Fitting a rebuilt 1275 A+ into a friend's late model Moke. So did the right thing and replaced the idler gear bearings and the out-rigger bearing, all the seals and even the metalastic bush on the diff housing to support the rod-change support bar.
Thinking, it's almost ready to check the idler gear clearance and drop it on the donk, when I noticed something strange between the first gear on the mainshaft and the big double-row bearing.
It looks like the plastic cage supporting the ball bearings on the first gear side of the bearing has broken in several places allowing the balls to move somewhat independently. Most of the cage is loose and can move outwards, although the balls of course, can't move out of their race.
I'm not too keen on fitting the motor to a box that might destroy itself in the near future, but have never pulled a rod-changer apart. I'm thinking that if I can lock the gears up and undo the mainshaft nut, remove the diff and speedo drive housings, then the pinion I might be able to remove the bearing retainer, drift out the bearing and replace it without disturbing the rest of the box, which was apparently working quite well before we pulled the engine.
The question is ... how do you select two gears at the same time to lock the mainshaft? I know how to do it on the older remote change boxes, but I'm not familiar with this breed.
