thank you all for your help - that did the trick (although on a separate but related note, when i tried to put the new curvy spring back on the brake expander, it pinged off and disappeared into another world, never to be seen again - just as well as i had the old one).

I can’t work out how to fit this. Do I just push it down as far as I can along the operating rod and hope that it stays in the right place, or does something hold it in place? The picture in the (Series II !!, maybe i should look in Series III...) workshop manual kind of implies that it pushes...

Many thanks for comments and the photos. That now makes perfect sense. You have sorted it, i couldn't work out what was going on.

Thanks for the photo. I still have an issue - from what i can tell, the metal mounts that fit on the gearbox result in an attachment point at very different heights, which would seem wrong. Photo 2 seems to match your photo. Same side of the transfer box, mounting point to the rubber (not...

Just waiting for a few small parts (seals, bearings etc) I need to rebuild the rest of the gearbox. Looking ahead, I thought I would sort out the gearbox mounts. I have the 2 (fairly similar) parts that attached to the chassis, upon which the rubber mounts sit. However, I can’t work out how...

good point. that makes sense. thanks

I am rebuilding the gearbox. I can see on the parts diagram that there is an oil seal at the front of the gearbox for the primary pinion (571059). So i was expecting to see an oil seal on the layshaft too. But there is nothing on the parts diagram. I can't see why oil won't pour out onto the clutch.

I have just had this blasted, and thought I would remove the oil seal before I put some engine paint on it. But I am having trouble removing the oil seal. Being old the rubber has lost all strength and just comes off in small bits. I believe that the external cover to the oil seal is normally...

Having stripped my ignition lock in order to try and remove the barrel (and failed), i am having trouble getting it back together. It is a struggle to get the plastic components (with their springs, copper plate, ball bearing) all in place - when i do, it doesn't feel sturdy, and the whole...

Excellent. On that basis, i will stop trying to take it apart. I will go get a couple of spare ignition keys made up, and then sort out my door / tailgate locks separately. Many thanks

I am still stuck on this problem, going around in circles (like the key!). I am trying to get the barrel out, so i can replace all the locks on the car (ignition, door, tailgate etc) with a common barrel/key. From what i have read, on the ignition lock, if i turn the key to the I position, and...

I think i have worked it out - and as usual, it doesn't show me in the best light. When i took the gearbox out a few months ago, I managed to damage the original bell housing, and so i had to get a 2nd hand replacement. I think the replacement had the bearing in place, which i would have...

i have watched this before, and watched it again. I can see the first retaining plate, but i still can't any sign of the second retaining plate. So i am still confused where it goes.

I am replacing my old, seriously damaged seats - i intend to buy the britpart deluxe seats (x3). I have remove 2 metals pieces from the old seats: 1) the frame piece, upon which lives the bolts that hold the 2 halves together 2) the flat underseat. As I haven't bought the seats yet, i can't...

You can see in the photo one retaining plate sitting nicely on top of the layshaft bearing. Once I have the new lock washer, I can nip this up. The issue is the second retaining plate, which I have left in photo towards the edge. I cannot work out where this one is supposed to go. On my parts...

On my series 2a gearbox, i have replaced the 2 pegs, replaced the old thrust washer with a standard width new one. I replaced the broken 1 piece bronze bush with a new, 2 piece. Having put it all back together (including that horrible circlip) I have found that the gears have the right end...

it was relatively easy getting it off - but then again, I did trash it.

yup, did as you say PLUS borrowed another pair of hands. Sorted. Phew

Trying to fit THAT circlip on the gearbox primary shaft. I have watched SteamWally's YouTube video, and he says he uses a ring of steel lengths that fit in the grooves, held together with tape - so he can slip the circlip over and gradually move circlip over the shaft. I don't have a set of...

I am more confused now. I realise it is not the tab that is causing the issue, it is the diameter of the shaft versus diameter of the washer. Above the washer in the picture the shaft is about 1/4 of mm wider than the shaft below the washer: this is a) from using a callipers to measure it and...