I am currently in the process of changing the two railko bushes in the gearbox. First one is nice and easy but do you have to remove the gearshift housing to get the one that the ball sits in at the bottom. I can get it with just the bias plate removed but there is a circlip holding the bottom one and it looks like it is ready to fall into the box if i try to remove it. Can this be done with the box in place

Yes - it can be done thru the top.
I changed ours last year after it broke up (cirlip still in the bottom of the box - on the magnetic plug I hope)
U have to remove the selector yoke to get the ciclip out. There's an int hex grub screw that holds it in place (& locates it via a recess in the selector shaft). U need to select 2nd or 4th (forget which) to push the yoke forwards to create the space to pull it off the shaft.

Paul.
2001 D2 TD5, 172,000 miles & climbing

Thanks Paul. Is there a part number for the circlip. Mines a cert to dissappear into the darkness. I take it that theres enough room to get the bolts out between the gearshaft housing and the floor

Badlad,
I think the Part no of the circlip is FTC4458 - but I got mine included with the bottom Railko bush (Part No. FTC2203).
I think you have to remove the selector yoke to change the railko bush - so you should only be removing the circlip on the bench, eliminating the risk.
This is how mine looked (from R380 gearbox overhaul manual you can find via Google)


Ignore the comment about discarding the grubscrew - most people re-use after cleaning & adding some loctite on re-assy.

You surprised me with the question about access - I'd assumed you must already have removed the plate that the main & Hi lo gearlevers locate in (rivetted to the transmission tunnel).
If not already removed, you'll need to remove it to get enough access.
When I removed mine, I followed other people's advice & put rivnuts into the plate so that I can use screws to retain it & easily remove it if needed in future. Drilling the rivets out is easy - apart from the few (2 ?) at the front under the heater matrix area. You need a right angle attachment for a drill to get in there unless you've got a very short drill.

As you suggest, it would be very easy to drop something into the box when the top housing cover is removed - so be careful when removing the selector yoke grubscrew

Paul

Thanks Paul. Youve been a great help. I think i confused myself over the removal of the plates. I had removed the plate that the gearbox selector goes through, not the main one that the hi lo goes on, which was why i was a bit concerned about the 'lack of room' Now it is all much clearerI owe you a :tea:

Glad your sorted!