Redmond49 Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 (edited) I need to drop my transmission to take it for rebuild. Is there anything I should know before I do this to avoid problems? I haven't done this before. Edited November 3, 2018 by Redmond49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 I'd check the uni joints or ball & trunion joints, clutch & pressure plate while I was down there, also check the rear mounts on either side of the bellhousing as they tend to soften with exposure to oil and sheer weight after many years........also check the gear linkages and the parking brake band for wear as well..........drain the oil before removal of the gearbox and make sure to install a gasket between the box and bellhousing on installation................yrs ago I decided to remove the driveshaft, undid the flange bolts at each end, the flange jambed in the recess...........undid the gearbox.......with the extra shaft weight the gearbox hung on the clutch.........so as the original intent was to remove the engine I did just that.........lol..........engine to driveshaft in one long sausage...........lol..........once out the offending pieces all came apart quite easily however it was a salutary lesson for a 15yr old......I was young & silly.........lol.........not young any more.........regards from Oz...........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldguy48 Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 My suggestion is to get someone to help you. The transmission is hefty enough to be a challenge for just one person. Recruit a helper to slide it back and lower it to the ground. I've done it by myself in the past...but an extra pair of hands makes the job so much easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkestes41 Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 I would say Don't drop it. Especially on your toes. Oldguy48 is right. They are a wee bit heavy. The center floorboard section of my 48 had been welded in place by some knucklehead in the past so I had to do everything from under the car. One thing I found when putting the transmission back in by my self was using all thread as guides. I got a long piece of all thread from one of the big box home stores that was the same size as the bolt that hold the trans to the bellhousing. Cut it into four pieces and screwed them into the bellhousing mounting holes. That allowed me to lift the trans with my floor jack with some wood to stabilize it and slide the trans over the all thread using it as a guide to align the input shaft into the throwout bearing. Once the trans has seated against the bellhousing put double nuts on one piece of the all thread and use that to back it out of the bellhousing so that you can install one of the mounting bolts. Repeat the process for the rest of the all thread and bolts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Why do you think your transmission needs to be rebuilt? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redmond49 Posted November 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Hey Don - When the motor is running, and the transmission is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is in it's normal position, there is a rumbly whirring noise from the car that sounds like a bearing is gone or going. When I depress the clutch pedal all the way, the noise goes away. When the car is in any gear and being driven, the noise is not present. It's only there when the clutch pedal is released and the car is in neutral. I ran these symptoms by the internets, a friend, and a guy at a transmission shop (the shop does work on old transmissions). The initial suggestion was to check to see if the transmission had oil in it. It did - very, very dirty oil. But it was full and a fresh batch of gear oil made no difference. The transmission shop guy told me that based on the symptoms, it does not sound like a clutch problem; I think he thought its a worn input shaft bearing or some other issue in the transmission. So that's why I'm thinking about doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Redmond.........I'd be checking the throwout bearing before dropping the trans off...........but I am no expert...............lol.........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torqczar Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 +1 on the throwout bearing and check bearing retainer.. check clutch free travel.. also with a bad transmission bearing, you would have other problems.. as for removing trans, I put floor jack under trans in line. so the jack can roll back. wiggle transmission, slide it back , lower, wiggle transmission, slide it back , lower, for extra insurance place many short 2x4s around jack, in case you can't control the crash .. roll it off the jack.. drag it out ... I put them in the same way... slow and calculated is best .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 match mark the driveshaft so to eliminate possibility of inducing vibrations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 Its the clutch return spring in place as pictured and is the free play adjusted correctly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAubuchon Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 throw out bearing, you still have to take out the transmission, while your at it replace the pilot bushing. threaded guides will help a lot. Also make sure when you jack the car up, try and make it as level as possible. Removing, unbolt and un hook, I slid a floor jack under it from the year, put a little pressure on it and pulled it . Repeat the process for reinstall. top tansmission you will need a 5/8 socket with swivel and a 12-18 inch extension. