Scooby Jim Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I am going to hopefully run some extended breather pipes for my gearbox, and I am after where is the best place. I know the front part is the round plate, but can that whole cover be removed so that the tap can be fitted, or do I have to do it in place (which I REALLY dont want to do)?? The other I'm assuming is the plate on the transfer box?? BUT what is the raised box inbetween the two?? These are pics off my spare/donor box. These are the fittings I have bought. Two of these, with some lock nuts. One of these. And 30m coil of red pipe, enough to re pipe the axle breathers and run up nice and high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Ah, you've bought them already. Ok, see that big round pressed in piece of steel on the top of the main box? Drill and bolt through that. You can remove this top cover to do this - follow the Green Bible as there are springs and ball bearings that will pop out when you do this. An alternative is to remove that disk altogether and fit a military breather, which just vents to air at top of box - probably not what you desire, though. As for the t/f box, just remove the rectangular plate at the top and drill that, lock the fitting on with the lock nut, replace, and you are good to go. Bring the two pipes a LONG way away from the boxes before you join them, as there is a risk that they will cross scavenge from each other, filling one at the expense of the other, oh, and on that note - check your gearbox levels regularly after setting up this arrangement, just in case something untoward happens. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 Ah, you've bought them already. Ok, see that big round pressed in piece of steel on the top of the main box? Drill and bolt through that. You can remove this top cover to do this - follow the Green Bible as there are springs and ball bearings that will pop out when you do this. An alternative is to remove that disk altogether and fit a military breather, which just vents to air at top of box - probably not what you desire, though. As for the t/f box, just remove the rectangular plate at the top and drill that, lock the fitting on with the lock nut, replace, and you are good to go. Bring the two pipes a LONG way away from the boxes before you join them, as there is a risk that they will cross scavenge from each other, filling one at the expense of the other, oh, and on that note - check your gearbox levels regularly after setting up this arrangement, just in case something untoward happens. G. Cool cheers. Was hoping that the front cover would come off easily, but buggery lol. Can I remove the disk and then sikaflex it in place afterwards?? As i don't really want to have to play around with springs and so forth, but if thats the best way, thats the best way. I could drill in place then tap, but I really would not want the swarf falling inside. Anyone got any pics of one done?? As for the pipes I may just run the two up high and not join them, as I got the fittings just incase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 It's not as scary as it sounds, the springs and ball bearing are just detent springs and balls, there are no settings to mess with or anything, just ensure you collect them all when you take the top off and put them back where you found them when you put it back together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh, sorry - it's no biggie - just it DOES throw springs and ball bearings everywhere when you lift it off - and they roll under the workbench, behind the fixture that hasn't moved since 1845, etc. Read the manual and you'll be prepared. Might be a good idea to replace them anyway. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 Oh, sorry - it's no biggie - just it DOES throw springs and ball bearings everywhere when you lift it off - and they roll under the workbench, behind the fixture that hasn't moved since 1845, etc. Read the manual and you'll be prepared. Might be a good idea to replace them anyway. G. Or as it works, to drill the hole slowly, and then tap it with a magnet around as I really don't wanna have to mess around finding ball bearings and springs. I may take my spare apart and have a look at that and then decide if I can be brave enough lol, as I'd have to do it in situ on the vehicle What is that central box with the slot head screws/bolts holding it on?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 That central box is the transfer box breather, there is a groove cut in the casing between the gear and transfer box and it vents into that box and out a small hole in the cover. So your best option is to remove the 2 screws, take the plate off to your bench, find the little vent hole and drill it out big enough for your fitting, then fit the pipe fitting and refit the cover plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 That central box is the transfer box breather, there is a groove cut in the casing between the gear and transfer box and it vents into that box and out a small hole in the cover. So your best option is to remove the 2 screws, take the plate off to your bench, find the little vent hole and drill it out big enough for your fitting, then fit the pipe fitting and refit the cover plate. Awesome, so the only issue that remains is the gearbox breather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywog Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 But that relies upon the channel between the 2 boxes being open, it can apparently get clogged up quite easily especially if it has been apart at any point and put back together using Hylomar instead of a proper gasket. Personally I chose to fit separate breathers to each box. I'd also put a dab of thread lock on the back nut to prevent it working loose or better yet get the nut brazed onto the plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Do you mean the mainshaft rear lock nut? - There's a special lock washer you should use for that. I agree - using the reverse stop lock access plate isn't a good idea - it relies on the selector shafts acting as breather - which may work, and may not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywog Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 No I mean the nuts used to secure the pneumatic fittings being used as breathers. The plates are too thin to tap a decent thread into so they need a nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Sorry, yes I Understand now - you are quite right - but the OP does has lock nuts, very good idea on the brazing. You DON'T want the nut falling into the gearbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywog Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 and if you can get them brazed onto the plate it would be worth getting a splash guard fitted over it at the same time like you find on the top plate of a fairey overdrive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 So that box is best of getting sealed up then? Otherwise there will be a hole when the rest of the breathers are extended, so a bit of a waste of time, and I'm not going to run 3 breathers, that's ott tbh. Will take the front cover off the gear selectors on my spare and see whats what, maybe use that to fit the breather too, so I can do a quick swap, hopefully meaning less chance for balls and springs to go flying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywog Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Let's start from the beginning shall we. There is a breather channel between the transfer box and the main box, they then usually share a single breather, on some boxes the breather is in the square plate in others it's in the round plate, some may have one in each. The