Gearbox and transfer case removal

[VR-04-TT]

Has anyone done it?

To those who have: We're stuck getting the x-fer case out. All the bolts have been undone, the tailshaft and driveshafts are out. It floats freely, but it feels like there is another circlip inside that needs to be popped but it won't budge.

Is there something we're missing? We tried carefully with a pry-bar, but no luck. Knowing Mitsu, there's something tough to get to, but once we do it'll just come apart easily.

 

[Guest]

They have a pull type clutch you need to undo to pressure plate on the clutch though the slave cylinder hole to get out it is a bitch but its the only way.

 

[VR-04-TT]

Cheers, will that affect the transfer case too?

 

[Guest]

im not sure dude i never pulled that off sorry

 

[bradc]

The problem is the circlip as you had suggested Paul. Jason is right, you do need to pop the thing off on the clutch, but that is for the gearbox side of things.

For the transfer case what we ended up doing was getting 2 bolts that were the same thread as the big 6 bolts that hold the transfer case onto the gearbox.

These bolts apart from needing to be the same thread also need to be about 60-80mm long and have thread the whole way along them.

You put them back through the holes and have it rotated slightly so that the bolt finds metal on the other side, rather than the hole it would normally go into.

Simply screw them in and keep going until it gets quite tight, then evenly (thats important) tighten them up one or two turns at a time. All of a sudden the transfer case will just fall off. It weighs quite a bit, something around 20kg so don't drop it on your chest. I recommend a trolley jack with a wide piece of wood on it.

I did it with one at the top (the easiest of the 3 at the top to access) and one of the ones at the bottom. I figured this would put the least amount of stress on the transfer case, rather than doing two at the bottom for example.

 

[Guest]

We used a slide hammer as mentioned on CVR4 on Saturday and pulled out the shaft the circlip is on through the passenger wheel arch. It reduced the time to split the boxes and reduces any chance of damaging the gearboxes.

 

[VR-04-TT]

Thanks HEAPS guys, that's the exact sort of thing I needed to hear

 

[VR-04-TT]

Got the x-fer case off, worked like a charm!

We couldn't find the right bolts, so we got a threaded rod that was a smaller size (M10) and cut two 80mm pieces. Then we slid that through the holes with two nuts inside two washers. We slowly undid the nuts so it spread apart against the washers and it worked brilliantly.

Now we're stuck on the STUPID release bearing. No matter what, I cannot get it off. I've followed the manual transaxle workshop manual to the letter and it will not budge.

Any tips/pointers?

 

[bradc]

It is a b1tch. Once you do it once though you'll realise how simple it is and will be able to do it in 2 minutes. Unfortunately I can't suggest anything other than trying and trying.

 

[leebutts]

Any tips/pointers?

Don't do what the place I took my car to did and cut it off with an oxy torch

 

[VR-04-TT]

Don't do what the place I took my car to did and cut it off with an oxy torch

 

[Guest]

if you search i posted pics on how to release the clutch,

its in one of the clutch threads, (one of the bigger ones)

 

[VR-04-TT]

Oh cool thanks Carsten.

I saw on ClubVR4 a guide says to release the flywheel bolts and it comes away. I'll check to see how you did it.

Turns out I sheared the output shaft from the centre diff into the transfer case in half!

 

[Guest]

At least the splines look to be intact, or are they buggered too?

 

[bradc]

Heh, guess what I've got sitting in the shed, do you want a shaft?

 

[VR-04-TT]

Seriously?!

Yes I'll take it for sure!

We're not sure if the rest of the x-fer case is stuffed. My mate's now taken the case apart and he thinks the diff part of it may be in trouble. But I'm not sure what he's talking about as a) I havent seen it and b) there's no diagram of it in the trans. manual.

 

[bradc]

I cleared out my pm's so I don't have your address any more, can you send me your addy?

 

[VR-04-TT]

PM sent mate.

Are we supposed to have a helical LSD in the front there? If not, it turns out I do.

 

[bradc]

WTF? No you aren't! It is supposed to be an open diff. Got pics?

 

[VR-04-TT]

Not yet, but I will next saturday night. I won't get a chance to drop around again until then.

I found your posts Carsten, printed them out and I'll tackle it again next weekend.