Removing transmission off of 4.0L

[91blueoval]

Just out of curiosity..I will be swapping manual transmissions on my 91' 4x4 and I know that the exaust runs right under the tranny. I don't have to pull the exaust do I, or can I move the transmission out without doing that?

 

[LittleHorse]

it can be done but it won't come out easy. You have to snake it around and find the magical angle to get it out from between the exhaust and the body.

While you have it out, hammer the flange flat against the firewall and it will make the job 10x easier the next time. I dont' think you'd be able to get the transmission back in without doing that anyway. you'll see the flange I'm talking about when you get down there.

 

[Randy960]

you'll see the flange I'm talking about when you get down there.

trust me, you'll feel the flange long before you see it. it's the thing that's going to cut up your hands and scratch your arms when you're trying to undo the bolts

 

[mjonesjr]

The transmission will come out, BUT going back in will NOT happen. My best recommendation is to either remove the y-pipe or cut it and re-weld it back on (I cut mine and welded it back in when I swapped my transmission).

 

[BlackBII]

I vote banging the body seam flat after you get the tranny out. It's the flange everyone is talking about. It makes it 10 times easier to get the tranny in and out later on.

 

[86ford]

The transmission will come out, BUT going back in will NOT happen. My best recommendation is to either remove the y-pipe or cut it and re-weld it back on (I cut mine and welded it back in when I swapped my transmission).

Incorrect, This issue can be avoided by undoing the radius arm cross member. It allows the engine to tilt so that the transmission has significantly more wiggle room.

86

 

[ati190]

+1 on 86, i posted this in another thread. Loosening of the body mounts, and jacking up the passengers side 4-6 inches may work also. However the Diameter of the 4.0 bellhousing is slightly bigger. There still should be ample room. 86's advice is best, if they are rusty.

 

[mjonesjr]

Incorrect, This issue can be avoided by undoing the radius arm cross member. It allows the engine to tilt so that the transmission has significantly more wiggle room.

86

The radius arm cross member wasn't there; I had extended radius arms installed when I did the swap. Not only was it not there, but the radius arm cross member has nothing to do with the engine.

When I swapped in the 4.0 M50D transmission into my '86, there was no way the transmission would clear the y-pipe going back in. I even beat the seam flat. The absolute only way for it to go back in was to get the y-pipe out of the way.

 

[ati190]

neg

 

[BlackBII]

Body mounts a little sagged, mjones?

 

[mjonesjr]

Body mounts a little sagged, mjones?

Nope.

 

[ati190]

Well you had a non-stock configuration. Maybe he does. If so, any of the above will work. The body mount way should work. You get a ton of room. Once the passenger side is jacked up 6 inches, that gives an additional 2 inches of room to work with between the trans, and body seam.

 

[rboyer]

This procedure is comparable to telling someone which brand oil to run. Any will work but each person has their own preference. My truck has no body lift, just a 6 inch suspension lift and I chose to not touch the body seam above the transmission every time I had it out of the truck. Why? Because i've done it so many times that it's more common to me than eating breakfast. The 6 inch body lift and 33 inch tires put it at just the right height where it doesn't need jacked up, just the wheels blocked and I can use my knees as a pivot point while I place my hands on the extension housing and maneuver the transmission. Remember though that this works for ME because it's the perfect working height comparable to the length of my legs etc. and any other one i've worked on would get jacked up to that height. One thing I can recommend without prejudice is that you don't do it on a lift without a transmission jack unless you're a bodybuilder with some extreme upper body strength!

 

[86ford]

Well you had a non-stock configuration. Maybe he does. If so, any of the above will work. The body mount way should work. You get a ton of room. Once the passenger side is jacked up 6 inches, that gives an additional 2 inches of room to work with between the trans, and body seam.

I do not like this method because of how much strain you could be putting on the steering, wires, body, etc. The reason pulling the radius arm cross member works is that it allows you to tilt the motor farther because the exhaust is no longer resting on the cross member.

86

 

[ati190]

I agree, the radius arm crossmember method is more practical. As for jacking up the passengers side, there is no stress being put on the steering, or wires for that matter Everything is coming up as a whole. Three body mounts need to be unbolted from passenger side. The ones on the drivers side are just loosened, and not removed. Think of a body lift. You are good up to 2 inches before any extensions are required..