keith1948 Posted September 12, 2020 Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 I have removed the gearbox from the 4A a few times but always from inside the car. Looking at getting a Draper 53095 transmission jack. This would make life a lot easier than balancing the whole thing on a normal car jack. There is one question though. Is it possible to remove the transmission gearbox including overdrive from beneath the car. I find getting it out is a bit of a struggle but getting it back in and into line is either easy peasy or a complete nightmare. Also does anyone have one of these Draper units or similar and have an opinion on them? Guess what one of my next jobs is? Keith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted September 12, 2020 Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 Hi Keith, I am pretty certain you cannot remove it downwards underneath the car. There is someone on here who designed and built/welded a crane for easier removal. a search topic on here might help you. Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith1948 Posted September 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 Just now, Harbottle said: Hi Keith, I am pretty certain you cannot remove it downwards underneath the car. There is someone on here who designed and built/welded a crane for easier removal. a search topic on here might help you. Paul Thanks Paul I don't think it can come out from below either but thought I would just make sure. I have seen the cranes that have been on the forum which look very useful. I have found one of the transmission jacks on offer so was hoping someone else had experience of whether these are any good or not. Thanks for swift reply. The Register forum is really useful. Keith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 12, 2020 Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 (edited) Hi Keith, I also thought that it could come out downwards. But speaking to Carl (Revingtons) at a Lake District bash a few years back he convinced me it was a no no. Within a matter of weeks I needed to remove the GB and no matter how inventive one can be it must come out from the top. John Morrison's crane is very good and I have every intention of one day making it. At the moment I use an electric scissor jack under the GB to help with things. However I find it easier to pull the engine and GB together - out and in. Roger Edited September 12, 2020 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rvwp Posted September 13, 2020 Report Share Posted September 13, 2020 Hi Keith, I made up a small trolley (ex supermarket trolley) with 4 castors fitted with a plywood base and wooden gearbox profile pieces, and placed it under the gearbox so that when the gearbox is pulled back it does not drop. I then lifted it out of the car with a chain hoist fixed above and swung it through the door opening. Putting back is a repeat of the procedure and it should be easier to line up. Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith1948 Posted September 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2020 Hello Rich Mmm I have a small trolley on casters that is quite robust so maybe I can use that as a starting point to make something as you have suggested. I have already made an adjustable support that fits into the bonnet bay channels similar to Clarke CEC500DS Dual Hook Engine/Gearbox Support from Machine Mart. (Product Code 020112912) https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cec500ds-dual-hook-enginegearbox-suppo/ I was planning to use this to lift engine at front to change engine mounts (after moving battery out of the way first). But I can also use this at the rear of the engine (as well as a block of wood in front of the bulkhead) to stop the back of the engine dropping when the gearbox comes out. That is the main cause of not being able to line it up to reassemble in my experience. This time I will take the passenger door off as well to make it easier to get it in and out of the car. Happy days Keith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rvwp Posted September 14, 2020 Report Share Posted September 14, 2020 Hi Keith, also I have found with most gearboxes that screwing a couple of headless 5/16 bolts into the top threaded gearbox fixing at the top the block holds the gearbox in line and allows it to be slid into position and greatly improves the lining up of the shaft. Has always worked for me and saved a lot of sweat and grunting! Regards Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twostrokekid Posted September 16, 2020 Report Share Posted September 16, 2020 Fully agree with the long screwed in bolts idea. You need a couple of 4" lengths of 5/16UNC threaded rod set at opposite sides of the engine block so the gearbox has a nice lead in for refitting. You can get threaded rods of all lengths off eBay. Also some fat cushions to sit on while you are sitting/half lying on the floor panels, straddling the transmission tunnel while using both hands and feet to manoeuvre the beast back in. Oh, and try not to sit on the two handbrake uprights! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jase Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 Can the engine and box come out together? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith1948 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 10 minutes ago, Jase said: Can the engine and box come out together? Yes through the engine bay but the gearbox and overdrive if fitted can be separated and dragged out from inside the car after removing the H frame and tunnel to get at it. You would have to remove the bonnet and disconnect a lot more to remove engine with the gearbox. I have removed the gearbox with and without overdrive fitted and the procedure is basically very similar. I found it easier to pull it out than to get it back. You have to turn the box to one side as you feed it towards the engine and then line it up perfectly or it won't slip back together. Bolts in some of the fixing holes as people have suggested can help. Last time I did it, I made sure the engine didn't drop a bit at the back when I separated it from the gearbox. If this happens then the engine is tilted down at the back and it is impossible to get the two bits back together. It is a struggle especially doing it alone. That is why I was looking at the transmission scissor jack idea. I have a small substantial trolley that I am looking at using as a base for a DIY scissor jack. It needs to be able to tilt back or forward to line up the box and maybe tilt sideways for the first part of refitting. I have a few ideas on paper at present. I have a spare non-od box I can use to try it out on first Keith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie D Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 On 9/14/2020 at 7:47 AM, rvwp said: Hi Keith, also I have found with most gearboxes that screwing a couple of headless 5/16 bolts into the top threaded gearbox fixing at the top the block holds the gearbox in line and allows it to be slid into position and greatly improves the lining up of the shaft. I've used 3 or 4, just to get the box a bit more stable. It's also easier if you make them all slightly different lengths, so you can get one in to the box flange first and then jiggle the box about to get the others in. Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tthomson Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 I seem to remember from elsewhere that when extracting or replacing the engine and gearbox together, you need a suitable sling that can be adjusted to swing the rear end of the combined units up and/or down. Trying to lift them out using a simple hoist will be very difficult to achieve. TT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 1 minute ago, tthomson said: I seem to remember from elsewhere that when extracting or replacing the engine and gearbox together, you need a suitable sling that can be adjusted to swing the rear end of the combined units up and/or down. Trying to lift them out using a simple hoist will be very difficult to achieve. TT One of these helps https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cll500-load-leveller/ Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tthomson Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Yes, exactly what I was envisaging. Thanks Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boxofbits Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 One of the problems is having to twist and then turn the gearbox to get the clutch release shaft to clear the floor. It is awkward, so a straight in straight out trolley probably won’t work without having to lift and twist it at some point. The studs to help line it up are a good idea though, and helped us line it up. Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 3 hours ago, stuart said: One of these helps https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cll500-load-leveller/ Stuart. I have found lifting the back of the car about a foot when doing engine and gearbox together eases the route of the bell housing under the bulkhead and the engine over the front panel. Same trick for MGs when doing engine + gearbox as a unit. Peter W Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Just now, BlueTR3A-5EKT said: I have found lifting the back of the car about a foot when doing engine and gearbox together eases the route of the bell housing under the bulkhead and the engine over the front panel. Same trick for MGs when doing engine + gearbox as a unit. Cheers Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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