middle drive disassembly

[daves86vmax]

working on getting my motor apart and was wondering what is the size of the big nut on the middle drive gear is and is there a trick to breaking it loose and also how do you loosen the 4 #40 torx screws that secure the metal tabs over the bearing,the heads of them are peened into a recess in the tabs and i cant seem to get them loose without the fear of stripping out the heads.

[one2dmax]

What is the reason you need to take apart the big nut on the middle drive gear?? Go ahead and put an impact or some muscle on the 4 screws. If you leave them in the same holes and just back them off then you will be able to tighten them back up and have them line up again.

Sean

[daves86vmax]

Hello Sean,I don't need to take the nut off?I just assumed it needed to come off.When i split the cases on mine all that just stays together?works for me.Is it the same for the clutch basket also?Just remove all the plates and the basket can stay intact?When i split the cases with the engine upside down is it possible that anything is going to stay in the lower case when i lift it off or does it usually come off by itself pretty clean?thanks

[one2dmax]

Yes, don't bother taking the big nut off the middle gear under the cover. Loosen only the 4 retaining clamp bolts. Upside down is the perfect position to pull the lower half off. Completely remove the clutch basket (which there is just the one nut holding the inner basket on). You have to take it off to get to the retaining strap that holds the primary shaft tension.

Nothing falls out when opening the cases. There is a small ball bearing between the clutch engagement rod (hat shaped) and the push rod - so don't loose that.

Sean

[kozy]

When Sean said to "use some muscle" on those 4 retainer screws, that was an understatement. I busted mine loose by hand, and it was a BIATCH!