TCS Engine and box removal

[HoraceM22]

I'm at the beginning of the process of removing the engine and 'box and a thought just came as I was looking into the engine bay...

I was assuming I'd just remove the crossmember and bracing "Vee piece"  However looking at this it seems as though if the crossmember is removed, the rear suspension will collapse.... Really?
After a while I thought that the way to proceed might be to separate the 'box and drop it down and the just lift the engine out upwards.

Advice from those who have done this, please.
Any offers of help from you UK boys would be great..... Only Joking, but I am near Daventry.
H. 

[Triton]

When I took the engine and box out of my TC  I took the engine bay cover off first ,makes it a lot easier. I jacked the car high up at the back to give room to slide the engine out. I slid the engine out on it's side on a thin steel sheet. Put car on stands.I removed driveshafts and all bars and mounts and then removed the box Then I removed the engine by lowering it with an engine hoist and sliding it out. While it was out I got all the brackets,bars and any other bits powder coated. When lowering the engine make sure you have enough distance on the rope or chain on the hoist so that the engine will reach the floor without the hoist arm touching the car body.

[Pfreen]

I have removed the engine and transaxle twice out the top.  I have also removed the tranny out the back once. 
Either way, the half shafts are not connected to the transaxle so the rear wheels are useless.

[4129R]

I have taken many engines out, probably around 10.

I always remove the gearbox first, and drop it through the bottom, and then the engine comes out very easily with a simple engine crane.

[EuropaTC]

I was assuming I'd just remove the crossmember and bracing "Vee piece"  However looking at this it seems as though if the crossmember is removed, the rear suspension will collapse.... Really?
After a while I thought that the way to proceed might be to separate the 'box and drop it down and the just lift the engine out upwards.

Yep, the suspension is hung on the transmission and it all falls apart without that bracket.

I've had mine apart a few times now and when I changed the clutch I only removed the gearbox, dropping it down like Alex suggests. I did remove the rear deck lid and put the rear forks of the frame on tall axle stands. Obviously the car isn't moving then but with the suspension out of the way you've got better access.

As for taking the engine out from below or above, I've done below because it was easier to roll it on a trolley with castor wheels  rather than try heaving my engine crane backwards over the body. It depends how smooth your garage floor is !

Brian

[HoraceM22]

So, to confirm, from the majority of you who have done this, removing the crossbeam and diagonal braces isn't necessary and dropping the box and lifting the engine is the way to go, but once the crossbeam OR the driveshafts are disconnected the wheels are essentially in free fall.
As can be seen in the photo, at the mo'  I have the car on my rolling stand which will allow me to roll it over the pit and back to a place of safety with my wife's car alongside.
Right, let's get back out to the garage in this balmy weather and get the rad, sump and gearbox drained and the carbs off.

[314159td]

Imo, much easier to go out the top; the suspension tucks up nicely into the wheel wells and you can nearly drop the rear of the car on the ground. Take the engine and transaxle as a complete unit rather than trying to split them in the car. They weigh something around 5-600 lbs total iirc for a twin cam, easy work for a boom-type engine hoist (or you can be sketchy like me and rig a chain lift into the structure of your garage). You will need to figure out some kind of dolly to support the rear of the car, I used a furniture dolly under the rear transaxle mounting hoop and that was fine. Others have made a mockup transaxle to hold the inboard axle shafts in place and allow them to rotate.

I did it in about 3 hours with a helper, including a run to the hardware store for metric bolts.

If you have a lift though, absolutely go out the bottom. Keep in mind the CG will change significantly.

[Dilkris]

I have never removed an engine and gearbox, as I bought my TCS in pieces.
When I did finally install it, I installed it as a combined unit (engine and gearbox) from beneath - the body was off the chassis with no front or rear suspension as yet attached so it was all relatively easy. I do remember that the carbs were most certainly not installed along with the oil filter housing.
However, in revisiting various areas since this, I could well confirm that with the transaxle and engine removed, the whole rear suspension becomes "null and void" providing zero support and everything becomes a bit of a nightmare....especially if you are wanting to move the car.... Look at it all carefully HoraceM22, there is no magic too it, but makes sure you understand how it all "works"
Sometime back someone posted the below picture, which whilst I believe is an S2, was a "work around" having the engine and gearbox out of the car. Note: this is NOT my photo or my car - I just copied and filed it away for future reference and I have always thought that Lotus should have marketed such a set up for sale - its simple but very effective.   
Good luck anyway.