First post here and its out of desperation! I've got a slipping clutch in my 2003 Mini (non-s) and decided to fix it myself. I've armed myself with both the Bentley and Hanes repair manuals. I've gotten to the point of removing the drive shafts from the transmission and while I've gotten the right hand side off easily, the left hand side is proving to be quite difficult. Neither repair manual seems to be any help with how you actually get the left drive shaft out of the transmission. The Bentley doesn't say anything about its removal and the Hanes says to pry it out with screwdriver or tire iron. I've tried that and all I get is bent screwdrivers and more frustration.

I've also searched up and down this forum for any tips but haven't located any so far. So, is there anyone out there that can lend a brother a hand? There has got to be something that I'm missing or doing wrong or not doing cause I've seen plenty of posts where guys have gotten into their clutches and have had to remove the drive shafts. Please enlighten me!

jason

 

I used a long handle prybar, with the blunt blade placed behind the inner CV joint’s outer race, and the case utilized as the fulcrum. To get good leverage and protect the case, I placed a thin wooden shim between the bar and casting rib. The circlip on the drive shaft secures well and will require force to disengage, a more ballistic movement than static pressure. Be very careful not to come in contact with the output shaft seal when wedging your leveraging tool behind the inner CV joint.

 

Hallelujah! In addition to a large screwdriver I had tried to use a pry bar, but even that was just bending when I put a put some pressure on the bar. And I was doing more of a static pressure. But after reading your post I went and found my heavy duty pry bar and a helper (to hold the shaft once it was loose) and put some muscle into it and finally got it off! Hopefully I haven't damaged anything, but I'm just happy it's off at this point.

Now another question, the manuals say the circlip needs to be replaced, obviously. Is that a dealer order part or can I get it elsewhere?

I just didn't know how much pressure I could be putting on that shaft to get it lose. Thanks k-huevo!

 

The circlip is like a $2 part at most. I'm even thinking it was like 84 cents last time I bought one.

 

yeah, I'm not so much worried about the cost of it as I am wondering where I can source one. Last time I ordered a part from my closest dealer (a new oil filter cap that I needed after a botched jiffy lube job) they wouldn't ship the part to me and I had to drive out to pick it up. The closest dealer to me is about 100 miles one way, so if I can get one somewhere else all the better...

 

I have one (1) 31-30-7-518-264 Lock ring left over. If that's the one you need PM me and I'll drop it in the mail.

If you need parts shipped Classic and Morristown both ship and offer NAM members 15% off.

 

Don't know what the part number is off the top of my head. I can check when I get home if either the Bentley or Hanes manual has the part #, or look online.

Nice to know of dealers that will ship parts, thanks!. Don't know why Flow Mini out of Winston-Salem wouldn't ship to me, but that was over a year and a half ago, maybe they do now...