I made about a thread about removing to transmission from my 78 f100 with a 351m and c6 about a year ago. I just now got around to buying a tranny and I'm ready to get it installed. I do not have access to a lift or transmission jack, but I do have the help of another person. I need help with how to install the torque converter onto the shaft correctly, and the best way to actually stab the tranny. Also, I don't believe I have any kickdown linkage at all. Any guidance is appreciated. Thank you

 

The converter slips onto the input and pump shaft. Once you slip in on, lift the converter while pushing, and it should go the rest of the way.
When you get to putting it in, if the converter isn't all of the way in causing the transmission to not meet the engine, you'll need to reseat the converter again by lifting and pushing, and then lifting and pushing again. If it's a lock up, it might require another lift and push.

As far as lifting it into place, two people miiiiiight be able to get it home, but you'd probably still need a third to put in the bolts. And someone needs to be sure that the converter studs line up with the holes in the flexplate.

You can use cinder blocks and build them up under the truck, to where they hold the transmission in a spot where it can be hefted into place.
Better yet, if you use a piece of plywood to make a table top for the block structure, you could set the transmission on a creeper, and have easy fore-and-aft movement.

If it's a 4WD or was a 4 speed, you can remove the transmission cover plate on the cab floor, and run the boom of an engine hoist, if you have one, inside the cab to lift the transmission from the top!

 

Ratchet straps between the frame rails and blocks of wood or cinder on which to rest the transmission between ratchet strap re-spools. I lower/raise transmissions myself to/from the floor from the jack all the time this way and there's no reason that the whole job can't be done that way. Just watch your fingers!

I did an NP205 that way in a pickup that was lifted 21" with 49" tires.

 

Well it looks like I might not have the help I thought I did

I'm interested in the ratchet strap idea. I'm a little confused though. I would need two ratchet straps total? And what's the best way to get the transmission onto the blocks in the first place?

If all all else fails, I'll try to secure the tranny to a regular floor jack and weasel it in there myself.

Thank you both for the info

 

Long alignment bolts with the heads cut off? Standard trans trick in pic, same concept might work for an auto?

The ratchet strap trick or, I have heard of a rope tied off to the frame and then routed to lift the trans as pulled.

Lift, stack wood, lift, stack wood ect...

2" or 4" PVC pipe and you can slide about what ever around under there.

Why not just go rent a trans jack? Or ask around in your Oregon state chapter and see if a fellow FTE member has one to lend out?

 

Rent a jack.
Or buy one from harbor freight when they are on sale.

 

Does anyone know where to rent one? I looked and it looks like no auto parts stores rent them out. I might be wrong?

 

Tool rental place. Sunbelt near me had one in their pamphlet, but I couldn't tell which style, and they didn't have one in the store.

 

I just use a length of 2x12 and some plywood under the pan on a regular floor jack. It's a little sketchy, but I've never dropped one and I've R&R'd at least a dozen tranny that way. Ratchet straps between the frame rails to help hold it in place once it's up and close. Gotta be on asphalt, or preferably concrete, so the jack rolls easily. A couple stacked pieces of plywood might work on dirt.

 

Use youtube to show you how to seat the convertor properly.

 

Get a transmisson Jack and a helper! Something goes wrong you or the transmission gets hurt. I know!

 

Well I worked on it for a while today. My floorjack crapped out on me, so I had to borrow a neighbors. I got the truck up on jackstands. I was able to use the jack to wheel it under, and then use a combination of jack and ratchet straps to get it close. I made the beginner mistake of not putting the torque converter in before getting it close to mating with the engine I was able to shimmy it for enough to get it onto the shaft. I'm fairly sure I got it all the way on. It clunked twice I believe. I heard that the hub has to be behind the front part of the bell housing connection and it is.

Now ow I just have to bring it up the last 3-4 inches to get it into place, then bolt it in place. The work I got done went easier than I expected. I'm sure the last 3 inches will be living hell haha.

Ill update when I get more progress done.

 

Good luck! And if the trans doesn't want to go that last 1/8th of an inch, don't force it with the trans-to-block bolts. Check that your converter is still fully engaged and that its studs are lining up with the holes in the flex plate.

 

2X on this, I bent the converter doing the C4 in my '65 Mustang by using the bolts to close the gap caused by the converter not being seated. It does sound like you got it fully seated but all that banging around under there could knock it forward a bit.


Good job getting it that close by yourself! I put mine in by myself but I have a concrete drive and was using a transmission jack. It's way harder without a jack, at least for this old man.

Michael

 

Yes, I'll definitely make sure the converter is on correctly. I noticed there are quite a few holes in the flex place, which ones are the converter studs supposed to go in? Also, which bellhousing bolts and easiest to put in for the first bolts once the tranny is mated?