406oc.co.uk

Hello, I have spent the day trying to replace my clutch. I have so far spent 10 hours, removing the driveshafts, popping ball joints, undoing rusted on bolts and cutting drop links in half as their bolts were just tooo corroded. I left today with everything removed from the gear box, ready for it to be removed tomorrow, but I couldn't get the three gear change linkages popped off their balls!! BE3 gear box.

Anyone got any tips on removing them? Haynes as always says, in it perfect nonchalant way, "use a flat blade screen driver and remove the linkages from their balls". Well I tried and tried and they wouldn't budge! Help!!

Also would I be able to drive the car over to euro car parts without the drop links connected so I can go an buy two new ones to replace the two I have cut, or would that cause serious problems?

Thanks.

They can be a little troublesome sometimes. If you can get a pair of molegrips near the cup end, twist it and it will pop off... Or use a pry bar to force it off the ball. If that fails, get a long screw driver and place it near the cup and hit it upwards with a hammer. Regarding the drop links, it will cause the car to handle differently but if you take it steady you should be fine. Or if you want a safer option, order them off ebay and wait till they turn up

Dan

Thanks for the reply. I'll have another go at the linkages first thing tomorrow. Hopefully my bones will have stopped aching by then.