Supporting Transmission when moving truck with pulled engine?

[avid]

I bought a 98 Mazda with engine problems (cracked heads) for the transmission and wheels mainly, but decided I like it better than my Ranger. So I'm going to be swapping the rebuilt 4.0 from my Ranger into it. Right now both are in the garage ready to pull the engines. I'll need to move them out of the garage to use the engine hoist and then move them back into the garage to work on them (there's a super-aggressive code enforcement dude here who seems to have made a hobby of trolling my neighborhood and the code is inoperable vehicles must be garaged, etc.,.).

So my question is this: I'll pull the old engine from the Mazda and then push it back into the garage for some period of time before pushing it back out to install the rebuilt engine. Do I need to do anything extra to support the transmission when moving it with the engine out? Anything I need to worry about there, of is the crossmember enough?

I have a transmission jack for when I get to mating it back up to the engine.

Thanks!

 

[franklin2]

You will have to support the transmission with a floor jack to get the engine loose. After that you can try letting it down, I never have moved the vehicle around with the transmission still in it.

As you let the floor jack down, you can judge what is happening. If things are not looking good you could possibly cut a 2x4 just right to sit across from inner fender to inner fender, and then use a rope, chain, piece of heavy wire to go from the bell on the trans to the 2x4 to support it.

 

[avid]

Thanks for the reply, Franklin2.

...I never have moved the vehicle around with the transmission still in it.

Yeah, this doesn't seem to be too common but I'm guessing people have been forced to do it occasionally. Search yielded no useful results.

As you let the floor jack down, you can judge what is happening. If things are not looking good...

Do you know what I should be looking for? Like could it damage the connection to the transfer case, or pull electrical connections off, or damage the bottom of the transmission, or something else I'm not thinking of?

(I will lock in the torque converter to keep it from falling out).

 

[Curious Hound]

2x4s across the frame and/or ratchet straps in some configuration.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I usually put a ratchet strap around the top of the frame rails and hook to the bottom and under the bellhousing part of the transmission to give the best leverage. The crossmember is NOT enough since it's way at the back

 

[avid]

Thanks guys for the replies.

...The crossmember is NOT enough since it's way at the back

Ah, this makes sense. I'm sure I would have figured this out once I had it all disconnected but knowing in advance what the issue will be lets me plan for how to deal with it.

A Ratchet Strap seems like the way to go since the truck will be moved and a two-by might jostle loose.

 

[pjtoledo]

gotta luv "code enforcement dudes"

any assortment of bars, pipes, boards and supporting things like ratchet straps, chains, or even long J hooks will work.
something adjustable works best.

as Scotts mentioned, loop the strap over the top of the frame rail for the best angle. across the bottom will sag too much under pressure.

 

[franklin2]

Thanks for the reply, Franklin2.



Yeah, this doesn't seem to be too common but I'm guessing people have been forced to do it occasionally. Search yielded no useful results.



Do you know what I should be looking for? Like could it damage the connection to the transfer case, or pull electrical connections off, or damage the bottom of the transmission, or something else I'm not thinking of?

(I will lock in the torque converter to keep it from falling out).

I would suspect the shifter might be the first thing to be damaged.

 

[Curious Hound]

Or...

Have your wife lay on the creeper underneath and support it like doing bench presses. Don't forget to tell her she needs to scoot along with it while you push the truck around.

 

[RobbieD]

Don't forget to tell her she needs to scoot along with it while you push the truck around.

C'mon, man; show her that you can be a romantic.

Loan her your creeper.

 

[Brain75]

+1 to ratchet straps - should stay with it anywhere when you move it around the neighborhood... don't know that I would tow it 900 miles with just a ratchet strap, but it beats baling wire.

 

[Curious Hound]

C'mon, man; show her that you can be a romantic.

Loan her your creeper.

I'm using it.

 

[JoshT]

Another vote for the rachet strap.

Given that you'll be moving it around, I'd probably get the driveshaft out of the way too. With that you won't be having it shift it through gears to roll and won't have to worry about the pumps trying to circulate fluid (aka dumping it on the driveway). Also less likely for the torque converter to fall out if it's not turning while rolling the truck. If 2wd, unbolt the rear of the driveshaft from the axle and use another strap to hold it up, that way it keeps the tailshaft sealed up. If 4wd, do the same or remove it completely.

 

[avid]

Another vote for the rachet strap.

Given that you'll be moving it around, I'd probably get the driveshaft out of the way too. With that you won't be having it shift it through gears to roll and won't have to worry about the pumps trying to circulate fluid (aka dumping it on the driveway). Also less likely for the torque converter to fall out if it's not turning while rolling the truck. If 2wd, unbolt the rear of the driveshaft from the axle and use another strap to hold it up, that way it keeps the tailshaft sealed up. If 4wd, do the same or remove it completely.

Ah, I didn't think about this. Good call. I don't want to do all this. Now I'm rethinking the whole plan. Maybe I'll just need to leave the engine/lower block in the Mazda until I have the rebuilt ready to install. Then get the Mazda out of the garage, pull the old engine and put in the rebuilt all in one go without moving the Mazda at all. Plus I can just leave the transmission jack under the transmission. Yeah, I think that's the way.

 

[avid]

Or...

Have your wife lay on the creeper underneath and support it like doing bench presses. Don't forget to tell her she needs to scoot along with it while you push the truck around.

No, I need her to push while I "steer."