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kencombs Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, Don Coatney said: Its the clutch return spring in place as pictured and is the free play adjusted correctly? Good question Don! 'Cause if that spring is in place, and free play adjusted correctly, the TO bearing should not be moving at all in the situation the OP described. 12 hours ago, Redmond49 said: Hey Don - When the motor is running, and the transmission is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is in it's normal position, there is a rumbly whirring noise from the car that sounds like a bearing is gone or going. When I depress the clutch pedal all the way, the noise goes away. When the car is in any gear and being driven, the noise is not present. It's only there when the clutch pedal is released and the car is in neutral. I ran these symptoms by the internets, a friend, and a guy at a transmission shop (the shop does work on old transmissions). The initial suggestion was to check to see if the transmission had oil in it. It did - very, very dirty oil. But it was full and a fresh batch of gear oil made no difference. The transmission shop guy told me that based on the symptoms, it does not sound like a clutch problem; I think he thought its a worn input shaft bearing or some other issue in the transmission. So that's why I'm thinking about doing this. In the above situation the only things in motion are the Main Drive Gear, Cluster Gear and the bearings that pilot the Mainshaft into the Main Drive Gear. If there is not noise when driving, the gear teeth are probably OK. So, I'd suspect the MDG bearing, Cluster bearings or the mainshaft/MDG pilot area. As far a removing the trans, it is easier than a lot of cars that age since the rear mounts are on the clutch housing, not under the trans like brand F, and open drive shaft, unlike Brand C. As others stated, remove driveshaft, linkage and attaching bolts. Then withdraw from the clutch housing. Depending on your work environment and strength, a jack or helper may be necessary. Just be sure not to literally DROP the trans. Makes knots on you head, DAMHIKT! Edited November 4, 2018 by kencombs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 (edited) I used a Harbor Freight transmission jack. Better than just a floor jack. The transmission jack has a strap, to keep the transmission from rolling off, especially important with the heavy semi-automatic. The jack also has an angle adjustment, to help line up the transmission. The jack has to raise the transmission as the transmission is drawn to the bell housing. Using all-thread to help line up the transmission is a good idea. I used bolts with the heads cut off. As I remember, the semi-automatic has limited bolt space, so I was switching long and short bolts as I used the bolts to draw the transmission to the bell housing. Edited November 4, 2018 by DonaldSmith typo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 I have done countless transmission removals without any jack assistance. I simply laid under the transmission on my chest and bench pressing it in and out. But I was a lot younger in those days. I once did an R&R of the transmission in this International 1600 series truck with no jack assist. After I installed the T-5 in my car I had remove it a couple of times. I discovered that I could remove it from the bell housing and park it with the transmission tail stock wedged between the exhaust pipe crossover and the floorboard never having to drop it all the way to the ground. I would like to say this was by design but it just happened to work that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 I used to do them the same way Don, including automatics but for some reason I find there's less and less room under the car for both me and the transmission. Manual trans aren't so bad but those autos with the built in bellhousings take up a lot of space. I balance them on a floor jack now and make sure my fingers and hands are not under them in case they slip off the jack. My old F 250 transmission would slide back far enough and wedge on the cross member far enough to change the clutch. As far as a tip, I use a couple of guide pins if possible. Mine are bolts with the head cut off and I cut a slot in the end of the pins for a screwdriver to assist in removal, taper the end of the pin a bit also. and make one maybe 1/2 inch shorter than the other so I don't have to catch them both at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_shel_ny Posted November 5, 2018 Report Share Posted November 5, 2018 (edited) I second the use of guide pins to assist with removal and installation. That, and a little platform for your floor jack if you do not have a transmission jack. Makes it a 1 person job. And don't leave out that gasket that prevents leaking from the open hole. Use your camera before, and as you proceed with the removal. Edited November 5, 2018 by _shel_ny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted November 5, 2018 Report Share Posted November 5, 2018 Convertible "X" frame cars are a very tight fit....not a straight in job, cannot use guide pins either..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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