Can anyone tell me how hard it is to replace the gearbox mounts myself?
Im going to be dropping the motor anyway.
Ive been quoted about $300 to do the job, which is way more than a 30 buck mount.
So how involved is it really?

By the way, its for a 64 beetle.

rear ones easy as piss havent done a font one yet

The rear ones are easy once you have the engine out, the front, you can sort of slide the gearbox far back enough to be able to loosen and remove the front, so its pretty easy.

rear mounts are about 7 bux each from micks
front is a bit of a bitchaa
i had to grind back a spanner to fit in

The rear gearbox mounts are also called engine mounts...

they are accessible only with the engine OUT....

Quite simple once You have the engine out....

Just 4 bolts on each one - Two used....

they bolt thru the bottom of the bell housing...

Here is a diagram..

Lee

Here is another diagram showing the gearbox Front & rear mounts..

The front one is the hardest... but not impossible.....

You do have to move the gearbox slightly to get the old one out & new one in... check to see if it needs replacing....

Lee

[Edited on 27-3-2005 by 68AutoBug]

Do you need to unbolt the gearbox in anyway to slide it back?

use the polyurethene ones - not rubber

much better

undo the gearbox mounts at the flywheel end
rip out your back seat and open up the access hatch and undo the shift rod to gearbox connector thing then change the gear into 2nd or 3rd, i cant remember but it helps untill they disconnect
should be free now
make sure the car is on stands and has wheels under it !!!!!!!!
get a mate to pull the g/box away from the car while u aer under it getting the old mount out and putting the new one in (wheels under car for saftey in case car drops off stands due to pulling)

the spanner u need is a 15 i think, the bent handle ones

make sense?

[Edited on 29-3-2005 by SKEWtYpe3]

[Edited on 29-3-2005 by SKEWtYpe3]

poly ones are a stiffer ride rubber is what they came with......

makes sense... So the GB just 'swings' on the springs arms a little then does it?

my front GB mount feels like Dunlop Volley rubber!

yeah the orig. ones are dunlop volley feel, little thicker though
axles rest on the horns when apart, it wont fall out.

do the CV boots while u hate it all apart

I might as well do the mounts and boots while my engine is out... $$$$$$$

OK - the poly "may" be stiffer. I didnt notice THAT much difference in mine.

But i have pulled more than my fair share of motors over the years and i am amazed at the number of broken/sheared mounts i have seen.

IF there is a weak link in VW's suspension over the years this is one of them.

Another is the torsion bar doughnuts.

Do it once with poly and have peace of mind.

I ripped my newish front mount on my '63 s/a a while ago, the gearbox/engine would rock forward and back every time it was loaded and unloaded, the gearstick would also move back and forth. Bloody annoying. So I put a kombi one in, and so far so good. Still stock rubber.

CV boots are the rubber 'socks' that cover the hole where teh axle entres the gearbox.......

make sure you get good'uns of those - go for quality, otherwise, they'll last you only a year (from experience)and you'll be under your car again getting stinky hypoid oil all over ya arms

ie:crap

Thankyou very much to everyone for their advice and experience! Will have a go at it with a mate and hopefully save some sheckles while Im at it.
Good point about the axle boots, as they DO need doing lol.
Thanks very much for the diagrams as well, pictures help silly people a lot :P

I hope everything goes well for You....

Also think about the front engine oil seal while the engine is out...

Gearbox seal too.... although the engine ones the main one..

But, You will kick Yourself if the gearbox seal leaks after You have put the engine back in.....

I always replace all seals when I touch something that has oil seals...
as they are MORE prone to leak, once they have been disturbed....

The seals are inexpensive....

[You can always paint Your gearbox axles & shocks...too]

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug 

the CV boots will open like a clam
the obviouse opening where all the little bolts go through
on the opposite side you will see the sealed seem. make sure this is not on the bottom when installed otherwise it will split alot easier......
so install on an angle
it'l make sense when u r in the car with all the bits.........

and keep the little bolts and ring clamps that are on the one u are replacing, probably much better than the ones you will get in the new pack..............

USe a poly mount .... with all the rattles n bumps you wont notice any difference, and you wont have to do them ever again.

Just did my boots today... messy and smelly.....
oh yeh, make sure the axels are loaded (ie: not jacked up and massive positive camber)when you tighten up the boots, otherwise they will wear out prematurly as they will stretch when the axels are in their 'normal' angle...

try to wear latex (or similar) gloves if you don't want funny skin diseases later on in life...

[Edited on 31/3/2005 by oval TOFU]

theres nothing like blue selastic hands, well i liked mine

off to order some poly gearbox mounts, may as well do the lot while it's apart - didn't even think about changing them, doh!

Resurrecting this thread.. my front gearbox mount just sheared loose on the way back from Geelong.. the clutch would bite more suddenly when taking off from the traffic lights and the coupling would bash against the inspection plate making a clunking noise (which alerted me to the problem). So, I'm gonna go the poly front mount. Should I just replace the rear mounts as well? (I really don't wanna take my engine out if I don't have to...)

I just bought myself the urathane mounts, I'll let you all know how it rides afterwards..

thanks CVD