybe half an inch. There is no lateral movement in the pin on the lever. I will now be checking on the master for this.

 

Other jobs preclude a rest drive for some weeks.

 

Many thanks for all the help, chaps.

 

Merry Christmas.

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" having not been to confession since 1993 " . . . . . :o

 

I shouldn't rush to break a 20-year habit then David . . . . . two decades of accumulated misdeeds and whatever, apart from the unwinding of that lot taking too much time, the poor blessed priest might all too easily get over-excited. You don't really want a priestly heart attack on your conscience ! :rolleyes:

 

Cheers

 

Alec

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Hi Alec. Based on the Church's obsession with sins of the flesh, I think the priest should be safe! SWMBO believes in a strong centralised government so the only thing I really have to offer is occasional overindulgence in fine ales and wines and world weary cynicism about those who rule us, occasionally relapsing into foam flecked hatred ( for the consequences of which no jury would ever convict me).

 

Besides, most of the priests I know are pretty non judgemental, possibly because they have become inured!

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