The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

After some advice if possible. Im days away from fitting my newly rebuilt engine. Im just in the process of tidying up the engine bay, and getting the gearbox ready. I want to replace the release bearing (I have an old stock RHP bearing to fit), and renew the cross shaft pin. I have just been trying to remove the pin, however it will only turn about a quarter turn and then hits a stop and will not turn. I have checked and there is no locking wire as per the manual fitted. Can't apply mega force as just using an open ended 7/16 spanner.

Any ideas/tips on getting the pin removed. I don't want to be destructive in its removal as the fork + cross shaft need to be re used.

Olie

I remember the Restoration Show at Stoneleigh about 8 years ago where we were demonstrating dismantling a Sprint gearbox and we fell at the first fence when a similar thing happened. That Wedgelok bolt had broken and had jammed in the cross-shaft.
First thing: Can you see the top of that bolt rotate when you move the head of the bolt. You may need something like a dental mirror. If it does rotate O.K. that is good news. As Dave says, Plus Gas or similar and small turns each way should get it out.
If not, then that bolt has broken in situ. and will be difficult to remove.
Another test to do. If you hold the cross-shaft steady by the slave cylinder rod, can you detect any movement between the clutch fork and the cross-shaft. There should not be any movement at all. If there is, then again that bolt has broken in situ.

Let us know what you find, and we can go from there.

Good Luck,
Tony.

Well the inevitable happened, despite my best efforts with loads of plus gas, patience, gentle rocking back and forth of the bolt, it sheared. However all the threaded portion seems to have come out ok, perhaps the pin had bent in the cross shaft hence it was stuck?



I managed to get the release bearing out, however this isn’t much help and I need the carrier off, and the cross shaft and fork to drill out the remains of the bolt. There is good free movement in the cross shaft, at the slave cylinder end I have approx. 1" of free movement. On the cross shaft I would say approx. 1/8" movement side to side and rotationally. There can’t be much holding the thing on now! Some broken bits from the pin/bolt came out, so there is less remaining than the above photo would indicate. Got to try to save the cross shaft as they seem to be out of stock everywhere, mine is probably better quality than new production anyway.



Thanks for the help.

Olie

It has been known before to drill a hole at the appropriate location through the bell housing to allow a long drift to be used to knock the remnants of the pin out from behind. The hole is then plugged with a rubber grommet of appropriate size.

Some success today. After reading through old threads I found this: https://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/vie ... =4&t=11236

I started by grinding through the pins on the clutch fork using a 3" grinder.

Next i drilled the clutch arm from the other side in order to get a punch in to remove the broken bolt. Unfortunately this is where things got difficult, the bolt was so seized in it would not shift. I decided that brute force was my only option. Chocking a piece of wood behind the cross shaft arm to bell housing and using the pole from my trolley jack slide over one of the clutch fork arms I was able to apply enough force to break the remaining broken bolt. With the cross shaft free of the clutch fork I was able to persuade it out of the gearbox, with the gearbox still in the car.

Once on the bench, the pin was easier to remove after some gentle heating and a swift blow with the punch.

All in all not too bad a result. Release bearing carrier, and cross shaft totally un scathed, and a clutch fork that would be reusable with some new pins (which I haven’t been able to find - they are splined). I have ordered a replacement clutch fork from Chris Witor which I should have tomorrow or Friday, so the project is not derailed. The engine has to be in by the end of August (not running mind!).