transmission removal

gd aft: 05 focus manual xmission, car will not move in any gear, cables ok, removed cables can move lever on tranny back and forth with no resistance. Can the transmission be removed without the bell housing? If not what is the easiest way to remove the entire assembly? thx Merrill

In my experience, only automatic trannys come out with bellhousing attached or part of tranny. Standard trannys, i.e. gearboxes, do not have the bell housing on them.

Front wheel drive transmissions usually come out with the bell housing attached auto or standard.

Front wheel drive transmissions usually come out with the bell housing attached auto or standard.
True, didn't include that. Thank you.

Thx for that info but have hit an obstacle. The axle spline on the drivers side will not release from the hub I have a puller on it and have rapped it hard with a sledge have use a propane torch to heat and will not release, any tips out there? I haven't tried the other side yet. Should I put a torch to the hub or is that too aggressive?

Thx Merrill

Once you removed the bottom of the strut from the hub knuckle, it allows just enough room to sneak the axle out forward towards the front. Those have a snap ring on the inner shaft of the axle, so theoretically it should snap out fairly easily. I have seen some need persuasion with an axle removal tool, larger size pickle fork, or even have to go the route of a puller or slide hammer. Normally I'd say no for heat/torch on the trans, but since you are replacing it anyway, I'd do whatever I had to do to get the darn thing out as quickly as possible at this point. What you can try is, remove the passenger side axle, go through the trans inside with a long straight blade/bar to tap from the inside on the driver side axle, usually works in a pinch. Good luck.

. thanks will try to get Passenger side out, for the driver side I'm thinking about cutting the blasted thing off and pressing out the outer end. Have used a puller hitting it with sledge. and for the xmission end used a port a power with no success.
thx Merrill

am I missing something the pass. side is acting the same . I watch guys on u tube as soon as they disconnect the necessary items they tap the end of the axle shaft and presto it moves on through. I've gone to a puller and a sledge hammer with an impact and it wont budge. Is there something different about this focus is was built the fifth mo 05.

Whats up? Merrill

I'm assuming you removed the axle nut right?

I've seen some need some work to get out of the hub. I ran into once myself. I was a lot less experienced than I am now and had a lot less tools, but I tried my damndest. I beat the living hell out of the axle to get it out and it wouldn't budge. I stopped to take a breather, barely touched it, and it fell right out.

You could remove the hub/spindle assembly from the strut and lower control arm and pull the whole axle out with it and use a press if it comes down to it.

I did read that some focus's had a bracket midway with two 10MM bolts, or 13MM bolts holding the axles in place. Any chance there is that bracket on these?

Even with a bracket you should still be able to get the axle out of the hub. I have a similar bracket on my car and have never had an issue getting the axle out of the hub with the bracket still attached.

Even with a bracket you should still be able to get the axle out of the hub. I have a similar bracket on my car and have never had an issue getting the axle out of the hub with the bracket still attached.
Out of the trans, not hub.

Out of the trans, not hub.

He is stuck in the hub though.

Sorry, my mistake. Okay, much easier fix than what I thought. Just undo the ball joint pintle and pull out the hub with the axle, since the whole spindle is unattached from the strut anyway. You could soak it with penetrant. Also like said above, you did remove the axle nuts right?

Have done all the above thanks on drivers side , in fact I took out the A frame and dropped the strut then added the puller and hit with a sledge and will not come out from transmission side nor hub side . so far on pass side will not move in hub. Did 03 volvo 3 weeks ago and they came right out.
Thx for all your suggestions. Merrill

Oh yes also put my port a power between the frame and the hub support then used the puller then hit with the sledge. and won't budge

I read others had the same issue. Needed to pull hub and axle and put in a press to get each outer side out of hubs. The part on inside of axles into trans, was stuck clips and needed a lot of persuasion. One was able to go through trans passenger side , like I said with a small flat screwdriver and beat from inside out. Another used a big screw driver/wedge in front of driver side axle and trans, then pounded upward and finally the c-clip clicked and the axle fell out. Have to do it straight out, not on an angle. A lot of effort, but it finally worked in the end.