Trans swap in the driveway
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From: Summerville, SC
Trans swap in the driveway The many times I have swapped out the trans or dropped it I had a lift. Now that I don't have access to a lift I'd like to know how you guys have safely swapped out transmissions on the ground, and safely being the key word. I've got to swap out my 60e and put in my th400 and I don't have access to a lift. I've got two floor jacks, 2 ramps, and 4 jack stands available.
The many times I have swapped out the trans or dropped it I had a lift. Now that I don't have access to a lift I'd like to know how you guys have safely swapped out transmissions on the ground, and safely being the key word. I've got to swap out my 60e and put in my th400 and I don't have access to a lift. I've got two floor jacks, 2 ramps, and 4 jack stands available.
I am in the process of doing it right now, I lifted the car up with the jacks as high as I could then placed the ramps under the front tires. (since you cant drive it up them) placed two jackstands under the front of the car just in case. I had enough room to do all the work then just jacked up the back end to slide the transmission out the side. Now putting it back in.....I haven't figured that out yet haha.
It's really not to bad, although next time I do it I will make sure I have a lift available. A tranny jack helps and just make sure you get the car high enough to get the tranny out from under the car.
To lower the tranny I just used some ply wood on top of the floor jack then slid the tranny off the jack once the jack was down all the way...as far as getting it back in place...took me and my brother on our backs lifting the bell hosuing and another buddy shoving the jack under the tranny while we were under the car...couldnt get the car high enough to slip the tranny in and out from under the car while sitting on the jack.
Make sure the car isn't so high in the air that the jack won't reach. I've done it before. Pulled it out on my chest, played hell getting it back in. It was a ford too, with the converter studs that had to be lined up with the flexplate.
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I use some big 6 ton jackstands. You have to get the car high enough in the air. My floor jack wont go high enough to get the car to sit halfway up those larger 6 ton stands. What I usually do is put a cinder block under the k-member and use that with the floor jack to get the car higher in the air. You can buy a cheap trans jack for like 50 bucks or rent one
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Dont forget the very top dead center bolt through the bellhousing, its a royal bitch. Make sure you can support the back of the motor while the trans isnt in it.
when i did mine a few months back i had to pull the converter and bellhousing off the trans to get it out from under the car, then put the new one under the car, bolt up the bellhousing, install the converter and jack it up, you dont need gobs of room but the more the merryer.
when i did mine a few months back i had to pull the converter and bellhousing off the trans to get it out from under the car, then put the new one under the car, bolt up the bellhousing, install the converter and jack it up, you dont need gobs of room but the more the merryer.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (43)
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Summerville, SC
Thanks for all the input everyone. I've done the swap many times, just with a lift. I'm assuming everyone slid the trans out the front and not the sides or where did you slide it out at?
11 Second Club
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From: Your girl's back door giving her the long stroke while you're at work
I slid my TH350 out on the driver's side. The car was just high enough for the trans to clear the ground effects
