Removable Gearbox mount

[rev-erend]

Has anyone made a removeable Gearbox mount for their wedge.

I'm fitting a monster 10 1/4 inch single plate clutch to mine
but figure the clutch may become a bit of a consumable and I can't be bothered to keep taking the engine out.

So - if anyine has done it - I really could do with a picture
to give me some idea's..

Edited by rev-erend on Monday 12th February 10:33

[shpub]

Done it but don't have any pictures. Quite a bit of work though.

[rev-erend]

I'll get a picture of mine tonight and perhaps you can describe where your frame attached and general principle.

[350zwelgje]

Perhaps someone tried (or Steve knows): what about making that the bellhousing bolts to the box become external? Perhaps this can help, as I understood that the bellhousing only is the problem to remove box without touching the engine.

Rob

[campbell]

Get the gass ax in there Rev and them use some half inch plate with SS bolts to put it back togeather...
Ohh and a big hammer to make sure it wont brake in a hurry
If and when i take out the engine i think ill look onto some thing lit this, if the gear box carrier can be removed the box should come out with less stress, well i hope so.

Cambelt

[adam quantrill]

To do this you would have to weld some captive nuts into the bellhousing, and probably machine around the box so you could do up the bolts from the outside. You'd have to get the alignment right too or the input bearing on the box won't last long.

Then when it came to take it off, the bellhousing would have to come out first to get the box out: the prob shaft is a bugger to get out of the transmission part of the chassis, let alone the box.

[rev-erend]

Well here are a few pictures - sorry they are big and may shock some .. they are pretty dirty.. unlike my now pristine engine bay

Picture 1 - shows the Gearbox mount and cross chassis tube
If this was removable - the box and bellhousing would move back
and be able to be dropped out cleanly (after disconnection prop shaft and moving it aside).


Picture 2 - shows Gearbox mount (very close- left) cross box mount tube(verticle), diagonal brace tube and the prop shaft.


Picture 3 - shows back of car looking forward, prop shaft joint top, cross tube / box mount, diagonal tube (very close) and gearbox in front.


It must be said - it does not look easy but the big advantage is that a clutch or gearbox change can be done in hours instead of days.

There are no chassis tubes forward of the very back of the gearbox - which as a design does not look good for strength (stiffness) but the reason is the exhaust (removed here) is mostly in the way.

The diagonal tube below propshaft and joining the gearbox cross tube appears to add little - looks like it could have just as well been joined to the chassis main tube an inch behind with no loos of strength.

Interesting to hear comments from SHPUB on where his fabricated mount attaches - is it 2 points or 4 points ?

Edited by rev-erend on Monday 12th February 23:08

[adam quantrill]

Yeah be careful - it's the diagonals that really do the bracing - even tought they are thinner. If you cut off the transverse tube leaving the diagonal welds undisturbed - do you think it will still come out OK?

I have looked at this before and must admit it's not something I would go for, unless I _really_ started chewing up gearboxes quicker than one every 3 years.

[shpub]

I have two big triangular plates with one welded on each side between the vertical and horizontal rails where the rails flare out. The cradle with the gearbox mounts bolts to these plates.

[JR]

The job's fairly simple but you would then have to declare a modified chassis to the insurance company. I never bothered.

[shpub]

That is not an issue with the 520.... it's a problem finding anything I haven't modified

[leorest]

shpub said:

That is not an issue with the 520.... it's a problem finding anything I haven't modified

I think we tried to guess this before... I probably said something like the nut behind the steering wheel