Getting the gearbox off to do the clutch on a BX

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vanny
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Getting the gearbox off to do the clutch on a BX

Post by vanny »

The car is a citroen BX, F-Reg (89?) 19 RD (if im right thats an XUD9a, but i dont know what gearbox).

I've followed the Haynes, and done everything i can, but for the death of me i cant get the right hand drive shaft out. I assume it has to come out of the Diff then slide through the intermediary bearing. Following the Haynes, i have loosened the two bolts on the bearing and rotated by 90 degrees, but still nothing. Thought they might just be seized so tried dragging the shaft out, but it hasnt moved a muscle.
Not knowing quite why the bolts had to be turned to 90degrees i undid them a bit more, but to no effect (i just hope this hasnt made things worse?). Im now onto the second day of doing a clutch change (died on the motorway of all places), but am totally stumped. Is it possible that the shaft is simply seized at some point? If so what is the best way to free it? Is there anything else i should be doing at the same time (such as seals etc)?

Id be very greatful for any help. I love my car, but i just dont have to money to keep it going for ever. It was saved from scrap lat year and has had a lot of work since then, but i have only been doing things on the car for the last 8months.

Thanks
Vanny
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

The bolt's holding the intermediate bearing in place have specially shaped head's, once loose they need to be turned through a minimum angle of 90 degrees, this negates the need to remove them completely though you can of course take them out, at least then you will see how they work.
The drive shaft is an interferance fit inside the bearing which means the shaft does not pull out leaving the bearing behind, they both have to come out together, this is where those two bolt's come in for they bear down on the bearings outer race and hold it and the shaft in place.
These bearings usually get some oil dripped on them because of their location which is a help when dismantling as it prevents them siezing in.
If you are unlucky though they can (though Iv'e never had one) sieze in to their housing making extraction difficult, give it a good lacing with WD40, Plus Gas or the like and even then you may have to rig up some kind of puller to get behind the inboard cv joint.
If it simply wont budge, providing you have lifting tackle to support the clutch end of the engine and the gearbox seperately, it is possible with care to slide the box from the drive shaft and the clutch at the same time, you can then get behind the shaft with a soft drift and drive it out, this is likely to damage the bearing though.
Do not attempt this using trolley jack's, it will end in tears.
I'm not a BX'er but just about all the Pugs and Cits have exactly the same drive shaft set up.
Replace the diff oil seal's while the shaft's are out.
Dave
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

An extra word of warning if you decide to let the right hand driveshaft stay in place in the car: You will of course have already removed the left hand driveshaft from the final drive, and if you do not insert a some form of replacement for the drive shaft into the final drive, when you remove the left hand driveshaft, the pinon carrier will drop out of place in the final drive and you will have a hell of a time getting it back in place again. This naturally applies however you remove the drive shafts if they both have to come out.
//NiSk
meexi
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Post by meexi »

Hi
Just a thought have you removed the bottom ball joint and driveshaft bolt at the hub. I also found that a piece of yellow water pipe fits the diff housing perfectly you my be able to blag a bit from a diy store or plumbing merchant
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