Trans Removal Tips?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: South Dakota
Trans Removal Tips? I am in the process of putting in a LS7 clutch in my camaro. I have the shifter out, trans drained(oil was really dark), exhaust removed, and drive shaft off. I am only working on it about 2 hours a day, due to 10 hour work days and such. Anyway, Any tips on what to remove next? torque arm, cross member? I am going to replace the torque arm with a UMI unit, since I found a small crack in the stock one. I also have a poly trans mount, pilot bearing, and new slave to throw on too. Im just trying to make this as painless as possible, due to doing the swap on the ground with stands. Thanks.
You have someone to help you when you pull it? It's kind of pain to do by yourself unless you've got a nice jack to put under it.
Pull the T/A, put a jack under the tranny then pull the xmember. Lower the jack enough to unplug the electrical connectors and remove the trans bolts. Make sure you have one of those two foot extensions and a swivel to get to the bellhousing bolts. The one on the top pax side cane be a bitch cuz the vent tube is in the way.
Good Luck...
Pull the T/A, put a jack under the tranny then pull the xmember. Lower the jack enough to unplug the electrical connectors and remove the trans bolts. Make sure you have one of those two foot extensions and a swivel to get to the bellhousing bolts. The one on the top pax side cane be a bitch cuz the vent tube is in the way.
Good Luck...
Swear, curse, and throw wrenches. Haha honestly, just be patient and dont rush anything. Take your time and do it right, Im in the middle of my transjob and its a pain that i would not like to do again anytime soon.
I just pulled mine twice this weekend (Ram changed TQ specs on the twin disc).
this is the steps I did for the fastest/easiest removal...
print off installuniversity instructions so u know what tools u need
remove Y pipe
put jack under tranny, back side of tranny
remove tranny mount and if u want crossmember too
remove T/A and exhaust support from tranny
remove driveshaft
unplug electrical connections
remove bolts from tranny to bellhousing, top right bolt with vent tube and wire bundle is a PITA but take ur time
slide tranny back a lil and unplug slave line with fuel line tool
take ur time and slide tranny out the best u can...best if u have someone there with u
take bellhousing off
then remove clutch
just reverse the steps for install.
this is the steps I did for the fastest/easiest removal...
print off installuniversity instructions so u know what tools u need
remove Y pipe
put jack under tranny, back side of tranny
remove tranny mount and if u want crossmember too
remove T/A and exhaust support from tranny
remove driveshaft
unplug electrical connections
remove bolts from tranny to bellhousing, top right bolt with vent tube and wire bundle is a PITA but take ur time
slide tranny back a lil and unplug slave line with fuel line tool
take ur time and slide tranny out the best u can...best if u have someone there with u
take bellhousing off
then remove clutch
just reverse the steps for install.
10 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 3
From: Berkeley, California
Do not remove the crossmember until you are certain that you have the engine and transmission well supported. Jury-rig a temporary torque arm so you can control the axle housing. I use a 3-feet length of 2-inch steel angle controlled by a scissors jack. It needs to stick out the back. This makes removing and installing the TA easy.
Originally Posted by Gary Z
Do not remove the crossmember until you are certain that you have the engine and transmission well supported. Jury-rig a temporary torque arm so you can control the axle housing. I use a 3-feet length of 2-inch steel angle controlled by a scissors jack. It needs to stick out the back. This makes removing and installing the TA easy.
I guess to each is own but that sure is a strange way of doing it.
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Originally Posted by NBM99SS
Pull the trans off the bellhousing first and then remove the bell housing from the block on its own.
Way easier that way rather than pulling the bellhousing/trans as one piece. 
