So I want to take my gearbox out as its weeping oil, and it's not the plugs. Any way I don't have access to ramps/lifts but I have jacks and a drive the car can stay off the road for how long it takes it doesn't matter. My question is what way would you take the box out? Via jacks? The box is bloody heavy and I don't fancy struggling under the car, or do I just bite the bullet and pull the engine out?

I wouldn't take the engine out it its just a gearbox job.

It is heavily but two people should be able to handle the box. Like you say, just put a jack with a piece of wood under it when your undoing the bolts to hold the weight and wobble it out.

Lower the jack and wheel it out

I wouldn't take the engine out it its just a gearbox job.

It is heavily but two people should be able to handle the box. Like you say, just put a jack with a piece of wood under it when your undoing the bolts to hold the weight and wobble it out.

Lower the jack and wheel it out

Don't forget to remove the drivers side drive shaft cup, otherwise it won't fit!

If you really want to make it easier it's only a few bolts to take the subframe off.

And get a Gunsons easy bleed kit to bleed the clutch out afterwards.

Take the front end right off. It'll mean draining and refilling the cooling system to get the rad off but with the front of the car out of the way it gives you so much space which is really helpful, especially when putting it back in.

Take the front end right off. It'll mean draining and refilling the cooling system to get the rad off but with the front of the car out of the way it gives you so much space which is really helpful, especially when putting it back in.

 

...as well as the aircon system.

 

Seems excessive for a simple gearbox removal TBQH.

...as well as the aircon system.

 

Seems excessive for a simple gearbox removal TBQH.

 

Aircon pipes had enough movement to leave connected and just tie the aircon rad out of the way.

 

Just trying to add my experience of how I got a heavy Fabia gearbox out of a tight Fabia engine bay on the driveway without the luxury of a 4 post ramp and gearbox jack.

 

However the OP chooses to do the job will be up to them. HTH.

Shame it's not a smaller engined model, I've had the gearbox out of my 1.4 ibiza 3 times in my ownership lol

please post back how you get on. I'll have to tackle this at some point to replace the clutch.

Done a fair few on my back at my unit as I don't have a ramp there. It's awkward but certainly do able.

I did the 5spd 1.8T box in/out in a day. Struggled for an hour trying to get it past the subframe but it wouldn't go. Sub frame dropped and it was out 10mins later.

 

The vRS box is slightly heavier I believe, and a bit fatter but still catches on all the same places. Weight isn't too much of a problem as you can't lift it under there anyway, use a jack and some blocks of wood.

Thanks for all the replies and advice, I think I'll give it a shot on the jacks, can't be that hard can it

Nah, like I say, done plenty but always had a helper, wouldn't attempt it on my own really.

A few pics from one I've done.

Thanks for all the replies and advice, I think I'll give it a shot on the jacks, can't be that hard can it

I had mine out easily on axel stands mate.

You'll be fine.

I had mine out easily on axel stands mate.

You'll be fine.

Did you drop the sub frame? Or just wiggle it out? What time scale should I be looking at?

I'm also planning on removing the box over the summer holidays. Clutch fit and possibly diff time at last - seeing as you were so inconsiderate not to break yours and sell it to me

 

I'll be refreshing the suspension at the same time, so subframe will be coming off.

I've never touched the subframe when removing them, nor remove the front end.

Did you drop the sub frame? Or just wiggle it out? What time scale should I be looking at?

Subframe left where it is, and left the front end completely alone too.

All you need to do is drop the passenger side of the engine so you can slide it off the input shaft, remove the drivers side drive shaft cup, and wiggle it out

Haha well after finding out its not just the drain plugs causing the weeping in glad I didn't sell it

You'll love the diff Alex! What clutch you going for?

Isit just a case of undoing the mounts, drive shafts, plugs ect, you don't need to remove wishbones and the suspension leg?

You don't have to remove the wishbone but you have to undo the bottom ball joint to get the driveshaft out of the way.

A good idea IMO is to remove the shifter tower, I found the arm hooked into the wiring loom and made it difficult to get the box in and out. Without it, life was simple and gave more room to move the box about.

A good idea IMO is to remove the shifter tower, I found the arm hooked into the wiring loom and made it difficult to get the box in and out. Without it, life was simple and gave more room to move the box about.

I saw my friend take that out when he swapped my box for me last time, he looked like he had abit of trouble getting it back in, although I may be wrong. Or do you mean take the arm part off from the top? I believe it's held on by spline and a 10mm nut

I saw my friend take that out when he swapped my box for me last time, he looked like he had abit of trouble getting it back in, although I may be wrong. Or do you mean take the arm part off from the top? I believe it's held on by spline and a 10mm nut

I think he means the 'arm' / counter weight on top of the gearbox