I took today off work so I have 3 days to work on it this weekend...

I gotta fix a broken TC bolt and replace the flexplate (finallly) so the tranny's ocming back out of it again... I figure, while I'm in there I could change out the neutral safety switch and plugs I got from FLT with the trans...

-wish me luck, I'm going to try to get it all done up today. I'll try to take some pics of the broken ****. (I just hope I dont find anything else in there.)

 

Good luck

 

to do that you dont have to pull the tranny. Go get some 3/8 all thread (threaded rod) from napa or whoever and cut two pieces about 7 or 8 inches long. take the drive shaft loose at the rear end take the frame side bolts out of the cross member on both sides. Now remove the two bolts on either side of the trans (these bolts will be the ones on the far left and the far right) Take the 3/8 rod and put it in the holes left where the bolts were I didnt do it but you can put a nut on either end of both pieces of all thread. Now remove all of the other trans bolts. The top one is going to be a pain in the butt. once you have the bolts out take a rubber hammer and beat the crap out of the bellhousing to unstick it. Just slide the trans back on the all thread cross member and all. The all thread will support the trans in front while keeping it aligned, and the crossmember will hold it up in the back. This will give you ample room to change a flexplate or whatever.

This is a lot easier than pulling the trans. You want kill your back either.

 

you think I'll have to drop the Y pipe for this??? I have never heard of it done this way... just looking around in there I'd think you'd have to drop it because of the top of the bell housing hitting the tunnel and not allowing you to go back any farther.

 

I'm confused...you're talking about removing the bellhousing bolts and replacing those with all thread? Aren't those metric?

Your procedure description is very hard to understand?

 

thats what I was thinking... I think I'll just drop it.. I have all day, a lift, and pretty much unlimited tools. if I run into problems I still have tomorrow to finish up. I'll just sit the tranny on a jack under the truck and swap flexplates and re-install with the new converter bolts. anyone know the Tq spec off hand on the flexplate?... now I need a 3" pipe sweller to put my Y pipe back together once its all over with.... looks like its going to be a fund day... I'll be starting in about an hour.

 

http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?category=1

 

This makes perfect sense and a damn fine idea. Yes the bolts are metric but 3/8-16 threaded bolt will screw in, not perfect but work. Heck I use 3/8 bolts to hold all gen3 engines on engine stands in my shop. They work fine.

 

I aggree. what he is saying is unbolt the tranny fromt the motor. the road will actually still hold it up you have, however long you cut the rod, to move the tranny and get your hands in thier. Just think of sliding the bellhousing and tranny back 7-8" or however long you want, as long as you still support the read I would see the rod holding.

I know I use 3/8" rod to hang my cor-drills on walls when cor-drilling on a jobsite, I will suspend 100-125 lbs on a 3/8x8"piece of all thread with 2" in a drop in anchor in the concrete.

 

Sorry It didnt make alot of sense. I had just woke up. All the all thread is for is to keep the tranny lined up so you dont have to do it with a jack and fight with it to make the bolt holes line up. The tranny keeps it alignment with the motor only it is 6 to 8 inched back. The weight of the tranny is supported somewhat by the allthread and mostly by the cross member. This is also a quick and sleazy way to change a torque converter. I am just trying to make life a little easier.