A good tranny jack , makes all the difference.

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
A good tranny jack ,and decent jack stands makes all the difference.
(BTW dont forget to use an engine crane or floor jack to support the engine while working on transmission removal)
I recently helped a friend swap torque converters on his car, he doesn,t have a lift, but neither did I for almost 30 years so decent jack stands, a level concrete floor and a decent set of four 12 ton rated jack stands made things go fairly smoothly,another option, is using jack stands under the frame AND ADDITIONAL home made wood stands under the tires as a extra support or even in place of jack stands if they are properly designed, ...wood GLUED AND BOLTED TOGETHER
f250stands.jpg

transj1.jpg

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I still use the 12 ton jack stands but put those under the tires for an extra safety support
and 8 ft long 2x4" boards can be easily cut into 6, 16" lengths and you can cheaply make these really solid safety type supports,youll generally want to use 14 boards cut into 16" sections that makes 4 supports, to make 11"-15" tall safety supports, the ones in the picture above are only using 17 short boards each increasing that to a stack with one more layer or use of 20 boards makes it much easier to get access for us older fat guys on a mechanics creeper, you get 6 (approximately) 16" boards from a 8" boards
most of the time you can find 2" x 4" boards on sale for between $2-$2.50 each making 4 safety stands cost about $50
now if your like most guys you don,t do enough trans work to make spending big bucks on a quality transmission jack worth while but having a cheap import jack is not a bad deal if its only used occasionally, and if you keep in mind its always got at least a marginal potential to allow the transmission to drop.
I am never really at easy with a 120lb-230 lb transmission up in the air under a car but the jack stands allow access with a mechanics creeper and the jack makes lowering and raising the transmission far easier than having two guys just try to muscle it up into place while getting the bolts lined up
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http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reNum=6320

23073.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-low-profile-transmission-jack-60240.html

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http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-jac ... 34924.html

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http://www.harborfreight.com/800-lb-cap ... -3185.html

heres some better trans jacks

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDispl ... kw=AFF3171

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools ... 2godnFaOsw

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CHQQ8wIwAA

READ THESE THREADS
related thread

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=3553&p=9431&hilit=clutch+tool#p9431

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26



mounting the trans jack on casters helps also


I have found that having the car up on jack stands at about 22"-24" the use of a rolling tranny jack rather that trying to muscle the trans up into place while you bench press the trans is usually the best route

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=2400&p=6338&hilit=converter+alignment#p6338

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=98

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=969

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1404

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=11972&hilit=creeper#p11972

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1404

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=132

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=418&p=512&hilit=drop+light#p512

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=672
 
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most of us don,t have the cash or the constant need for a transmission jack, but many of us are forced to do repairs under cars using jack stands or just prefer to work on our backs on mechanics creepers when working on transmissions and clutches, I got a HF transmission jack like this first one posted below as an xmass gift ,about 12 years ago, and while I was not all that impressed, with its quality especially after using it, I must admit its continued to function and its been working reasonably well for several years now, while its certainly not up to what ID consider professional grade it will allow the home mechanic to get a transmission up aligned and installed.
When you go to install the muncie manual transmission, you'll obviously want the clutch disc lined up correctly with the clutch alignment tool, and the pressure plate bolted on the flywheel, then remove the alignment tool after the bell housings ready to properly install, ID start with a clutch disc alignment tool being removed once the then Id get the bell housing lined up, ID install two 3" long studs,
if you can,t find studs buy studs buy 3" bolts and cut the heads off and round off the tips to allow easy use
transstuds.jpg

that have the same thread as the muncie trans retention bolts in the bottom two bell housing bolt holes, so you could get the majority of the weight off the trans front and get the spline close to lining up, use the two top bolts to clamp in to the bell housing before removing the studs and replacing them with bolts,

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ools-diagnosing-clutch-issues.3553/#post-9431

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ectly-installing-bellhousings.584/#post-55596

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/muncie-spline-count.11255/#post-50852

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/trans-won-t-fully-seat.8164/#post-28342

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/clutch-fork-question.7852/#post-27090
http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... 69685.html

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26&p=21566&hilit=12ton#p21566

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=38649&hilit=mechanics+creeper#p38649
vettejack1c.jpg

the mechanics creepers and 12 ton jack stands , most of us should have give you plenty of room under the car, theres several options on trans jacks, floor jacks car support and safety stands the c-beam is generally removed along with the transmission and drive shaft during a clutch or transmission or converter change, even though I own a good auto lift I still tend to do many transmission jobs down at heights where a mechanics creeper , floor jack and low lift trans jack can be used

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http://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb-low ... 61232.html

the trans jack below will work in most cases rather well but its not all that impressively constructed in my opinion

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http://www.harborfreight.com/800-lb-low ... 69685.html
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this motor cycle lift can be used as a transmission jack and in my opinion is slightly better built than the 800 lb rated trans jack listed before this
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-Capacity-ATV-Motorcycle-Lift-60636.html

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https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-low-profile-transmission-jack-60240.html

the 2000 lb trans jack does not look all that impressive in the picture here but placed next to the other two above its clearly a heavier built more sturdy design,
while fairly expensive its probably the best value in a shop tool

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-low-profile-transmission-jack-60240.html
BOB purchased this one from HF and has used it on several clutch jobs and likes it and its certainly better than the first one above but after using the one listed last which is really not even really a transmission jack, but a lift of some kind that frank bought for his motor cycle that Ive used several times for transmission jobs theres NO QUESTION that if I get some spare cash and need a trans jack thats the route ILL go as its worked exceptionally well in that roll.
1500tr.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-li ... 60636.html

BTW the original factory castor wheels that came on it SUCK! so he bought 4 swivel casters ,(that added about $78 to the cost) , and mig welded them to some scrap 1/4 thick 4" square plates he welded to the bottom then drilled and bolted the casters on the bottom which vastly improved the lift jack
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-in-heavy ... 61648.html
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btw while its not aluminum its a decent floor jack for the price especially if you get the 20% off discount ticket price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-...vy-duty-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-68050.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-daytona-professional-steel-floor-jack-super-duty-63183.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided&utm_referrer=http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2359697
 
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