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Tranny removal ideas

BamBamblazer

BamBamblazer

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 24, 2002
Posts
486
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Location
McCordsville, Indiana
Ok so i am ready to start pullin the tranny to put the new one in and i dont have a jack that will reach it. My jack(a cheep one) wont even come close to reachin. Probobly about 8-10" short from the pan. I guess i could pull the tires and set it as low as i could on stands but that always makes me nervous for some reason. SOOOO anyone got any brainiac ideas??? How did you get yours out?????
 
Jack it up...

Sears - was on sale as a set a while ago 4 ton floor jack 22" lift height with jack stands. If I remember I got the set for like $150. I dont know what your rig looks like but you will probably still have to pull the tires if you have a big lift...
 
Maybe cut up and bolt together some 2x4's in a funky heightened brace, tap an eye into each end, throw a strap over the top of the tranny, and into the eyes.

I'm picturing something with 4 vertical/angled 2x4's to a cradle in the middle, and a custom bottom you can bolt or strap to the jack so it doesn't roll off if you screw up the balance. I like building stuff like that, though, so I'd do it half for function, half for the sake of doing it...


Maybe you could also find a way to raise up the jack, like a ramp of some sort...
 
I got a tranny jack adapter from Harbor Freight. It fits on any standard garage jack and adjusts to fit the size of your oil pan. In the process it adds like 10" of height to the jack overall. It's a lot cheaper than an actual tranny jack.

I have heard of putting ratchet straps across the frame rails to lower the tranny down.

Check your local rental place. They usually have a real transmission jack for like $20 a day and it makes this job much easier, especially if you are alone.
 
What about one of those cheap atv jacks, they have a large square base to balance the bike on, you could stack 4x4's up to ad height if you need it, and the jacks are under 80 bucks here. Not sure what else you would use it for though.
 
harbor fright tools has a tranny jack on sale right now... its like $50 if I remember correctly...

j
 
If it is a manual take out the inside cover plate in your cab, put a chain around it and hook it up to a engine hoist then let down. Or cut one in and sheetmetal a new one in place.
 
I do it like this...

I have an "adapter" dewhickey too,that slides in your floor jack in place of the round saddle it usually lifts with...its added height works great to REACH the tranny--but getting the tranny and jack OUT from under the truck requires another floor jack to jack it up high enough to clear the frame rails..or you can try sliding the tranny off the jack/adapter and drag it out by itself..

if you put the truck up on stands high enough to get it out all together,it makes it hard to reach the bell bolts and I dont like a truck teetering on jack stands that high while I'm under it.(and the jack wont reach without blocks)...so I end up dragging them out on a peice of plywood most of the time...an automatic is not that heavy really,but the manuals are an ingot!...hernia time!. :frown1:

I have used the engine crane thru the floor tunnel hole idea too--on one truck with a sunroof,we used a come-a-long thru the sunroof hole and floor tunnel hole to lower a heavy 4 speed to do a clutch...

I've seen guys use nothing more than a creeper and big blocks of wood(fireplace log!) to pull an automatic out!(messy when the converter falls out though :blush: )...I pulled a transfer case AND tranny at once using the floor jack,with the adapter thing,by bolting it to the crossmember,and unbolting the crossmember..that wasn't fun at all!(NP205 + SM465!)

None of theese are easy--all are hard labor to do..I'd bolt a chain around the tranny and jack so it wont crush your skull if it tries to slip off--they usually do..I highly reccomend a rented floor jack too--nothing better than having the right tool for the job!--and much safer too,for you AND the new tranny--hate to see your new one fall off a makeshift one and crack it,or hurt you,its money well spent.. :crazy:
 
I just changed my trans today. I have an 89 with a 3" susp. lift and 33" tires. I used an old trans jack for tractor trailer trucks. It worked great didnt even have to pull down exhaust.
 
this is why you get to know local mechanic shop guys, so you can rent/borrow tools and such that you normally wouldnt have

its cool that way
plus you can get first dibs on parts/vehicles that they get told about for sale or free all the time,

just a floating idea/hint

good luck
 
Real simple method.

1. Let the air out of the front tires to lower the truck.
2. Raise jack to the tranny, strap it up, lower the tranny.
3. Fill the tires with air.
4. Remove jack and tranny from under the truck. Jack one side of the truck up if needed.

:D
 
I just bench press them in and out. The 700R4 I last did was a little too much now that I'm getting older. Had to get my knees under it to hold it up there.
 
jekbrown said:
harbor fright tools has a tranny jack on sale right now... its like $50 if I remember correctly...

j
Click to expand...

Thats the one I use, I get about 6-7 tranny pulls before it craps out, otherwise its a backsaver, i still prefer to bench the t-case in...its difficult to get it out and in perfect at the angle it sits.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE HARBOR FRIEGHT JACK!
 
I've changed so many trannys it's just not funny. Not all mine either. Best way I've found is to pull off the tunnel pan in the cab. Run a wooden 4x4 through both windows and hook up a chainfall to it. You can get at those miserable bolts at the top of the bell housing really easy now and after you get all the bolts out you just ease it on down with the chain fall. Hook up your other one and hoist it right up into place. I change them by myself in just a couple of hours.
 
I rented one locally for $20. If you rent on Saturday morning for one day, you get Sunday free since they're closed, don't have to return it till Monday morning ;) .
 
I used one of those adapters from Harbor Frieght and it broke when I did my tranny swap. I used an engine hoist when I put it back in and it worked real well. If you don't have one, you're best bet would be to rent a tranny jack,have fun.:D
 
Engine hoist (aka cherry picker) in thru the door and lower it down. It doesn't get much easier then that in the driveway.
 
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