04 F-150 trans removal

[85_Ranger4x4]

Heritage 4.2 V6, M5OD 5 speed manual and 4wd. Any pointers pulling the trans in a JY enviroment?

I have pulled t-cases in a JY but never a t-case and a trans. Looking at my '02 DD (5.4 w/ automatic) it looks like a pretty good PITA to get it out with the torsion bar stuff right in the middle of everything.

 

[adsm08]

On that body, my advice is a resounding "fawk that $h!t".

The torsion bars have to be removed to remove the engine cross member. In the shop for doing a clutch we would just slide the trans back far enough to access everything, or dip the trans down in the front and take it out under the engine.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So you have to get the engine crossmember out to get the trans to go back thru the tunnel to remove it? Or can you tip it down enough to remove it? I need to go look under my '02 again...

Is it possible to pull the trans with the engine then?

I hate doing this kind of crap in a JY but I have been looking for a 5 speed for 4 years, they are hard to find in the configuration I want.

 

[adsm08]

I think the engine crossmember can stay in place. The real issue is that the trans crossmember doesn't come out nicely. If you have no objections to slice 'n dice and a cordless saw you can just hack the center out of that.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have no objections but the signs say no power saws... and I don't have a cordless one anyway.

I think they can cut stuff for you though, worth checking into.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Unbolted the torsion bar crossmember and the bars were stuck in the levers. My Sr. Master soon to be father in law went on a walk around the yard while I pulled the 4wd linkage out. He came back, grabbed my 16oz ball peen beating stick and gave the crossmember four good whacks just inboard of the torsion bar. Hands me the hammer and says "see how your side goes". Four more whacks and another big hunk of metal fell out.

It ain't out yet, just the t-case and bell housing left though. Truck is crusty but aside from questionable engineering it ain't going too bad.