Triumph T140V Desert Sled Project | Gearbox Bearings & Crankcase Prep | 41

Triumph T140V Desert Sled Project | Gearbox Bearings & Crankcase Prep Back in the workshop with the Triumph T140V desert sled project, and this time the focus shifts to the gearbox bearings and crankcases. The crankcases have already had a serious clean, followed by some time in front of a heater to drive out any remaining moisture, but before the engine can start going back together there are still a few important jobs to tackle. Rather than waiting until the crank is installed, this video concentrates on replacing the gearbox bearings while the cases are still easy to handle and access. #ad Here's some of the things we used to strip the engine in this video (affiliate links). As an eBay Partner Network affiliate and Amazon Associate, we earn commissions from qualifying purchases: Triumph Crank Pinion Tool: https://ebay.us/5dxTw0 Triumph/BSA Cam Pinion tool: https://ebay.us/ZdJFMv Imperial 12 piece socket set: https://ebay.us/zt8TSc 1 7/8ths Inch Triumph Gearbox Sprocket Spanner: https://ebay.us/Zise4W Hand impact driver: https://ebay.us/7XcXsh Imperial Allen Key Socket Set: https://ebay.us/kBpYSl Thanks for supporting the channel! The job begins with a look at the bearings and seals ready to go into the engine, including the high-speed gearbox bearing and the closed needle bearing. There’s also a quick comparison with the hefty crank bearings, along with a look through the seal kit to work out which parts will be needed later on. As always with these old Triumph projects, there’s a fair bit of detective work involved along the way. Following the workshop manual, the crankcases are heated up in the oven to around 100 degrees centigrade before attempting to remove the old bearings. There’s a bit of experimenting with temperatures and heat soak times to make sure the aluminium cases are properly warmed through before they’re brought back out onto the bench. Once they’re hot enough, the real work begins. The video takes a detailed look at removing the old needle bearing, checking the position of the thrust washer, dealing with the worn and very tired original components, and improvising with sockets and basic workshop tools where specialist tools aren’t available. There’s also the usual balancing act between patience and brute force that comes with classic motorcycle restoration work. As the strip-down continues, the old seal and snap ring are removed before tackling the larger bearing. A few surprises crop up along the way, including the discovery that one of the bearings has no inner race left in place, meaning the only option is to drive it out carefully using the rollers themselves. Improvisation once again proves to be part of the process, with a 29mm socket becoming the tool of choice. Once the bearings are finally removed, it becomes obvious that there’s still blasting media and grit trapped inside areas of the crankcase that originally looked clean. Rather than pushing ahead regardless, the project takes a sensible pause while the cases are inspected properly. It’s a good reminder that engine rebuilding is all about cleanliness and patience, and sometimes stopping to rethink the next step is the best decision you can make. This episode is a realistic look at classic motorcycle restoration rather than a polished how-to guide. Things don’t always go exactly to plan, and sometimes the smartest move is to slow down, clean things again, and avoid creating bigger problems later on. If you’re rebuilding a Triumph twin, restoring a British motorcycle, or just enjoy watching proper hands-on workshop engineering, there’s plenty here to enjoy. The T140V desert sled project continues to move forward step by step, and while the bearings might not have gone straight back in during this session, important progress has still been made. The next stage will involve getting the crank assembled and preparing everything for final installation into freshly cleaned and heated cases. If you’ve been following the rebuild series, thanks for sticking with it. And if this is the first video you’ve seen from the project, there’s plenty more workshop content covering the restoration of this reimported Triumph T140V from tired old machine to running desert sled. For more helpful how-to guides and restoration project logs, visit our blog: https://www.spannerrash.com/