Crossmember replacement

[Ivor]

Hi all, sorry it's been a while since I posted, but now starting to think I need to get my finger out welding up the van as we go on holiday in her at June !
I have studied all the threads on the forum where the front crossmember and the top hat above it have been replaced, but can't find any mention of how to get the tubes through the holes, or conversely how to slide the new members over the tubes !
The problem I have, is that our van is often started up and run up and down the drive, to get things like the bins and my bike out, so removing the wiring and gearchange tube would be a problem if it took long. It seems that everyone doing this, has their van fully out of commission and thus not a problem. Is there an 'easy' way of doing this, and can the tubes be removed intact, or do I have to destroy them in the process ? I have bought a new heater tube, and am half way through cutting the old one out.
Any comments, and/or photos of 'how to' gratefully received.

Cheers, ivor.

 

[Ivor]

Ok, this is a 'bump' and an update. Heater tube is cut out, and today I have been looking at the gearshift lever. The situation is still the same, in that I do have to move the van from time to time. I have looked at the shift tube and come to the conclusion that :
1 : Yes I can leave the van in first, that's ok as the van can roll backwards off the drive, and disconnect everything, BUT, as it appears, the main shift rod can only be removed backwards, ie after g/box and engine are out, and ...
2 : the tube the rod runs in is welded to all the top hats, so it is a 'destroy' scenario for that.

Unless I'm missing something, I really need to move the van to somewhere it can stand so the gearbox and engine can be removed, is that right ?

Anyone ?

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

Just cut the top hat straight down the middle through the gear rod tube, then slide each half into place. If you cut it neatly you can't even see it and it's much quicker and causes less damage than removing the whole tube. The clutch/accelerator/heater cables obviously go between the top hat and the crossmember, so then you've got the wiring loom and the brake line which you have to disconnect or cut a section out of the crossmember so you can slide it into place.

 

[Ivor]

Thanks for the reply, perhaps I'll do that, though I'm worried if I can get the tubes suitably cleaned up in situ. I want to eradicate all the rust. The wiring tube has part disappeared, I'll definitely be replacing that one altogether !