How to install/remove a transmission using a mid-rise scissors lift

thehackmechanic

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I figured it out. I thought I'd figured it out years ago, but this method is much better.You need a scissors lift table, four milk crates, a 4' x 2' board, and a 2x4 to cut up. It's trivial. It's brilliant. I've had my one "eureka moment" that will need to last me another 55 years.

I may recreate the post here, but I have the photographs all embedded nice and pretty in my blog.

http://thehackmechanic.blogspot.com/2013/11/removing-installinga-transmission-using.html
 

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Yet another way

I figured it out. I thought I'd figured it out years ago, but this method is much better.You need a scissors lift table, four milk crates, a 4' x 2' board, and a 2x4 to cut up. It's trivial. It's brilliant. I've had my one "eureka moment" that will need to last me another 55 years.

I may recreate the post here, but I have the photographs all embedded nice and pretty in my blog.

http://thehackmechanic.blogspot.com/2013/11/removing-installinga-transmission-using.html

I used to just jack the car way up on stands (20", as high as my jackstands go). Pull the distrib, loosen the engine mounts and tilt it back till just about kisses the firewall. Then the trans can be unbolted and removed purely by hand while you are lying under the car. They aren't all that heavy and are manageble without any type of transmission lift or jack. Slide it out, roll to one side and deposit the trans onto the floor. Installation is the reverse. Just lift it up with both arms and wiggle it around till the input shaft slips into the clutch splines and input bearing. The only downside is that it "hangs" for a moment till you insert and tighten one of the upper bolts. If you're concerned this will damage the pilot bearing, use a floor jack with a 2x10 loosely bolted to the saddle and a nylon belt clamp holding the trans to the 2x10.
 
I was taught to lay down and roll it on top then the press up.
You gotta have faith.
 
Nice to have a bit of mechanical advantage to lift the trans up to an engine that's tilted back, esp. if you are doing the job alone. Then you can roll around and chase after the bolt you dropped when it runs under the jack stand.

Bench pressing the trans is okay too, if you gots the upper body strength to hold it up there, but if one doesn't do this often, it's nice to not have to get it right immediately.
 
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