Help! Need advice urgently. Clutch fork broken.

Well, after doing a full service yesterday, the proxy thing has paid me back in true Land Rover fashion by shoving the rod through the clutch fork! Thankfully, it happened at the livery yard where we keep the horse, so it's on a nice flat, solid surface on private land.

Anyway, I've got no choice but to have a crack at doing it myself. Money's tight and I need it for work next week, so I'm just going to replace the clutch fork with a heavy duty one if I can. I know the stock advice is to change the whole clutch, but that would involve completely removing the gearbox and I'm Hoping to get away with just sliding the gearbox back enough to change the fork and release bearing. Is that possible?

I've been underneath tonight and removed the slave cylinder and can get hold of the push rod, but it won't pull back through the fork. I've also had a look at what need to be done in order to slide the gearbox back enough. From what I saw, it's undo front and rear prop shafts, undo the two mounts, then the bell housing bolts. I don't know what I've got to do inside the car, but I know I've got to remove the centre consul and make things so that the box can move back.

Any help and advice would be very much appreciated as this is something that I feel I'm way out of my depth with. In fact, I've been dreading anything going wrong with the clutch because with limited knowledge, tools and equipment, it was always going to be a struggle. It's the yard show and BBQ tomorrow, so if anyone fancies coming to lend a hand, or even just give some advice, there will be plenty of food and beer!

do it right do it once..it will only bite u in the ass later

I had same problem not long after buying it. Mine went on me in the middle of Garstang ford where the water was 3' deep. But managed to get it home by starting it in gear then crashing the rest. But to my amazement, it did it without much fuss. I'd even say I could have drove it like that for a while. Still it was 15 mile home.

I did mine on a mates drive. If you not got the tools. It would be worth buying a new set of sockets. 1/4 drive. as 1/2 drive could be too large for the top 2 bell housing bolts. There the hard ones. But once out. leave them out. no use making life really hard by trying to put them back in. impossible for me. center console has to come out. When removed you will have a black protector covering the hole. This has a black band round that's riveted in place. These need drilling out. I put screws and clips back to make it easier to remove again. The rest it sounds like you know.
Go take a look at Busters how to page. shows you step by step and is a godsend when doing this job for the first time. Good luck

Yes you can just slide the gearbox and transfer box back enough to change the fork but if your budget will allow you to afford a clutch you may as well do it at the same time as you will have enough room to do both which is what I done.

Its as you said above the only real issue is the top bolt's in the bell housing, (if they are there) if its had a clutch before the chances are they wont of been put back.

small pointers (from memory mind)

INSDIDE
remove centre console
disconnect hand brake cable
remove gearbox and transfer box gaiters
disconnect gear stick (bolt under rubber seal)
unplug 2 plugs I think

UNDERNEATH
both props off
remove slave cylinder
undo bulk housing bolts
remove rear gearbox mount
get some muscle and drop gearbox back onto cross member
you will have enough room to change clutch arm and clutch

The tricky bit is getting the gearbox back on as its ducking heavy. I used a ratchet strap around the back of the engine and pulled it down (I used my front guard but axle should do) I found angling the engine down give you a better angle to line up the gearbox. once on just do reverse as above.

You don't need to touch starter motor which I learnt after i removed it lol

Hope that helps

Take engine out and fit new clutch and hd fork

Thanks, ellodave, that's really useful knowing I'm going along the right line.

Thanks for your advice, too, fanatic but I don't have the equipment to lift the engine out and the only place I'm likely to get a clutch tomorrow stock britpart and I'd rather not fit one of those!

John FHA said:

I had same problem not long after buying it. Mine went on me in the middle of Garstang ford where the water was 3' deep. But managed to get it home by starting it in gear then crashing the rest. But to my amazement, it did it without much fuss. I'd even say I could have drove it like that for a while. Still it was 15 mile home.

I did mine on a mates drive. If you not got the tools. It would be worth buying a new set of sockets. 1/4 drive. as 1/2 drive could be too large for the top 2 bell housing bolts. There the hard ones. But once out. leave them out. no use making life really hard by trying to put them back in. impossible for me. center console has to come out. When removed you will have a black protector covering the hole. This has a black band round that's riveted in place. These need drilling out. I put screws and clips back to make it easier to remove again. The rest it sounds like you know.
Go take a look at Busters how to page. shows you step by step and is a godsend when doing this job for the first time. Good luck

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I've got spanners and sockets, trolley and bottle jacks, ramps and axle stands. I just don't have lifting equipment or clutch aligning tools/old input shaft. I've had the consul and plate out before when I repaired the bias plate. I just wish I'd used screws to put it back now instead of rivets!

wiltshire landyman said:

do it right do it once..it will only bite u in the ass later

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I would, but right now, money and time are both tight.

there is a trick using threaded bar I have not done it myself but you take some bulk head bolts out and replace with threaded bar then use them as a guide to slide gearbox on

fanatic said:

Take engine out and fit new clutch and hd fork

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disagree much easier removing the box I had mine out in under an hour

ellodave said:

disagree much easier removing the box I had mine out in under an hour

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If you like heavy as fook and harder to line up-but as you wish

I supported the gearbox on a wheeled trolly, supported the back of the engine, and with two lengths of threaded rod in the bell housing just pulled the box back enough as far as it would go. This gave just enough room to change the clutch and release folk. A tight struggle, but saved a lot of lifting. When I unbolted the clutch plate it fell out on my head but never mind. Afterwards I used the threaded rods to pull the box back on to the engine.

Thanks for all the advice. I've been reading up on here and looking at the rave and haynes manuals, and I think I've got the gist of what I need to do. Just got to do it now and hope I don't hit any major problems! Waiting for the local landie dealer to open at 8.30 to see of they've got my bits in stock.

Discovery clutch change - Land Rover Technical Archive - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum
this helped me mate

daisydad said:

Discovery clutch change - Land Rover Technical Archive - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum
this helped me mate

Click to expand...

Yes, I found that and used the instructions. It was very helpful, but mine didn't go as easily as it sounds in the article

I struggled and cursed all day yesterday with it and now I'm shattered and I hurt all over! Got the gearbox all bolted up to the engine, but got to put everything else back together today.

For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure, here's what it looks like when the pivot ball busts through the clutch fork.

Ah the picture and the hurting all over,it all comes back to me now-good luck with the rest of it.
If you haven't got the box back on yet,try the studding,I found it helped a lot to align it.

stick a small bottle jack between front of injun and anything at the front.. panhard rod, steering guard, something...

this will keep the injun at the correct angle for putting the gearbox back..

Well done fella. Hats off to ya for having a go yourself. No one said it was easy but you should be proud of yourself. You save yourself a lot of money. This is Landy life.

Thanks . Gearbox is back on, but what a struggle! Today should be a piece of cake after yesterday. Just got to fit gearbox mounts, slave cylinder, propshafts and all the gubbins inside, like rubber sound proofing, gear stick, gators and centre consul, etc.

All back together again and working fine! Well pleased! 😃