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Westville, Ok
Originally Posted by blkbird_WS-6
This is way easier IMO.
definately agree with this guy. i just pulled mine a week ago and whoever did the exaughst welded everything solid so no removing the y pipe and it was my first time and i pulled everything at once while the front of the car was up on jackstands. i took off the torque arm and crossmember and all that crap. driveshaft and all the little connectors. when i went to pull it straight back the ears on the bellhousing hit the floor pan and i couldn't pull it straight back. after messing with it for a while a fit of rage came over me and i pushed and pried till the ears bent the floor pan enough to slip by which was really stupid i know all this pressure was on the input shaft. i got lucky i didn't break anything. i would seperate the bellhousing from the tranny first.
take the intake manifold off then u can get to all the trany bolts from top using a ratchet wrench much easier than doing the 6 extension with a swivel after that put a large floor jack or motorcycle jack under the trany, pump it up slightly then remove the bolts from cross member, then unbolt the 2 top bolt on the tuqre arm mount and spread the mount open careful it will pop out and slam into the bottom of your car now it will be free from the trany, then slide the trany back and lower it, your car is going to have to have be nice and high to get it out from under it, unless you slide the trany off the jack on to a piece of broad and then slide it out on that
ignore EVERYTHING transam45 just said
it is NOT easier to take the intake manifold off to get to the tranny bolts...I don't even think it's possible, you do NOT have to use "6" extensions AND a swivel. All u need is a 15mm socket 2 10" and possibly a 6" extention and if u take the TQ arm out the way I said it it will NOT slam into the bottom of ur car.
if the guy hasn't already finished by now I'm sure he has enough "help" from us so...this thread should be over.
it is NOT easier to take the intake manifold off to get to the tranny bolts...I don't even think it's possible, you do NOT have to use "6" extensions AND a swivel. All u need is a 15mm socket 2 10" and possibly a 6" extention and if u take the TQ arm out the way I said it it will NOT slam into the bottom of ur car.
if the guy hasn't already finished by now I'm sure he has enough "help" from us so...this thread should be over.
Last edited by Screamin_Z; Aug 29, 2007 at 02:21 AM.
Screamin_Z: said
ignore EVERYTHING transam45 just said
i have done it both ways and taking off the intake is so much easyer
yes it is thake the intake off you can get to all the bolts ive done it several times how about you try it before you talk s**t and i didnt mean like it was going to rip a hole threw the floor board but it does pop up from the rear end weight and look at a digram off a ls1 look were the trany bolts are right behind the intake
ignore EVERYTHING transam45 just said
i have done it both ways and taking off the intake is so much easyer
yes it is thake the intake off you can get to all the bolts ive done it several times how about you try it before you talk s**t and i didnt mean like it was going to rip a hole threw the floor board but it does pop up from the rear end weight and look at a digram off a ls1 look were the trany bolts are right behind the intake
Originally Posted by transam45
Screamin_Z: said
ignore EVERYTHING transam45 just said
i have done it both ways and taking off the intake is so much easyer
yes it is thake the intake off you can get to all the bolts ive done it several times how about you try it before you talk s**t and i didnt mean like it was going to rip a hole threw the floor board but it does pop up from the rear end weight and look at a digram off a ls1 look were the trany bolts are right behind the intake
ignore EVERYTHING transam45 just said
i have done it both ways and taking off the intake is so much easyer
yes it is thake the intake off you can get to all the bolts ive done it several times how about you try it before you talk s**t and i didnt mean like it was going to rip a hole threw the floor board but it does pop up from the rear end weight and look at a digram off a ls1 look were the trany bolts are right behind the intake
remove in this order....
driveshaft
torque arm
wiring
line from master to slave
crossmember
trans
bellhousing
clutch
flywheel
reverse order to install
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: South Dakota
had a buddy come over today, got the trans, bell housing, clutch and flywheel pulled out in around 1.5 hours. This is what the clutch looked liked. You can see the bad spot in the pressure plate on the right. I cut my finger on it the spot was so rough. Thanks for the help 
Last edited by seawolf18; Aug 30, 2007 at 10:15 PM.
Originally Posted by transam45
take the intake manifold off then u can get to all the trany bolts from top using a ratchet wrench much easier than doing the 6 extension with a swivel after that put a large floor jack or motorcycle jack under the trany, pump it up slightly then remove the bolts from cross member, then unbolt the 2 top bolt on the tuqre arm mount and spread the mount open careful it will pop out and slam into the bottom of your car now it will be free from the trany, then slide the trany back and lower it, your car is going to have to have be nice and high to get it out from under it, unless you slide the trany off the jack on to a piece of broad and then slide it out on that
i didn't know that the manual could be separated from the bell housing before it was taken off i thought it was the automatic were you have to pull the trany to get it off on a auto it is a lot easier to take the intake off then use several extinctions with a swivel