Fitting gearbox bearing

[Rust bucket]

This maybe of help to those rebuilding their gearbox. I have a manual downloaded on how to assemble a gearbox but found fitting the first motion shaft and bearing very hard to do, in fact I couldn't do it!. I found it you fit the bearing and clip first from the bellhousing end by heating the casing with a paint stripping gun, then a nicley frozen bearing from the freezer will go in with a light tap on the outer race.
Then heat up again the housing with bearing and drop the frozen shaft in from the other end.
Just make sure you stop the layshaft falling out, I used some large washers on the bolts by the layshaft. If the thrust washer drops out it
would be... start all over again!.
This as far as I've got, now the locknut problem. If I make up a open ended spanner out of thick steel holding it in place via the fork hole, then it should be satisfactory to tighen it up with a clutch plate on the shaft since there is a lockwasher on it.
Happy New Year.