20 hours ago, Alasdair1 said:

Its difficult to get to internal spline on passenger side of gearbox

Dont you mean the drivers (RH) side, you need to refit the quill shaft which passes through the bevel drive gearbox you do not need the bevel drive gearbox, you simply need to have both driveshaft flanges connected to the diff, the RH one, the quill passes through the centre of the hollow transfer box input shaft, it can be hanging in free air for the test.

Or simply do what you have already done in turning the LH diff flange while looking at the splines on the other side which if a gear is engaged and the clutch input shaft restrained should rotate in the opposite direction to the one you are turning.

Edited 27 March, 20251 yr by J.R.

Sorry meant drivers RH side. Been a long few days. Will try the above as the drivers side shaft is still on vehicle as is the transfer box.

Alasdair

Sounds like I have forgotten the exact construction, I'm sure that on mine I disconnected both shafts from inner flanges in order to remove the entire transmission including the bevel drive in one piece.

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

Sounds like I have forgotten the exact construction, I'm sure that on mine I disconnected both shafts from inner flanges in order to remove the entire transmission including the bevel drive in one piece.

Mechanic has removed gearbox but left RHD shaft including transfer box to rear is still in place. I have the LHD flange but the RHD if there is one is still I assume part of the transfer/bevel system. The splines for the RHD are fairly deep into gearbox as the bevel drive is in front and shaft goes deeper. Had a quick look today and tried the following.

With Gbox in gear

Turning LHD flange and RHD splines turn in opposite direction. No movement at input shaft

Turning RHD splines with a dowel and LHD turns in opposite direction. No movement from input shaft.

The above are easy to turn but you and can hear a rattly sound.

Hold LHD flange and tried to turn turned RHD one either direction. Solid Neither moved with no movement at input shaft.

If I rotate input shaft the LHD flange plus RHD rotate.

Bevel drive rotates constantly when turning input shaft.

Hope the above makes sense and many thanks for the input. Noticed today gear selector doesnt seem to spring up properly when selecting gears ansd feels loose. Will be back once I have time.

Thanks again Alasdair

Yes well done!

You understood my probably poor description and managed to do the required tests and give the results.

Your differential is behaving exactly as it should, I can confide,tly say that there will have been no loss of drive to the front wheels, the clutch is looking like the suspect if drive was lost but I would like to hear exactly how your SIL describes the event and what led up to it.

The only slight doubt is:

1 hour ago, Alasdair1 said:

The above are easy to turn but you and can hear a rattly sound.

That is subjective, if I were there I could say if it were abnormal or not, if you move either the input shaft or the driveshaft flanges back and forth you will see, feel and maybe hear backlash, I would not describe it as rattly though.

1 hour ago, Alasdair1 said:

Noticed today gear selector doesnt seem to spring up properly when selecting gears ansd feels loose.

Could he have experienced a "handful of neutrals"?

Edited 28 March, 20251 yr by J.R.

Not sure but will have another look at gear selector lever mechanism. Gears engage but selecor seems vague and Cast steel arm is slighly rubbing on top of box and seems loose on spindle. You may be correct with all neutrals or perhaps it seized up inside/selected the wrong gear and broke something. Seems fine when manually changing but the play is pretty bad. Got a lot on in the next few days but hope to get a look at it this weekend. Son in law is free then so will hopefully get to the bottom of it. Noticed the gearbox has an internal slave so will check it out as well as the release bearing.

Alasdair