Removing transmission off of 4.0L

[AllanD]

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.

Ahhhh... Wrong.

The radius arm crossmember has an awful lot to to with the engine, because what stops the engine and the Y-pipe that is usually bolted to it from drooping is the radius arm bracket.

the 4.0 Engine can only droop so far before the Y-pipe is resting against the Radius arm crossmember. the 2.9 engine the upper intake manifold hits the firewall (actually the wiper linkage access cover) limiting droop.

I made my radius arm brackets removeable long ago for that EXACT reason.

with my most recent transmission removal removing the radius arm bracket would not have helped, first I'm running a lift (Highrider) Radius arm bracket
that's already spaced 1.5" below normal AND I have a 1" body lift on new mounts AND I am no longer running a stock Y-pipe... this last one was the one that put toothmarks
in my ass.
The Y-pipe that comes with my Borla Headers and it fits much more closely to the bottom of the bellhousing, so even with the body lift and the radius arm drop I still don't have room without removing the Y-pipe.

Formerly, I was able to remove a stock y-pipe from a 4.0 truck with
a similar lift and radius arm bracket.

I have 2.5" more clerance than the average guy with unsagged
body mounts and if it weren't for that Borla Y-pipe I could have
the trans down without touching a thing.

the thing that bugs me most is that I'm STILL chasing an exhaust leak
on the drivers side.... which I'm about to go outside to do battle with because it's really pissing me off...

AD