Gearbox Swap

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dag019

Well-Known Member
Posts
6,459
Location
Warwick
The lay shaft bearing have gone in my gearbox (LT77) and I am going to replace it with a unit from Ashcroft. I am planning on doing the swap myself with the help of various manuals and online how to guides. All of the online guides I have seen drop the box out of the bottom having first removed the gearbox cross member. This it seems is difficult and the chassis needs to be spread for both removal and refitting.
Would it be easier to remove the seatbox and lift the gearbox out the top rather than trying to remove the cross-member and lower it down?
I need to removed the seatbox anyway as I have some repairs to do where the end panels and the battery box have corroded.
 
They can be a bit tight, mine is and it's worse after it was galved but a few thumps with a lump hammer sorts it.
Don't make a decision based on cross member removal alone, it won't be an issue imho.
 
I'm with Flossy. I've had mine out twice with a lump hammer. Make sure you protect it with a block of wood. I thought getting it back in would be a nightmare, but I just greased it and tapped it evenly back into place on each side.
 
BTW, I'm just about ready to cry trying to get my gearbox to mate with the engine :) I've done it before and I don't know why I don't remember it being a problem last time. Spent all day on it yesterday on it.
 
Well from the sounds of things the cross member removal is not as bad as others have made out, I have a galv chassis so it may be a little tight but should be doable. Was just wondering as the seat box will be out if it would make things easier.
 
BTW, I'm just about ready to cry trying to get my gearbox to mate with the engine :) I've done it before and I don't know why I don't remember it being a problem last time. Spent all day on it yesterday on it.
Having a jack under the engine helps as does someone helping to keep the gap between bell housing and flywheel housing even all the way round.
A slight turn one way or the other on the crankshaft bolt can be all it needs sometimes.
 
Well from the sounds of things the cross member removal is not as bad as others have made out, I have a galv chassis so it may be a little tight but should be doable. Was just wondering as the seat box will be out if it would make things easier.
If its got to come out anyway, yes, sure gives you plenty more room to work.
 
BTW, I'm just about ready to cry trying to get my gearbox to mate with the engine :) I've done it before and I don't know why I don't remember it being a problem last time. Spent all day on it yesterday on it.
Has the clutch plate been knocked slightly so that its centre is no longer aligned with the crank spigot bush? If you have a clutch alignment tool it may be worth a quick double check
 
After hours of trying yesterday I loosened the clutch pressure plate off and re-centered the clutch just in case. After that, I had to give up for the day because I could not get the right position with the gearbox and I was running out of energy :) Probably always best to have an assistant on hand for this type of job and I would have been done.
 
+1 for giving it a bit of a tap and working it into position. Compared to everything else the crossmember really is no problem at all!
 
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