Just want to re-iterate what a great thread this has been - I've been working on my 4 speed, and there have been some great tips.
Once the car is back on the road, I'll write up the whole lot, but I've just had some success removing the sealing rings and bearings from my output shafts using a slightly different procedure, so I figured I'd put up my procedure for those playing at home.
I had a "sacrificial" output shaft to work on, so I figured I'd try and get that one apart, and make any mistakes there.
I started out much the same as Pottsy, in trying to use a standard 3 jaw puller on the ring nut, but it quickly ran out of steam without anything moving.
Next try was to try and use some 5mm angle steel ground to slip in under the ring nut, and supporting that in my 20 ton press.
No joy there too, even with heat and penetrating fluid applied; the ring nut started to distort, and the angle steel started to bend.
After some cursing, i decided to try using my set of bearing splitters to get under the angled bottom of the sealing bush, and to support the splitter in the vice.
Initially, I had the same result, just watching the splitter starting to bend, but after a heat cycle and some more penetrating oil applied while hot, there was a *crack* and the sealing ring started to move.
Now that the seal bush was out of the way, I went back to the 3 jaw puller in the vice.
Using the same technique, (heat and penetrating oil), the bearing started to move, and came off with
no damage to the ring nut.
To protect the top of the output shaft, I removed the pointed end from the puller, and put a thin piece of sacrificial steel between the top of the puller's threaded rod and the shaft.
Net result:
The fun part will be getting the new bearings and sealing rings on. I don't have a 26mm bore tube to use to press them on, so I'll have to come up with something. What did you use Pottsy?