Went to fit the gearbox to the 3dr yesterday but had a bit of trouble with the cradle. It fits to the gearbox fine but when I tried to fit it over the four studs that slide along in the runners under the transmission tunnel it wouldn't fit. The pitch of the holes on the cradle is narrower than the pitch of the studs it should fit over, only by about 5mm or so but enough to stop me being able to bolt it up. I can probably get around the problem by elongating the holes in the cradle with a file, but does anyone know why I'm having this problem? The cradle I'm using is the steel 2wd one not the aluminium saff one and it defintly came off a 3dr so I don't know why it doesn't fit?

 

Just to avoid confusion I mean the pitch of the holes from one side of the cradle to the other, not from the front to the back.

 

Assume the cradle isn't a bit bent mate?? Sounds wierd to me!!

 

As above sounds bent.
tabetha

 

Yeah we did wonder if it could be bent, as it came off an accident damaged car. There's no obvious kinks or bends when you look at it but the flanges that sit against the underside of the car are at a slight angle as if it may be bent slightly, might try and get it under a fly press and see what happens.
Thought it was worth asking in case somebody pointed out that cars made in different years had different tunnels or something like that.

 

Hammer time!!
tabetha

 

I've got a 3dr cradle that's no good to me if you want it?

Don't want anything for it

 

PM'd!!

 

deffo bent i had one that ive just took off and that was tight and when i looked its slighly bent