98 Ford Escort transmission removal a sod, how to get back?

[olly_k]

Hi folks just replaced the clutch on my 98 Ford Escort 1.6 Zetec.
Basically I have spent half the day trying to get the transmission out due to a stupid bracket between transmission housing and rear bulkhead engine mount.
This bracket is upsidedown L shaped, with the L resting on top of the engine mount, and the long edge runs down the side of the transmission with three studs holding it.
In order to remove the transmission I had to try to remove the bracket, but due to lack of room this was nearly impossible! It was mostly the bottom stud trapped against the lower and suspension sub assembly and the arm.
I removed the arm by undoing one bolt and swinging out the way but it was still almost impossible to remove the bracket!
ANyway, with much movement and cursing I finally got the bracket out!

So is there anyone here who can give me some tips? I just need to lift the trans back to the engine now but I know this bracket is going to cause all sorts of issues!

Any help appreciated!

 

[Mursal]

As already mentioned on this forum clutches can be difficult. You have the engine supported on a trolley jack? If you let the jack down will it allow you to loosely but all back together? Then when everything is in place start tightening up?

Its not at all easy and usually best to get the box back on the engine and then worry about support brackets etc.

Only put the bracket bolts back on a few threads until you have everything sitting back on.

Usually what happens, we discover we haven't enough things loosened and only discover this on the way back. Example, not enough room to get the box in line with the engine.

Good luck

PS I have discovered over the years that clutches are best avoided, but it
took me a long time to learn

 

[olly_k]

Thanks for the reply. This bracket is a pain somewhere I would rather not have!
Basically it was caught on its mounting one end and could not be removed from the transmission the other due to the long studs trapping it between trans case and the suspension lower arms. I guess there must be some magic combination of engine being in the right place but I couldn't see it!
Like I say I completely loosened the bracket but one stud prevented its removal. The stud was a double sided job holding transmission to the bell housing so impossible to remove - if I could it would have been easy to remove the bracket anyway so wouldn't have been a problem!
I think you are right it clutches sound easy but better left to people who know what they are doing lol! Lesson learnt!

 

[Sixtoes]

I did this job over the last weekend, the best bet is to remove both front wheels, drop off both the subframe arms to the bottom of the suspension remove the drive shafts either side and jack up the engine. You find you can then easily access the three studs, it the bottom one I think you'll be having difficulty with. It normal sits right behind the sub frame arm.

 

[olly_k]

I did this job over the last weekend, the best bet is to remove both front wheels, drop off both the subframe arms to the bottom of the suspension remove the drive shafts either side and jack up the engine. You find you can then easily access the three studs, it the bottom one I think you'll be having difficulty with. It normal sits right behind the sub frame arm.

Hi interestingly I have had to pull the trans off a second time since doing the original job! The mill rolled pin failed on the fork thus allowing the bearing to twist a little bit - this made operation very stiff to the point the ratchet failed on the clutch pedal - so a word of warning to anyone reading this replace that pin! Might struggle to get mill rolled I used two selocs pins one slightly smaller than the hole and another to open this one up to make it a tight fit! Seems to be adequate...
Anyway, it wasn't any easier for me the second time round! I had removed the lower suspension arm and done everything you mentioned above but still struggled like hell to get the assembly back - for exactly the reasons you mentioned above, that stud and sub-frame.
In the end it turned out the engine was too far back so I used the jack from the boot to move it foward (away from the main bulkhead). This gave me the room I needed to get the trans in place and allow tightening up...
I hope I never have to do this again!

*edit reading your post again did you mention actually removing the lower sub frame arm? I didn't do this just removed the wishbone? between the two arms I couldn't see how to easily remove the above.... The stud spent most of its time trapped between these two arms with practically no movement available!