Removing transmission bolts

[Cooper40]

Hey guys,

So I am removing the transmission first before pulling the engine and I am having a hard time getting to the top left bolt. I know it seems like an easy task, removing four bolts.

There are four bolts that I'm aware of bolted to the bell housing. I could easily get three of them but the top one on the lefthand side is proving to be difficult. I have a 49 Plymouth. I don't think the floorboard is removable, otherwise I would get it from the top. 

I cant fit a wrench or a socket up and around the bolt. It's very close but doesn't fit. 

Anything I'm missing? Or do i simply need to just keep trying haha. 

[Tom Skinner]

Cooper40,

I take it your floor pan is in place thus the tight spot. There is a Starter Wrench I believe is 5/8" that might help shaped like a half round that might fit up there if that is the size bolt.

Other than that when I removed my Tranny to do a Clutch job I removed the front floor pan. It is tight up under there. Watch your fingers, I knocked my index finger nail right off prying around down there. That really hurt.

Tom

[joecoozie]

?

 

Edited May 31 by joecoozie
Irrelevant

[Sniper]

Those spring looking extensions don't work on tight bolts.

 

My suggestion, when I was teaching my son things, is that you take the hard bolt out first, that way you aren't fighting with the part trying to fall off on you when you're dealing with the hard bolt.  Not too sure that applies here though.

 

Take the floor pan out.

[Cooper40]

@joecoozie I have some of those swivel sockets but they wouldn't fit.

I think I'll do what @Sniper is suggesting take the floor pan out. Seems like the only way. I'll remove the driverside panel and see if I can get access.

Edited May 30 by Cooper40

[Sniper]

6 minutes ago, Cooper40 said:

I have some of those swivel sockets

What Joe listed are not swivel sockets.  That is a universal joint and a regular socket.  This is a swivel socket

 

[Los_Control]

Seriously there is so much work you can do from the top, makes everything so much smoother for us old folks .... I would not even consider doing the job without first pulling the floor pans.

Do everything I can from the top then crawl under and get the rest.

 

My truck needed a new floor pan installed, so I had the toe boards out, transmission cover out, then I rough cut the floor pan out .... It was so nice having all that access to everything underneath .... I hated to actually weld in the new floor and lose the access.

[kencombs]

this is the only swivel socket type I’ve found that really works.  Others are just ujoints and just flop around 

[Cooper40]

Thanks @kencombs I think I'm going to remove the access panel and do it that. Like everyone's saying, it's easier.

[Ivan_B]

Alternatively, since you are taking the engine out, you can try to undo the mounts and tilt it with the lift so that the transmission drops down, a bit, allowing more access from underneath. Make sure that you do not hurt yourself working with heavy equipment, though.

Also, if you take the nose apart, pulling the engine and transmission together is soo much more convenient... That's what they did at the assembly line 😉

[D35 Torpedo]

It takes me like 35-45 mins to pull the trans. Really easy, no need to pull the floor pan. That particular bolt can be reached with a wrench, but I use a 3/8ths socket on a long extension. 

[Cooper40]

@D35 Torpedo So are you coming in from on top of the transmission under the car parallel to the floor? I didn't think you could fit anything between the floor and the transmission.

[D35 Torpedo]

On 5/31/2024 at 2:36 AM, Cooper40 said:

@D35 Torpedo So are you coming in from on top of the transmission under the car parallel to the floor? I didn't think you could fit anything between the floor and the transmission.

Yes I do. It's tight, but works fine. The first time or two, I did it with a wrench.

Edited June 1 by D35 Torpedo

[D35 Torpedo]

One other to mention, the condition of your rear engine mounts may affect the likely hood of using a ratchet. 

[greg g]

Had the center floor out when I swapped in the od.  If I remember, I ground the out side of a cheap deep socket, a wig wag and long extensions.  When I bolted the new unit in, I bought allen head cap bolts with washers. This made getting the threads started easy.

[Cooper40]

I ended up getting the bolt loose with a bunch of extensions between the transmission and floor. Glad I don't have to remove the floor! 

[Los_Control]

@greg gwould you even consider doing the job without removing the toe boards and transmission cover?

 

Just my impression the original poster does not want to ..... thats fine, I just never would consider the job without removing them.

[greg g]

As Larry of Larry, Larry and Darell said, " I looked at it from the top side and I looked at it from the bottom side.  I have concluded its best that panel comes out to remove that tranzmichion"!

 

 

Just sorry Darrell couldn't save the rubber floor mat.

[chrysleritis]

Yeah, just did this job. I used a box-end wrench from below, and didn't have a lot of swing room, but it came loose just fine. No kind of socket would fit up there, and I'm putting off pulling the floor panels till later. I find that prep work under the car up on jack stands saves a lot of time and effort. Get the car up as high as safely possible, get plenty of light under there, bring plenty of tools with you under the car, use a good creeper, etc.  And of course, the admonition to remove the pain in the ass fastener first so that the last one, which may be holding up the heavy part, is an easy one to do.