need info on removing gearbox on defender

[Bigmark]

Hi, i am in the process of removing my gearbox on defender 130 TDI 300 97'
I have removed everything but the cross member from chassis, but i am waiting for some info regarding the clearance needed to move the box back to release the spline from the engine. how far back does the gearbox have to slide back so the spline is clear and allow me to lower the gearbox. The reason i am asking is that even though i have taken the gearstick off, the gear stick/s mounts only have about 2 inches until they hit the seat box. SAo if anyone has had any experience doing this any advice is appreciated.

I just want to replace the release fork thingy and check pressure plate etc

[abaddonxi]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

About eight inches.

I just did the same recently (replaced clutch fork only), didn't take off the cross member, there was enough space to get it back. There's a couple of good tutorials with pictures here-
Discovery clutch change - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum (http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php'showtopic=6719)

110 clutch fork leaving gearbox in - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum (http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php'showtopic=5010)

Clutch Change - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum (http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php'showtopic=4380)

Only things that weren't a clear as I'd like is that you should prop up the front of the motor so it doesn't dive through the radiator, and jack goes under the park brake drum. All mentioned in one of the above, but not the other.

Or you can read of my embarrassing adventures here-
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/56780-clutch-slave-pushrod-oh-shame.html

Cheers
Simon

[long stroke]

Maybe you could tilt the motor and let the gearbox drop at the same time it should come, we have replaced a disco gearbox and didn't have any probs like that but i think we tilted the motor first.

CHEERS TIM.

[long stroke]

By the way Welcome mate:)

[George130]

Welcome.
Don't know on the manuals. But it is a lot on my auto.

[Blknight.aus]

remove the fan shroud, replace 4 of the bolts on the bell housing with long dowels that will allow you to slide the box backwards, remove the cross memeber and the mounts for the box and then lower its tail then slide it backwards on the 4 dowels... I reccomend laying a long beam across the guards with a rope around the flywheel housing to control the amount that it can lower so you dont shred the engine mounts

of course its a lot easier if you have the proper transmission jack as it can move it all at the right angles at the right time....


you can also pull the top section of the box partially down in situe to get more clearance or pull the seatbox out.

[Bigmark]

Thanx for all the quick replies, i am now much clearer on what to do.
My plan off attack is to leave the cross member in, remove transfer leaver and surround and slide it back.

Cheers!

P.S. if i dont see a hole punched thru the fork i will be very depressed, but with a rock hard clutch - new master/slave cylinders and new clip its just gotta be. I hope :)

[Bigmark]

Thanks again, the gearbox is out (well 8 inch gap out) and as forum helpers have guessed its the fork with a big hole punched thru it. Whoever designed it either had a brain fart or made it like that so the fork goes before anything else major.

The pressure plate looks in very good condition and from what i can see of the clutch plate it still has grooves so i think i am going to leave it undisturbed. I never have any luck re-aligning splines. Anyone know how deep the clutch plates are when new or how low they can go ?

The gearbox rolled sideways as i was warned but i couldn't stop it, so it looks like some major problem solving coming up for tomorrows refit. It will be like raising the titanic, their will be jacks,wires chains and pulleys everywhere to inch her into position as its a 1 man show here.

When its done, i think i will miss these last 3 nights under the defender, nice and peaceful-no kids or wife around, and i like to look back and think about all the half seized and or stripped bolts that i finally got undone after persisting with all the usual tricks.
parked behind the defender is a 2000 chrysler voyager that i couldnt even try to repair myself with all the plastic and electronic crapola.

See-ya

[Blknight.aus]

remember those long dowels i was talking about earlier?

heres my bush method of getting a box back on a rover that has the removeable cross member. I'll assume that youve removed at least one of the mounts and if you havent then remove one of the mounts for the box.


1. jam the box up roughly into position and bolt the cross member back in place
2. using your jack, a small pry bar between the tcase and the main transmission lever and chock the transmission to near enough level
3. remove 3-4 of the studs from the engine and insert looong bolts or threaded rods through the same relevent holes in the bell housing
4. remove 2 more studs on opposing sides of the box then using a series of shorter and shorter bolts pull the gearbox forwards onto the engine (you will need to adjust your chocking as you go) if everything goes right you can sometimes just do this by sliding the box on the rods.
5. once its mated bolt it back together as per the book.

for aligning the splines use a socket that fits into the spigot bearing to support a 3/8th extention bar and then once youve got that slide a sparkplug socket or 1/2 inch deep reach socket that fits the clutch splines onto the extention bar or go and get either a dead gearbox and cut the input shaft off then use that or buy a cheapy aligning tool from supercheap or the like.

[Bigmark]

yes now i do remember you mentioning those dowels, but i forgot about it during the excitement of the final push to clear the bell housing from the motor.