Pulling & installing the 2004-R

[Lynn D. Brown]

For those who, like me, pretty much have to do all their car work alone - on pulling and replacing the Transmission :

I have tried to do it w a standard Trans jack. These jacks are too tall, and U cannot get the trans/jack combo out from under OR, when reinstalling, back under the car. Not such a big deal when pulling it out because U can just slide it off the jack and drag it out on the floor. And I'm talking with the front wheels at least a foot off the ground.

However when reinstalling, it is really hard to lift this 160-180 # monster onto the jack while on your back under the car. I did it once and about killed myself - never again.

So when I saw those real low motorcycle jacks, I thought I saw a solution. I tried it and it works ! U need to get the front wheels ~ 10" off the ground, but it will slide through the back of the front wheel well. However I needed to make a sheet steel plate on top of the jack for the trans to rest on because the platform arms on the jack were wider apart than the bottom of the trans pan.

If anyone wants pics, I have 2 of them.

Lynn Brown

 

[Hacksaw]

There are low profile transmission jacks you can rent that will fit under a car on jackstands. It's a LOT nicer to use than a block of wood on a floor jack, from experience!

Installing or removing a transmission is too dangerous and difficult to try by yourself. Get help somewhere. I spoke to one mechanic at a transmission shop who once was pulling out a trans on a motorhome where the engine motormounts were bad. He was working by himself, & it almost pinned him under it all night! And even if you don't get broken, what if you lose control of the trans, & oops, broken case??

-Mike H.

 

[KEhrhardt]

So when I saw those real low motorcycle jacks, I thought I saw a solution. If anyone wants pics, I have 2 of them.

Great minds must think alike. I have considered using one of the motorcycle/ATV jacks as well for a transmission jack. They are cheap enough (~$70 or so at the local tractor supply store) and are readily available, and with a little fabrication I think it could easily be made to work as a decent tranny jack. Why don't you attach the photo's to the thread so we can see what you have done already? Thanks.

 

[77 cruiser]

I used a 1/8 in. the plate & made it a little bigger than the pan, I bent the corners up about an in. in the shape of the pan, so the trans can't slip off. Then I welded a short piece of pipe on the plate, and use it in place of the regular pad on my floor jack.
All I can say is that it works way better than trying to balance it on the jack pad.

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Trans replacement

Hey Guys, I'll attach the pics. Does anyone know how to attach digital pics to these posts ? Or maybe I E-Mail some address that gets here and attach them ?

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Trans In & Out

OK, I just saw something at the bottom of the reply box. Here are the pics.

I think they're attached - let me know

 

[KEhrhardt]

Don't see em. You can email to KEhrhardt@aol.com if you like.

Thanks.

Kurt

 

[justabuickv6]

If you have a Harbor Freight nearby, check this out

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39178

 

[MSDGN]

Here's what I use:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3185

...have used it about 10 times now on different cars...it holds the trans very steady...you do have to get the car pretty high but the trans will come out from under the car...I do what was suggested and take the front wheel off and take the bell housing of the trans out through the highest spot in the wheel well...just tilt the bell housing down...

 

[KEhrhardt]

Thanks guys. I knew about the lower priced unit from Harbor Frieght, but it I'm not real fond of scissors jacks and it looks kind of cheaply built. It looks like it will fit under the Chevelle easy enough with a tranny strapped to it though. The heavy duty unit looks good, it might be a tight fit, I thought was like $199? though. That is a good price ($139), although it can get a little spendy with the shipping to CT. They used to have free shipping, maybe I'll wait for one of those free shipping coupon deals. There is also those trans adapters for your hydraulic jack, but I want to avoid those, for the same reason, they look kind of cheap. I guess there is no substitute for seeing the actual unit in person to judge how well it is built. I was quite surprised how sturdy the motorcycle/ATV jack I saw locally was. That got me thinking to use it in for double duty, as a general purpose jack and as a trans jack. That way I can make the trans adapter as beefy as necessary. Well there is a swap meet this Sunday at the track, I'll check out the tool vendors there as well.

 

[49-blues]

I have one that slips onto a standard floor jack and is adjustable with two chains to lock the tranmission on the jack while manuvering it. it cost $45. i got it off one of the vendors on this message board.