Clutch cylinder bracket mod for WBX

[silverbullet]

Changing or removing the wbx clutch slave cylinder is notorious for its poor access to the fixing bolts. The clutch arm will almost certainly be rusted on the shaft, so removal is not an option unless you are replacing both of those too (angle grinder job)
To make your life a lot easier and the job a lot quicker in the future, here's a brief how-to once you have removed the gearbox...this may just be possible in-situ, working with a compact 90 degree drill from below, but don't hold me to it!
First beg/borrow/liberate a 20mm piloted conduit cutter:

Mark the position of the hole centre directly below the mounting hole, centre punch and drill through the lower web. Note that it's right up against the big hole in the top web:

Deburr and ovalize the hole (fore & aft) to ensure that your socket (or cut-down box spanner) will centralize with the mounting hole in the top web of the bracket. Note that the hole breaks out very close to the side of the bracket too :

Finally, your socket needs to have an overall length in the range of 42-45mm, no longer. You may have to cut one down or shorten an extension bar etc. If using a box spanner the maximum length is 60mm, or you will not fiddle it in the gap over the clutch arm with the clutch fork in the resting position:

Thanks to Aidan Talbot for the heads-up on this one.

[HarryMann]

A piloted conduit cutter, boyo boy, fancy piece of kit ... without piccies I was picturing something flown by the RAF in theatres of war, to bring down the enemy's power cables maybe?

I just did the AndyMc thing, weld an anchor nut onto the plate, which is quite weak enough already, so maybe check it for cracks everyone while you're at it, on the bend , fine stress cracks. Aidan says its rare, but if it breaks like mine, can be a show stopper (without Aidan, Andy and suitable ratchet strap)

Oops that's a diesel clutch bracket, looks the same to me though...

[Aidan]

personally I just notch out the edge of the bracket so there's enough space to get 1/4" drive wobble bar in with a short 13mm socket, probably not as strong as Ian's method, but can be done insitu using a belt grinder when you are trying to get one off for the first time in 20 years
the diesel doesn't need this modification as there is enough space to get a good spanner in from the rear for the bottom head and a decent spanner on the top, but on the late wbx the thermostat housing is in the way so you need to be able to get a socket in from below

[Ian Hulley]

I have M8 nuts welded to the bottom of the bracket holes so it's just a 13mm spanner job.

[silverbullet]

All well and good once it's off.

To make your life a lot easier and the job a lot quicker in the future, here's a brief how-to once you have removed the gearbox...this may just be possible in-situ, working with a compact 90 degree drill from below, but don't hold me to it!

Not saying it's the only way, just another option. Back in February 2011

[Ian Hulley]

I had the misfortune of having mine sat on the bench in the workshop so it was rude not to

[jamesc76]

suppose another joy of the scooby engine I can get to mine just fine with spanners, no need to cut holes or weld nuts on!

[HarryMann]

I had the misfortune of having mine sat on the bench in the workshop so it was rude not to

I think that's some of mine ended up with anchor nuts... very rude not to, though the bracket then decided to fatigue crack itself...

my excuse: muchoroadoffingnclutchdownuppingslipaboutingmuitochangegearenhabenstickunstirrinabouten