Club 80-90 Forums

CovKid wrote:If box and engine won't go together within a reasonable period of time then it'll be clutch plate alignment. The ideal tool is an input shaft from a gearbox for obvious reasons but the hole only needs to be slightly out of alignment and you'll struggle. I found (in the absence of a tool), using a mirror (small makeup mirrors are ideal) and a torch, you can look straight down the hole in the centre of the clutch and get a better idea of how misaligned it might be without having to crane your head round. As for slave cylinder, just change it.

I still have the old 5 speed box would it be worth removing the input shaft from that to align the clutch plate?

old input shaft makes good clutch allignment tool
when fitting the box ensure the clutch fork arm is tied up so the release bearing is as far back as possible, them it doesn't interfere with the installation at all, as said popping it into gear and rotating the diff can help sometimes but generally the allignment isn't to bad on the splines - if you are offering it up with the starter motor fitted then obviously the starter motor gear is also trying to line up

Aidan wrote:old input shaft makes good clutch allignment tool
when fitting the box ensure the clutch fork arm is tied up so the release bearing is as far back as possible, them it doesn't interfere with the installation at all

Excellent advice. Thanks

Double-wrap the greased CV joints in carrier bags so that you don't get one stuck in your ear as you wrestle the box about

Don't ask

Hi. I wrote this after fitting a replacement gearbox. Points to note are:
You won't get in in on your own.
I only used a wooden dowel and masking tap to get the right diameter to aligne the clutch - no probs with Aircooled dub and T25 diesel
The angle of the dangle is imperative
The bell housing is amazingly tight to the flywheel ring gear, especially if the angle between engine and gearbox is out
You think it will never go then pop it's in
The frame on the trolley jack was a very good way of aligning the box

Read below it may help. Persistance and two people does pay off!

E D I T postReport this postReply with quoteRe: My van has mysteriously broken two starter motors!!
by austen smith » 04 Apr 2012, 21:36

Just for info on removing the gearbox. Just removed our gearbox twice after a ""cock"" up. Its is easy.
Remove the front mounting bracket from the chassis, 4 bolts and the earthing wire. This gives you more room to drop the gearbox.
If you have Y1/1.9 diesel lump don't expect the engine to tilt towards the front (gearbox) as with the 1.9, the weight appears to be loaded at the very rear of the van and front of the engine. We used a jack and a log to jack the very rear of the sump up which will push the bell housing down and allow the garbox to slide out and down. The engine will also only tilt a small amount because our exhaust silencer hit the body work. But it was still enough to gwet the box out and back in.
I made a wooden frame work for a second jack which held and supported the gearbox for both out but more importantly putting it back in.
The second time back in, I thought that I was getting pretty good and could do it by myself. Not unless you are Arnie Swartzneger. It does really need two people for alignement and pushing it back in to the bell housing.
The most difficult two person job after aligning the input shaft and sliding the box in was bolting the hydraulic slave cylinder back to the bracket. Thats a measure of how difficult it was. Plus the box is bloody heavy.
It really does feel like a no hoper especially for us beginners. But then pop in it goes. What a wonderful feeling and God I was knackered afterwards.
In this forum is the history of why our gearbox had to be changed. It should assist you with this job.
Hope that it turns out OK.

Thank you. Managed to find a willing "fool" to help me fit the box. Think I've underestimated the importance of getting the angle of the dangle right and making sure the clutch plate is aligned. So got a helper and a tool for the job and when my body recovers I will be out there! Is this what being old feels like?! The second hand box better work after all this!! Haha

Really looking forward to getting this back on the road now in my opinion there is nothing better to drive around in but makes me sad knowing I've owned it for 2 years nearly and only driven it for 6 months! And this is only one of a few jobs I need to do before it is. Next jobs are: holes in the exhaust. Steel rock n roll bed frame. 3 point rear seat belts on both sides and eventually LPG conversion! Fun fun fun

Yep. That is what it is like getting old. In my younger years I once did a gearbox change on a Ford Transit on my own. Thought that I could do the same here. WRONG. I think that i am still recovering weeks after the event. Arthritic thumb still giving me jip.
I am not sure why we do this. Maybe there is a psychiatrist in the forum who can tell us why?
Hope that it all goes well, as I think you are going down the same road as we did a couple of weeks ago.

Why ----- when I typed Transit van it automatically changed to what you see up above????????????????????????????

I know, I find that a bit over the top too. Makes your post look more abrasive than you meant. Obviously someones sense of humour that doesn't work in the real world, or has worn a little thin.

CovKid wrote:I know, I find that a bit over the top too. Makes your post look more abrasive than you meant. Obviously someones sense of humour that doesn't work in the real world, or has worn a little thin.

It dates back to when we had a sense of humour.

Ian Hulley wrote:
It dates back to when we had a sense of humour.

Those were the days!

I was thinking of the innocent youngsters who read the forum.
Actually I am impressed as to how it was done as I wish I could the same with our company e-mail system. Imagine the fun every time you typed the bosses name??????????????

It also wokls with Ford (f0rd) and "pooh", and various swear words.

So if you're unlucky enough to own a "pooh" ford transit you're pretty much "feck"!

austen smith wrote: I was thinking of the innocent youngsters who read the forum.

Youngsters should not be reading the forum anyway ... over 18's only.

It seems I am vat fick. I've just found this thread. Apologies for requesting members to repeat themselves. Head down walking away for an embarrassing moment.