So, some tips to put it back together.
- Oil spiggot bearing and mail seal before you hammer it in. Goes in much easier and you wont bugger it up (like I dig).
- Had to get the clutch resurfaced. i had hot spots on it.
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Cost $70 at a local break and clutch shop and took only a few hours.
- Putting the clutch plate back in, is the second most difficult thing (again cause the bell housing is in the way). It really is a two man job, only to lift and hold, the plat, centre the alignment tool, and the other to thumb tighten a screw, and then turn the flywheel. I got it done, by aligning the helper dowle thingy to the top to take the weight while carefully balancing the thing.
- If the alignment tool DOES NOT EASILY SLIDE IN/OUT then its not aligned. when doing the previous step, i must have knocked it somehow when I tightened all the screws, and the centering tool needed lots of effort to pull out. IT means that you CANT get the gearbox in.
- The whole engine lift/balancing tool/chain lift turned out to be not ideal. The problem is that a landcruiser gearbox/transfer box weight is NOT evenly distributed, so its near impossibly while hanging for it to be aligned, and will sit 5% twisted to one side. between this issue, and the cantering tool issue I spent 3 hours trying to get it all to connect. I had to give up.
- The next day and a clearer head, I decided to remove and redo the clutch plate. I found that I could 'loosen' the plate screws enough, that the actual clutch could be moved, without pulling it all apart. This let me re-align the clutch plate (it did not look out of alignment, but it was). The next big tip. TIGHTEN THE CLUTCH PLATE SCREWS A LITTLE BIT, ONE SCREW AT A TIME. (dont tighten one all the way). You need to evenly tighten the plate, testing that the alignment tool is relatively loose, turn the flywheel, tighten another screw. Do this for 10 mins until all the screws are tight and still continue. Each time you tighten one side, the other comes loose. Eventually it will all be tight AND the alignment tool still has some play.
- Dont forget the clutch-fork. I didnt replace the throw-out bearing as the one the KIT came with was very different. bearing felt ok anyway. Also remember to lightly grease anything that will be touching other metal, but not enough to splatter everywhere when its turning.
- This now worked. I was able to manhandle the gearbox in, through the clutch fork, into the hole. The clutch fork has its own issues in that it has two sections to go through. Its possible to get these lined up if you focus on it. you can get the fork on properly first before targeting the hole. You cant actually see the hole, so instead use the outside bolts hole as a guide AND ensure its all going together in parallel by looking at the space (bottom/top/left/right should all me the same). the lift balancer became handy to help align this. ALSO, put the transfer box into gear, and twist the outputshaft. This turns the input shaft to help with the alignment. You can also 'feel' where the edges of the outputshaft are when you have it nearly engaged (you get a notched feel)
- I could not 'push' it all the way, once it went, but I came within 1cm. This was enough to finger tighten the gearbox bolts. Then, (after a quick beer, 10am), I just slowly tightened the bolts until it all came together.
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Whole job, took prob 10 hours over 3 days and prob three dozen beers, mostly at the end. It would have been 6 hours, if I didn't stuff things up. I have NO IDEA how you do this from under the car. Would recommend a good gearbox lifter, and remember that the bottom of the geabox is NOT flat.
It can be done. I did this job on my back for the first time a couple weeks ago from underneath with the t-case attached. Yes, it requires a very solid adjustable trans jack, and secured to the jack solidly, and patience. It's a battle of half millimeters. Making alignment dowels out of some spare bolts is a genius trick learned here on Mud from 'those wiser in the know'.
Also grateful for my young strong son and his good eyes to help dock that thing. Fingers crossed we didn't mash the pilot bearing in the process.