What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

No transmission jack

Mikey von

Mikey von

1/2 ton status
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Posts
1,546
Reaction score
5
Location
Burney, CA
I am preparing for my th400 to NV4500 swap. I do not have a transmission jack and have been unable to find any friends with one. My buddy says he used a floor jack with some steel plate tack welded to the cup.

What have you used?
 
Harbor Freight has a trans adapter for floor jacks, I have one and have used the crap out of it.
 
My favorite method is to use a chain hoist or come along. But you have to have a full removable top or interior roll cage to keep from messing up sheet metal.

Cherry picker works pretty good too if you take one of the doors off.

Most of my work, well almost all of my work is done alone by myself. I have learned ways to do things that should normally be done with help safely by myself. I find that it is easier to stab a tranny by myself when it is hanging from a chain and not have to worry about it falling off the jack but Ive also always done my work in the dirt and jacks don't roll very well. I plan on buying a good tranny jack or one of the hf adapters when I get my shop finished for those jobs where I cant go through the top:D
 
I have a trans jack. Was my grandpas. It's all rusty, the cylinder leaks, and it's kinda bent, but god damn does it make life easier.
 
I use one of these...found it at a flea market for 25 bucks,looks like it was used like twice maybe...floor jacks suck on anything but perfectly clean concrete floors though,when your trying to position a transmission with one..

We used a lot of things at the junkyard to install transmissions--one thing we used often was a rolling "mechanics stool" seat that was just about the right height,but you had to bench press it up a good 2" to stab it in once it was rolled into position...
My co-worker once used a creeper,with an inner tube sandwiched between it,and a piece of plywood ,and it actually worked better than we thought it would...the tube lifted a TH400 like nothing,but we were scared it would pop at a bad moment..

I've used a engine hoist to do clutch jobs on my '72 K5...the first time I put the SM465 in it when I converted it from a TH350 at a friends house,I used a come-a-long on his garage rafters to lift up the tranny ,and took the sun roof off so the cable could go thru the roof,it worked great!..

images (11).jpg
 
When I raised my 700R4 into my 87 years ago, I had a block of wood, a 2.5 ton floor jack, my father, and me...we were about 3 inches short...so we basically bench pressed it onto the 2 alignment pins and got it into place! Probably not helpful but inspirational maybe! :D
 
I built a piece that caught the pto bolts on both sides and had the spud that dropped down into the jack. Did a pivot point between the two so I could change the attitude of the trans as it went up and in. Worked out pretty good.
 
diesel4me said:
I use one of these...found it at a flea market for 25 bucks,looks like it was used like twice maybe...floor jacks suck on anything but perfectly clean concrete floors though,when your trying to position a transmission with one..

We used a lot of things at the junkyard to install transmissions--one thing we used often was a rolling "mechanics stool" seat that was just about the right height,but you had to bench press it up a good 2" to stab it in once it was rolled into position...
My co-worker once used a creeper,with an inner tube sandwiched between it,and a piece of plywood ,and it actually worked better than we thought it would...the tube lifted a TH400 like nothing,but we were scared it would pop at a bad moment..

I've used a engine hoist to do clutch jobs on my '72 K5...the first time I put the SM465 in it when I converted it from a TH350 at a friends house,I used a come-a-long on his garage rafters to lift up the tranny ,and took the sun roof off so the cable could go thru the roof,it worked great!..
Click to expand...

This ^ is what I was talking about but I can't find it on the shaft site now. :dunno:
 
This..


Plus floor jack.


Also you should be able to rent a trans jack from a equipment rental place for like 10 bucks a day.

IMG_2631.jpg
 
Last edited:
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I've never been able to use one. They always seem to be too high in their lowest position to pull out from under the trucks I have used them on, even jacked up high, on stands, just never seems to be high enough and I end up sliding the trans off of the jack and on the ground to get it out from under the truck.

I always just use the floor jack with some wood on the plate, get it down as low as possible, slid it off onto the ground, slide it out from under the truck.
 
diesel4me said:
I use one of these...found it at a flea market for 25 bucks,looks like it was used like twice maybe...floor jacks suck on anything but perfectly clean concrete floors though,when your trying to position a transmission with one..

We used a lot of things at the junkyard to install transmissions--one thing we used often was a rolling "mechanics stool" seat that was just about the right height,but you had to bench press it up a good 2" to stab it in once it was rolled into position...
My co-worker once used a creeper,with an inner tube sandwiched between it,and a piece of plywood ,and it actually worked better than we thought it would...the tube lifted a TH400 like nothing,but we were scared it would pop at a bad moment..

I've used a engine hoist to do clutch jobs on my '72 K5...the first time I put the SM465 in it when I converted it from a TH350 at a friends house,I used a come-a-long on his garage rafters to lift up the tranny ,and took the sun roof off so the cable could go thru the roof,it worked great!..
Click to expand...

bought one of these from amazon works better than not having one
 
Kain said:
bought one of these from amazon works better than not having one
Click to expand...

Yeah,better than nothing--but 4xcrazy is right,its tough to get the vehicle jacked up to just the right height so the floor jack,& adapter with the trans sitting on it, can be rolled out from under the vehicle,or not have it too high,and then the jack wont go up far enough to get the trans level with the engine...:doah:

Mine was bought with intentions of using it on a SM465 ,so I could just slide it back and do the clutch..not "remove" it completely from under the truck...a few automatics I used it on ,I ended up sliding the trans off the adapter and onto a piece of plywood that I put some pipes under for rollers it,so I could drag it out from under the truck...
 
I drilled a hole in each corner of the floor jack square piece and bolted a 2x6 on it with lag bolts. I used that to stabilize the trans - a bit sketchy but it worked solo.
 
diesel4me said:
Yeah,better than nothing--but 4xcrazy is right,its tough to get the vehicle jacked up to just the right height so the floor jack,& adapter with the trans sitting on it, can be rolled out from under the vehicle,or not have it too high,and then the jack wont go up far enough to get the trans level with the engine...:doah:

Mine was bought with intentions of using it on a SM465 ,so I could just slide it back and do the clutch..not "remove" it completely from under the truck...a few automatics I used it on ,I ended up sliding the trans off the adapter and onto a piece of plywood that I put some pipes under for rollers it,so I could drag it out from under the truck...
Click to expand...

Mine sat so high didnt have to jack it up,side not my buddy
Carey used one of those scissor jacks from harbor frieght and it failed
And almost squished him .it broke at the pivit point
 
motorcycle/ATV jack...

001-14.jpg
 
4xcrazy said:
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I've never been able to use one. They always seem to be too high in their lowest position to pull out from under the trucks I have used them on, even jacked up high, on stands, just never seems to be high enough and I end up sliding the trans off of the jack and on the ground to get it out from under the truck.

I always just use the floor jack with some wood on the plate, get it down as low as possible, slid it off onto the ground, slide it out from under the truck.
Click to expand...

You need to lift the truck higher then!! :whistle: :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom