Engine Lift from HG68 without removing everything!

[oliverchris]

I was trying to take out this IXK engine, and manual says I need to disconnect tracks frames to get at bell housing bolts. I managed to do it a lot quicker, here's how.
Remove visible track frame support arm bolts. This leaves two bell housing bolts on each side still hidden.
Loosen tie bar nuts to allow track frame supports to move out by an inch or so.
Drive a wedge in to open out the track frame support mounting bracket. There is enough 'give' on the mainsprings that this can be achieved without more than half an inch movement needed to toe-out the tracks. I loosened off the rear axle tube bolts, and, in this case, the retrofitted rear-end strengthening U-bolts to allow the track frames to widen apart at the front, but in actual fact, they didn't move! And I had the engine supported by my OC46 loader.
Loosen off the top bell housing bolt with wrench. But then the bolt head disappears into the hollow track support arm tube. So you have to use a pair of vice grips to unscrew the bolt some more. Finally it will fall out. Then you can reach down to the bottom bolt and do same. Lift out engine.
Take out wedge and re-bolt track support arms to mainframe!

[oliverchris]

I left the one loose bolt from track frame support arm to mainframe to stop the arm jumping to the rear each time I drove in the wedges a bit more

[oliverchris]

Close-ups

[oliverchris]

Finally, lift out engine!

[oliverchris]

I should have added...support the mainframe (you can see I did this with blocks under the front) or else when you loosen off the track frame arm bolts the mainframe will drop, stressing various bolts and creating torsion in the frame.