breather may be a small hole with or without a split pin in or it may be a larger hole with a plastic vent plug in it. Military vehicles usually had a removable round breather plate held down with a spring clip, obviously yours doesn't. If your box has been messed with and had bits swapped you may not have a breather in either plate. If the breathers are blocked you will usually get more oil leaks so it's a good idea to fit raised breathers regardless of if you plan on wading or not. If fitting raised breathers it's worth fitting one to each box as the internal breather channel can get blocked. Drill a hole in the plate on top of the transfer box and fit your breather fitting to it. Then find the breather hole in one of the plates on the gearbox and drill it out larger to fit the breather fitting. Check both plates and if you have a second breather either raise them both or plug one. Route the pipes up to the engine bay, if you want to join them do it as far from the boxes as is practicable. I'll be needing to access my gearbox in the next few days so will take some pics for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Let's start from the beginning shall we. There is a breather channel between the transfer box and the main box, they then usually share a single breather, on some boxes the breather is in the square plate in others it's in the round plate, some may have one in each. The breather may be a small hole with or without a split pin in or it may be a larger hole with a plastic vent plug in it. Military vehicles usually had a removable round breather plate held down with a spring clip, obviously yours doesn't. If your box has been messed with and had bits swapped you may not have a breather in either plate. If the breathers are blocked you will usually get more oil leaks so it's a good idea to fit raised breathers regardless of if you plan on wading or not. If fitting raised breathers it's worth fitting one to each box as the internal breather channel can get blocked. Drill a hole in the plate on top of the transfer box and fit your breather fitting to it. Then find the breather hole in one of the plates on the gearbox and drill it out larger to fit the breather fitting. Check both plates and if you have a second breather either raise them both or plug one. Route the pipes up to the engine bay, if you want to join them do it as far from the boxes as is practicable. I'll be needing to access my gearbox in the next few days so will take some pics for you. Cool, that's how I see it going anyway. My point was if the central box has a hole in it, then surely I'll need to seal that, as to me it seems pointless fitting the breathers if there is a remaining hole in the top of the box/transfer. My main concern is not wading (although just in case), but more that they clog easily so fitting these will help stop the box becoming pressurised, and help lessen the patented Land Rover external gearbox self lubrication system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 Taken the cover off my spare box and lost one ball bearing inside the box lol.But now I know how to remove the cover, its pretty easy. This luckily for me popped out as I was tapping out dirt from inside with a screw driver, so MUCH easier to tap a hole into, and then refit with some sealant Old box looks good, surprisingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Undo the drain plug, the ball bearing should be waiting to come out. I dropped a bolt down there once, messing with selectors, and was able to tease it out. Failing that, get a strong magnet and use through the casing to bring the BB to where you can get it. Failing that, suck it out with a workshop vac!! Oh, and check that the castled nut on that mainshaft is tight - and that the locking tabs are bent into the castle at at least one place. It's not too bad, is it! And taking the breather from those plates means that the selector shafts aren't pressurised, meaning that it should leak less there. Well done. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 Undo the drain plug, the ball bearing should be waiting to come out. I dropped a bolt down there once, messing with selectors, and was able to tease it out. Failing that, get a strong magnet and use through the casing to bring the BB to where you can get it. Failing that, suck it out with a workshop vac!! Oh, and check that the castled nut on that mainshaft is tight - and that the locking tabs are bent into the castle at at least one place. It's not too bad, is it! And taking the breather from those plates means that the selector shafts aren't pressurised, meaning that it should leak less there. Well done. G. Nice and easy tbh, had a LOT worse with a Subaru gearbox. Just now I know how it works, as I kind of took the whole cover off intact. So was kind of inevitable that I was going to drop the ball bearing inside. This is my spare gearbox that I was given, so its spares. I will check mine that is nice and tight and strip it down before removing the top cover, then that way with all the rearings out I just need to stop dirt getting inside. I have done the first breather, took the disk and cut a slot in the side, drilled a hole for the breather and put a screw and washer in the original hole. The breather was fitted and the lock nut is nice and tight with some thread lock, the nuts are super tight and the fitting has a rubber seal. Then I thought that I would bend up the flap I just created, so IF the lock nut comes off, it cannot go anywhere, so I can remove the disk and refit the lock nut again. Should do the job Just need to find my tap for the thread to fit it to the transfer box. The company on Ebay mixed up my order so sent the wrong breathers (plain silver ones next to the Y connector), so I emailed them and they sent me the 90 degree ones gratis, including 2 extra, and they allowed me to keep the wrong fittings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 That's all right! Well done on the job. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 What you guys think to this question.Would tigerseal, or chemical metal, be best to seal and hold the disk in place on the top of the cover??I want something that will seal, but also not peel off like tigerseal, the underside of the disk will have Hylomar Blue (I love that stuff). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh NZ Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Working on an educated guess (which can be the mother of all you know whats!) It will see a fair few vibrations so something relatively flexible would be a good bet. Sika would surely have a product in their range that would seal, flex and stick. We used Sika concrete panel sealants on our sites and they can hold entire concrete tilt panels in place if you don't cut it before you try remove the panel! But there are so many types around. You might get some good info off a sales rep from the various companies if you feel like asking round. HTH Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Don't use sikaflex - it's for bonding glass not for sealing gearboxes. Buy a small tube of loctite 5910 flange sealant, it's perfect for that job and a toothpaste sized tube will last you a long time. Personally I would use hylomar for anything, but that's just from a few bad experiences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Sika make sealants for a lot more than windows. But I do agree the loctite is good stuff as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh NZ Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I also agree on Loctite. I only use the Sika products because I have easy access to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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