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[BDA]

DAllen, I advise you (actually every Europa owner) to bookmark this page (http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/index.htm). It contains searchable workshop and parts manuals, color wiring diagrams, useful mods, parts cross references, and other useful information.

As 4129R said, you don’t need to take the u-joint apart to take the rear suspension off the car. He mentioned how fiddly they are to get back together. Something I’ve found useful if that’s necessary is to smear an extra bit of grease on the needles to better stick them in the cup. But you should only have to concern yourself with that when the u-joint goes bad.

[DAllen]

Thanks, BDA.  The well of your wisdom is bottomless!

Might it be easier to lower the engine/transmission, along with attached suspension components, out of the Europa rather than dismantling in place?  It seems I'm not quite as limber as I was 40 years ago.  Is this just me or do some/most/all of you guys feel the same way?

[4129R]

Thanks, BDA.  The well of your wisdom is bottomless!

It seems I'm not quite as limber as I was 40 years ago.  Is this just me or do some/most/all of you guys feel the same way?

The most I can manage is 90 mins at a time, then rest.

Sometimes I am upside down in a footwell working on the back of the dashboard, and I have difficulty getting back out again.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak !

[BDA]

To paraphrase the old sci-fi warning, there is nothing wrong with your body (rather than "there is nothing wrong with your set..."). It's just getting old. Not being able to have a lift, crawling under the car is unavoidable. Getting down isn't so bad but getting up can sometimes be a challenge. Then there are the times when you need to get up and down lots of times (to get a different wrench, the unexpected tool that was needed, etc...). I think it helps to think about that in terms of doing an exercise. And just like exercise, you will be reminded of all you did today, tomorrow! It's hell getting old!

As for taking the motor out with the tranny, I suppose that would be ok but remember getting the motor out from under the car will require the car to be pretty high! For me, I think I would tend to opt for taking them both out from the top. I've taking the tranny in and out several times - always out the top. I've not had to take the motor out yet (thankfully!!) but my first thought would be to pull it out from the top too but I suppose a lot depends on your situation and what you're comfortable (nice word to say when we're talking about getting up and down at our age!) doing.

[Dilkris]

How do I 'persuade' the U-joint to release its grip on the output shaft and slide off?  A crowbar?

Have you disconnected the lower link and loosened the radius arm to chassis mounting? Are the wheels off the floor? The drive shafts with the roll pins removed should just slide off the output drive shafts. 

[DAllen]

"The drive shafts with the roll pins removed should just slide off the output drive shafts."  I haven't put a hot wrench to it yet and would prefer not to. The only force I can exert on the collar where the roll pins go is with a pry bar.  Maybe two pry bars, one on both sides?

[BDA]

Don't use a hot wrench (yet). After disconnecting or taking off the lower link and driving out the pin in the output shaft and u-joint, just pulling on the half shaft should be all you need to do.

If you've done all that and the u-joint won't slide off the output shaft, you may have a DPO situation where the DPO misunderstood that you (only) Loctite the stub axle to the hub but he Loctited the u-joint to the output shaft (too). This seems very unlikely but I've heard of dumber things so it could be possible. If that is the situation, that will require a hot wrench and as 4129R says, you should be careful because the finned nut is aluminum and it contains an oil seal and an 0-ring and you want to avoid hurting them, of course.

Good luck!

[jbcollier]

With all that grease and oil about, I doubt anything is seized.  More likely you didn't get all of the roll pin out.

[4129R]

More likely you didn't get all of the roll pin out.

If the roll pin is fully out, a 5mm drill bit should pass through the hole in the driveshaft yoke and the diff output shaft.

Some cars have double roll pins fitted. A smaller roll pin inside a bigger one.

[Kendo]

And sometimes the roll pin breaks, if DPO didn’t shim it correctly. Then you have a smaller section of the pin still inside.

[DAllen]

I expect the roll pin hole in transmission output shaft was slightly buggered up during the first few whacks with the machine punch/hammer. It happens.  No hot wrench was necessary, which was my objective.  Can't help but to think this entire process would be easier were the engine/transmission/suspension components dropped out from the bottom.  Crawling under that thing, leaning & stretching into it, and climbing into the engine bay are activities that test me.  I'm tired of being tested.  Thanks to all of you for the advice.   

[dakazman]

If the roll pin is fully out, the driveshaft yoke is held on to the diff output shafts by sliding splines.

Try careful heat, and be careful not to damage the castleated aluminium large nut which holds the diff bearing in place in the gearbox housing.

  Lift up on the lower wheel assembly ,... since you taken that off, (after making sure you took out the TWO drift pins per side) push outward on the trailing arm.
  When you said you "brought it home did you drive it yet?
 Dakazman

[BDA]

I expect the roll pin hole in transmission output shaft was slightly buggered up during the first few whacks with the machine punch/hammer. It happens.  No hot wrench was necessary, which was my objective.  Can't help but to think this entire process would be easier were the engine/transmission/suspension components dropped out from the bottom.  Crawling under that thing, leaning & stretching into it, and climbing into the engine bay are activities that test me.  I'm tired of being tested.  Thanks to all of you for the advice.   

I'm able to lean over the rear fender and tap the roll pins out with a punch and hammer. I think I generally put them back in from under the car because I get a clearer view of the hole. We're all different though...

Note that the hole is offset from the center of the output shaft so there is only one way for the u-joint to get pinned back on.

Glad you got it apart!

[DAllen]

"When you said you "brought it home did you drive it yet?"

All of 30' to get it into the garage. 

[TurboFource]

My project, TCST, has had many tests, welcome to Europa world!