Gearbox Mounting update 350i

[Lemonentry]

Hi Guys

Via a chat i understand some of you have upgraded the rear gearbox mount on the 350i, so you dont have to move forward or take the engine out in order to change the clutch. i think I can see what is required, but before I go chopping away any ideas please?

[Wedg1e]

I would have thought that removing the propshaft, taking off the gearshift extension and lifting the 'box over that lower cross-rail would give you some rearward movement as it is, surely the limiting factor is how far back the bellhousing will go before it fouls on something?

[Lemonentry]

Wedg1e said:

I would have thought that removing the propshaft, taking off the gearshift extension and lifting the 'box over that lower cross-rail would give you some rearward movement as it is, surely the limiting factor is how far back the bellhousing will go before it fouls on something?

I would agree with you, but the holes on the chassis for the angled mounts are slotted forward, so you have to shift the gearbox and engine forward in order to get the gearbox out up and back. It's the angled mounts that are the problem here.

[adam quantrill]

Just lever it up with a trolley jack - for doing the clutch it will give enough room to get the input shaft clear of the flywheel and get the clutch plate in or out (with the engine shifted forward about 3-4")

[Lemonentry]

Agreed, but my point being the engine and ancillaries doesn't have to be touched at all if the rear mounting were made slightly different. Maybe I assumed people had done this mod before, anyhow I have a few ideas on how to get round this and it's fairly simple.

Kevin

[utternutter]

I've just replaced my gearbox with the engine still in the car, that plate which is under the gearbox mounts is there just in case the mounts fail so I cut that plate out in between the 2 mounts to make it easier the get the box out again and to change clutch, I re-plated it with 5 mm chequered plate bolted underneath the gearbox mounts.
So now it's so much easier to work on.

[Wedg1e]

Lemonentry said:

I would agree with you, but the holes on the chassis for the angled mounts are slotted forward, so you have to shift the gearbox and engine forward in order to get the gearbox out up and back. It's the angled mounts that are the problem here.

If you removed the nuts and jacked the box up an inch or two, you should be able to unscrew the rubber mounts from the gearbox, then they wouldn't be in the way at all (and to be fair, after all these years they're probably FUBAR anyway - mine had dissolved in the leaking gearbox oil!).

Last time I had my 'box out (er.... 2001/2 I think!) I renewed the mounts, it just happened that they were identical to some that we fit to various equipment at work.

[Lemonentry]

Wedg1e said:

If you removed the nuts and jacked the box up an inch or two, you should be able to unscrew the rubber mounts from the gearbox, then they wouldn't be in the way at all (and to be fair, after all these years they're probably FUBAR anyway - mine had dissolved in the leaking gearbox oil!).

Last time I had my 'box out (er.... 2001/2 I think!) I renewed the mounts, it just happened that they were identical to some that we fit to various equipment at work.

Cheers, a couple of ideas there with checker plate and also unscrewing the mounts. but thinking it may also seem I've got a very rare wedge indeed, I have no gearbox, engine or power steering leaks, it's all oil free and has not been power cleaned in the last 10 years either, it's just the Tvr unset by heat underseal that makes a mess of my hands and elbows!! Great idea that Tvr

[adam quantrill]

That must mean there's no oil in the engine, gearbox or diff!!! ;^)

[Danny Hoffman]

The leaks are supposed to protect the chassis from rusting

[Lemonentry]

Ah , that explains the full set of lit dash lights I have. I thought Tvr made them light constant for decorative purposes!!

[rev-erend]

Here is a picture of mine .. fully removable.

Edited by rev-erend on Monday 15th April 13:32

[Lemonentry]

Ah that's more like it, a fully removable brace, that means you can drop the gearbox out complete without taking out the engine and also you can take out the prop shaft, and get full site of the clutch and half a dozen other things! Cheers for the picture, that's the direction I want to go . Kev