Go Back   The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > Technical Help Forum
Register FAQ Image Gallery Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read
Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 25th May 2019, 16:33   #1
planenut
Regional Secretary
 
planenut's Avatar
 
Rover 1.8T Tourer

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 6,935
Thanks: 1,551
Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts
Default Gear Selector Cables - That Ball Joint!

I have been trying to remove a set of cables complete with the gear lever and it's box. Apart from the frustration of having to lower all of the exhaust system to then be able to slide the heat shield rearwards, how on earth does one separate the cable from that ball joint? The various tools I have tried leave many marks on the socket and don't give much scope for recovering parts.
planenut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th May 2019, 17:51   #2
trikey
Premium Trader
 
trikey's Avatar
 
Rover 75

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Devon
Posts: 33,714
Thanks: 8,837
Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts
Default

I use trim removal tools, pops the gear cables off a treat.
__________________
Lest we forget..
trikey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th May 2019, 17:55   #3
marinabrian
 
marinabrian's Avatar
 
MG ZT

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 20,151
Thanks: 3,565
Thanked 10,837 Times in 5,718 Posts
Default

I'm not quite sure what you are planning to do Fred, however when I did this job, I used an old pushbike cone spanner to release the ball joints at the gearbox end, unclipped the outer ferrule clips and slid out the cables, then undid the four torx bolts securing the gearchange assembly to the floor.

You then remove the gearknob, and the gaiter trim panel, which allows you to release the four white tangs securing the assembly to the floor pan.

The whole caboose can now be removed from underneath the car.

Hope this helps

Brian
marinabrian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th May 2019, 18:02   #4
planenut
Regional Secretary
 
planenut's Avatar
 
Rover 1.8T Tourer

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 6,935
Thanks: 1,551
Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts
Default

Thank you chaps, I have got to the stage of everything now disconnected, except the one remaining ball joint on the box. This is on a V6 2 litre, with nothing else removed from the car, therefore, it's pretty tight down there.
planenut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th May 2019, 13:57   #5
planenut
Regional Secretary
 
planenut's Avatar
 
Rover 1.8T Tourer

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 6,935
Thanks: 1,551
Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts
Default

Well I finally managed to get those ball joints apart, and now I have got everything back together, but where am I? well I cannot now manage to get the ball joints together. I know that if I had the engine and gearbox out of the car I could do it, but as I haven't and the area down there is crazily tight, I cannot get anything to force the parts together. I gave up, and came home.
planenut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th May 2019, 16:03   #6
EastPete
Posted a thing or two
 
Rover 75 CDTi Classic saloon, MGB GT, Skoda Yeti

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ramsey, Cambs
Posts: 1,874
Thanks: 626
Thanked 635 Times in 430 Posts
Default

Try a bit of grease on the metal balls, and the cable ends should then just push on without too much trouble. Make sure the outer cable ends are seated properly in the support brackets on the gearbox - I clean these up and put a bit of grease on the brackets to help the outer cables slip into place.
Pete
EastPete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th May 2019, 17:14   #7
planenut
Regional Secretary
 
planenut's Avatar
 
Rover 1.8T Tourer

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 6,935
Thanks: 1,551
Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EastPete View Post
Try a bit of grease on the metal balls, and the cable ends should then just push on without too much trouble. Make sure the outer cable ends are seated properly in the support brackets on the gearbox - I clean these up and put a bit of grease on the brackets to help the outer cables slip into place.
Pete
Thanks Pete, as I was having so much trouble I got on with everything else and the only thing is to get the sockets to fit onto the ball itself. I had greased all and will have another go, probably tomorrow. The area is so tight it's difficult to get any tools in there to help.

Thanks.
planenut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th May 2019, 20:56   #8
Comfortably Numb
Posted a thing or two
 
Rover 75 Saloon

Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Penrith
Posts: 1,336
Thanks: 165
Thanked 303 Times in 241 Posts
Default

Have you removed the battery box?
Comfortably Numb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th May 2019, 22:27   #9
planenut
Regional Secretary
 
planenut's Avatar
 
Rover 1.8T Tourer

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 6,935
Thanks: 1,551
Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comfortably Numb View Post
Have you removed the battery box?
No, as that has always proved impossible in four cars I've tried it on, due to knackered torx bolts. It certainly would create more room, lots more room.
planenut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27th May 2019, 14:30   #10
chris75
same car since 2005
 
chris75's Avatar
 
2001 Rover 75 2.0 v6 Connoisseur Saloon

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ellesmere Port , Cheshire
Posts: 3,810
Thanks: 379
Thanked 549 Times in 466 Posts
Default

I removed the battery box years ago as I felt there was too much plastic under the bonnet . I use it as a storage box for spare parts
__________________
Who said it was simples ?
chris75 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 15:17.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © 2006-2023, The Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club Ltd