What's the best way to install a trans by yourself, with out a trans puller?.... I don't have anyone handy to help. I am trying to use my cycle jack but it's going in top end first and cant seem to get it to square the bottom up.... Thanks It's a turbo 350 trans to a 305 sbc (in a 54 plymouth)...
use some tie straps between the frame rails for safety. jack it up some, tighten the straps snug, rinse and repeat.
I'm with jabber, I use a regular jack with a piece of plywood under the ****** pan, that has worked for me many times.
I'm not the strongest guy, but a th350 isn't that heavy either. I'm ***uming you have the car up on jackstands that are decently high. This is what has worked for me, not pretty or easy but I've done it. This takes a bit of coordination in making sure you have everything in reach under the car. But sit on your creeper and pull the thing onto your lap. Now lay down and get it on your chest. Slide under the car, and benchpress it into place, using a knee to steady it as you slide the crossmember underneath it. If you don't get it the first time wait a bit to regain your strength. The last thing you want to do it wear yourself down and drop the thing on yourself.
Thats the way I used to do it But if yo have a cycle jack just use that and put something to space it !!!
Lay on me back, pull it up to my chest, tail shaft at me knees and grunt. Done many a manual this way and even a C4.
Ain't no lube and push going on here Ok treat me like I don't know what I'm doing . Should I have the torque converter already in place or are you guys working with 3rd arm (to bolt the trans in to hold it up) I was told to keep the torque converter on the trans then bolt it up.....
yeah, you definitely want to have the converter in ALL THE WAY before you put the ****** up in the car. Measure how far the ring gear sticks out past the block, and make sure there's more room than that between the converter and the edge of the ****** case. If it's not in all the way, turn and wiggle it till it goes in the last clunk. I have a 12" x 12" square of 1/4" steel plate, at the cener of the bottom is welded the end of a 3/4" pipe ******, which fits thru the hole in my floor jack after removing the saddle. I put a conduit lock nut underneath to hold the pipe in the hole. This gives me a relatively stable large square place to set the ****** pan on, it will not tip, although it can slide off if I'm not careful. I've R&R'd a whole bunch of ******s by myself with this setup.
Yes, you must have the converter fully engaged intot he front pump before you install the trans. The chevy is easy because you can spin the convertor until the holes line up with the flexplate. Ford has studs out of the converter and must line up. Put the trans on a good floor jack and jam it into the motor as best you can. Try to engage the dowel pins so you bellhousing bolts will line up. then sneak one into the top if you can and then work your way around. keep the jack under the trans to bear the brunt of the weight untill you can get the bellhousing bolts in tight. What a ******** of a job to do by yourself
my bad, im probably itching your irritation right about now. What I have done was install the torque converter. Place the trans in, on its main shaft. Push it on....then bolt the torque converter to flex plate. Then, push on the trans to the motor and put bolts in. I have faith in ya man...You are the newly designated mechanic of the group...remember! Oh, as for the third arm...thats a myth
Good advice above. You may also want to get some bolts that are longer than the bellhousing bolts, cut the heads off, hacksaw a groove in top for a screwstick & screw them into the block. They come in handy as alignment dowls & will remove with a screwstick when you have the rest of the bolts in. Billy
You should bolt the ****** up completely before pulling the converter up to the flexplate to bolt it up. If the ****** is not fully seatedwhen you bolt up the converter you can pull it out from engagement with the pump and put it in a bind when trying to tighten up the ****** bolts. I've had to weld up a case that a friend cracked by doing it the wrong way.
I cant tell you how many transmissions I have wached stupid *** co-workers trash c-6's by bolting up the converter before the bellhousing .If the case doesn't crack from a bind , the front pump will most likely be distroyed by not being fully engaged the hub on the converter. Unless you like to gamble (since you have already stated you never did this before) play it safe and put the bellhousing bolts in all the way before bolting up the converter.We all would hate to read a thread about a cracked th-350 case or trans fluid over full and car won't move. Good luck, with it.
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