pulling the tranny t56, i got 7 bolts already out how do you reach the top bastard bolt . its getting a beating when I get it out thats for sure.

 

im on the concrete with bloody elbows
looks like i need some 3ft extensions

 

if u unbolt the crossmember and lower down the back of the tranny you should have no problem getting it, but yeah a long extension is always in order with about any tranny.

 

mine was the same way! f'n sucks. just be patient!! what i did was take off the crossmember and it helped a little but not far enough, than i jacked up the front of the motor on the bottom of the balancer just enough so you can see the top of the bolt. i have dropped a few trans for guys that had worn out motor mounts and those are a breeze because the motor leans down really good when you drop the tranny cross member!! good luck!!

 

well i GOT ER DONE !!

 

haha, it's a PITA!!

 

just take it off the bellhousing first. much easier
can get them out in less than an hour laying on our backs. Took the first one out without removing the bellhousing and it sucked. Have now done about 10-15 by taking them off the bellhousing first. very easy

 

its a pita but I just did as you said use a long extension and I dont know if your mounts are as stiff as mine but when I took my cross member out on my car the tranny barely moved not enough to help in any way but that may just be mine

 

You mean pull the tranny off the bellhousing, THEN pull the bellhousing on its own, right? That sounds like the easiest way to me.

I just pulled my A4 the other night (that was a royal P.I.T.A. ) in preparation to install a T56 . My plan was going to be to bolt on the bellhousing first, then bolt the tranny to that ... hopefully that will work well?

 

yes thats what I mean

 

Yeah, DEFINITLY take the trans OFF the bellhousing first. If doing it for the first time, the dowel pins (BIG bastards) are going to put up one hell of a fight. Ive tried both ways, unbolted the bellhousing, fought with it for about 20 minutes, then just unbolted the trans, from the bell, and she damn near just fell out. Its ALOT easier to fight just the bellhousing off the motor, than it is with the trans attached to it. BTW, i put anti-sieze on the dowels in the bellhousing, and it came off ALOT easier this time around.

 

^ ^ good point / good idea! I had a b!tch of a time getting my auto to pop off the dowel pins . I even broke the tip off a screwdriver trying to get it in between the two to seperate them (but that was before I realized I actually FORGOT ONE LAST BOLT!!! )

... before I put the new tranny in, I definitely want to put some never-seize on those dowel pins .

 

what year are u pulling the trans out of. if its the lt1 style u have to take the trans from the bellhousing first also remove the shift fork from the throwout bearing. if its the ls1 style u can remove it all at once. and as everyone says lower the crossmember to get to the bolt. also if its the ls1 you cant just remove the transmission u have to kinda rotate the transmission to one side in order for the top to clear the tunnel.

 

A universal joint and 2ft of extensions works fine. Put a pipe on a 3/8 inch ratchet its easy that way.

 

what the best way to put it back in Im thinking throw it on my chest and push up and in

 

what he said...i bought a 24" ext from harbor freight (aroud $7). with a swivel and short socket on the end of the long ext you can get to it pretty easy with the tailshaft all the way down...also, look into thier tranny jack. its around $80 and its the bast one ive used so far. ive got a $250 piece of **** from pep boys that works, its just a pain in the ***...

also, ill second that its much easier to pull the tranny w/out the bellhousing, and pull the bellhousing after the tranny is out...

the more you do it, the better youll get. i can do it by myself start to finish in about an hour and a half now...******* clutch hydraulics...