Sprint Overdrive removal

[Mark Larmour]

I have just removed the gearbox from my race Sprint for the 3rd time in the last 4 days. Each time the car is jacked to max height with a large trolley jack and sat on 4 axle stands, There is just enough room to slide the gearbox bell housing under the sills, and body rails.<br>
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Being a race car there is no parcel shelf etc, and the tunnel and gear lever etc can be removed in under 10 minutes, and the subframe is NOT touched. Yesterday by myself I had the gearbox and O/D out and gearbox stripped to pieces in under 2 hours.<br>
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I have had so much practice of this lately I can do it with my eyes closed and ALL of the bolts are really easy to remove. On the weekend at our last race meeting, Philip (my brother) and myself removed the gearbox and O/D between qualifying and the first race, in under 30 minutes. We swapped O/D's from one gearbox to the race box which took about another 30 minutes. We refitted the gearbox and O/D and had car running in another 45 minutes, total time for job was 1 hour 45 minutes, which was fairly good I thought.<br>
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If someone was paying we to do the same job, I would charge a lot more than 2 hours labour. We have only once tried removing O/D from gearbox in situ and found it a total pain in the a***, would not recommend it.<br>
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In a road car the biggest time wasting is removing parcel tray, carpets etc and unbolting the tunnel. Also removing the exhaust flange bolts if they are corroded (I can undo mine with my fingers) and then the weight of the gearbox and O/D is nearly 50kg.<br>
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Good Luck<br>
<br>
Mark.

<p><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.sprintparts.triumphowners.com">SPRINTPARTS</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></p><i></i>

[Sprint36]

Good job you never welded in your gearbox cover!<br>
<br>
David

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[george]

we never removed the tunels on any dolly for box removal either saved getting marks on the interiors<br>
fusy customers

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[paulgeering]

there is absolutely no need in a std Sprint to remove either the gearbox tunnel or the parcel shelf when taking out the box. The gear lever can be disconnected and removed by taking off the "gobstopper" tray and gaiter.

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[Sprint36]

Interesting. I always take out engine and box together so I was under the impression that the tunnel needed to come out to get access to the top bolts securing box to engine.<br>
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David

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[MaddMart]

Fiddly but I usually manage ok when I'm just taking the engine out.

<p>Martin<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.dolomitesprint.com/" target="top">www.dolomitesprint.com</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></p><i></i>

[paulgeering]

if you are taking the engine and box out together, why do you need to take the box top bolts out first??

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[Sprint36]

I don't - which is why I never realised you could do it with the tunnel in place.<br>
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David

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[Mark Larmour]

On the race car we only remove the tunnel if removing the gearbox by itself, which saves unbolting subframe, steering shaft etc. If the motor and box are both coming out, subframe and tunnel are not touched, just pull the whole lot out the top.<br>
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I believe in most cases it is still probably quicker to remove the gearbox by itself if that is all that needs to be removed. If you are removing motor and 'box, radiator, bonnet etc need also to be removed.<br>
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Each person needs to make their own decision based on what equipment and assistance that they have available. Lifting a 50kg gearbox and O/D while laying on your side is not an easy task.<br>
<br>
Mark

<p><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.sprintparts.triumphowners.com">SPRINTPARTS</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></p><i></i>

[alun n]

...and dropping it onto your nads whilst on your back is not advised either<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :x --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/sick.gif ALT=":x"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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[MalcGE]

Even a Vauxhall Viva box that has pinned your nads to the floor is a tad uncomfortable, fortunately a bit easier to shift the presure point, never tried it with a sprint box, and having survived the Viva challenge, don't much fancy testing the scenario <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :x --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/sick.gif ALT=":x"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> .<br>
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Engine and Box out for me <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

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[dolomitejohn]

It seems there are 101 ways to remove the gear box and or OD. Most of you have suggested not attempting to remove the OD from box whilst in situ. Having tried in the past to remove the whole box and knowing that my axle stands are not tall enough to provide the clearance for this, the car is off to Jigsaw Racing to be fixed. I just can't be a****d to attempt something that it is more than likley to fail. Intersting debate though.<br>


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