UPDATE: Thanks for the replies. My buddy that I asked to help me is Drago's twin (ala Rocky III) Seriously, 6' 8" , 265lbs of chiseled muscle. I figured he was the best candidate to manhandle that gearbox and transfer case. I must not have been too clear on the task explanation as he showed up looking like he was going to play a match at Wimbledon-fancy white shorts and shirt, with flip-flops. I had to find some sweat pants stretchy enough to fit his big ass and cut the legs off to make shorts out of them. The wifey got a good show as he stripped down to put them on. Anytime there is a party all the ladies are making googly eyes an whispering to each other-they can't help themselves. Anyway after a few hours of unsuccessful wrenching I posted the above begging for help. After that, his wife was blowing up his phone and he was keen to leave. I knew if he got out of here that would be the last I saw of him until I completed this job. We didn't get it to fit so I finally relieved him of duty and I figured he would text all of my other pals and alert them to screen me out as it is a very unpleasant task that I am asking help with. I managed to spill about a half gallon of gear oil under the Defender so we could waller around in it to make it extra pleasant. Mosquitos are in full bloom right now and it was 92F today so you can imagine the working conditions. I had the dreaded spline failure between the gearbox and receiver gear. Ashcroft was kind enough to ship me a rebuilt unit to Florida. I decide whilst that behemoth was out I would put in a new pressure plate, clutch disc and throw out bearing (terms we use over here in the states). Luckily for me I didn't get it installed while Drago was here because after he left and I was wondering around in the garage feeling dejected, I saw the throw out bearing in the new clutch kit box! HOLY **** BATMAN! In my haste to get help I had forgotten to install the new bearing. I lowered the gearbox and transfer case to the floor and installed the bearing. I decided since I was totally caked with 30 years of grease and gunk I would continue the task. Here is what I did and maybe this will help someone. I used an engine hoist put through the left door. I connected a chain to that stud where they gearbox and transfer case meet on the right top side. I attached a come-along to the front side of the gearbox just behind the bellhousing. (come-along over here is a hand operated ratchetting wench, maybe you have another term for them over there?) Both chain and wench connected to boom of hoist. I was able to use the wench to raise the front of the gearbox to match the angle of the engine which is pointing down due to the crossmember and transmission support brackets being removed. When we were "manhandling" the devil's gearbox, we could get it close but it just simply would not mate up. (Like a lot of my dates in high school.) I got it close by manipulating the engine hoist in position. Then I got under the vehicle and attached 3 large C clamps between the bellhousing and the flywheel cover. I snugged the clamps up until the space all around the bellhousing was about the same top to bottom and left to right. Now I tightened each one a little at a time until it was getting taught. Then I slipped a 13MM spanner (we call them wrenches by the way) in the space between the bellhousing and flywheel onto a pressure plate bolt and turned it ever so slightly to align the splines. I continued to tighten and move the flywheel and BADDA BING! that mofo slipped into place. Jubilantly I sent a Whatsapp to Drago and told him I was successful and that the muscle between your ears is more powerful than those on the arms. He then informed me he was planning on returning tomorrow to assist. My ass he was. Anyway, that's how I conquered this gearbox issue and I removed it and installed it all by myself so I hope this helps someone to just "Getter Done"!
