Freelander 1 Clutch release shaft seized. 2004 1.8 petrol FL1

I love the Haynes sentence, "Slide the lever and shaft out through the casing and the release fork."

Ha ha ha ha yeah.

Is there a secret circlip retaining it?

It will move (rotational) a bit if I belt the release arm with a mallet, and back again with a pry bar, but I know it should move freely by hand. No way.

I've not figured out a way to get the shaft to move out from its location without fearing damage to bell housing. The pry bar actually bends when using in the manner shown in my photo.

(Edit for clarity; the gearbox is off the car, with most of the rest of the car!)

What's the way to get it out?

It cannot be removed without access to the inside of bell housing, as in seperation of gearbox from engine

Burnham said:

What's the way to get it out?

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Lots of release fluid and work it back and forth until it's free. Once it's free, lubricate it with engine oil.

Burnham said:

I've not figured out a way to get the shaft to move out from its location without fearing damage to bell housing.

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You can't remove it without access to the release fork, which is inside the bell housing.

I should have made this clear in the original post, gearbox is off and on the garage floor.
I've been soaking it in release fluids and trying for over a week (like periodically, not full time!). Yep the fork retaining bolt is removed.
No noticeable improvement.

Considering cutting it... but then what!!

Start rotating, no way can you just expect to pull it out, but free things up by twisting it round and round

Like I said up top, it only rotates very slightly if I belt it with a mallet, and then pry bar it back.
Getting bored of doing that now as nothing has changed in over a week of trying.
There's definitely no locking pin or circlip anywhere?

Burnham said:

Like I said up top, it only rotates very slightly if I belt it with a mallet, and then pry bar it back.

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Needs must. Maybe apply some heat and release fluid?

Burnham said:

There's definitely no locking pin or circlip anywhere?

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There's just a bush in the aluminium where the shaft goes through. It's prevented from moving up or down in use by the forks on the clutch release bearing. There's no other retention needed except for that. Your shaft has seized in the upper bush, which is giving you the issue. Once you get it free, you can try pulling and rotating, but needs to rotate freely first.

OK.
I'm concerned at causing casing damage with any localised flame heat, so, I'll just keep at it...
Fortunately not in desperate need of the car at the mo.

Will report back once progress is made.
Thanks all!

Burnham said:

I'm concerned at causing casing damage with any localised flame heat,

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Heating the shaft with a propane flame won't do anything to the box, but should give you a fighting chance of freeing it up.

After a short break in procedings due to planned minor surgery I got back at swearing at the car this week.
Heat, lube, brute force, and a bodged on slide hammer got it all loose in the end.
Phew.

Need to replace the shaft though cos I bent the arm and buggered the socket. Doh.