A crappy task

[joesregalproject]

Looks like a good writeup Mark. I just did a clutch job on my Ford truck in early fall, I heaved the M5OD and BW1356 transfer case in and out on my back. I don't have a transmission jack and the trans is round on the bottom so I couldn't get it on a floor jack without it falling off.

This heavy awkward b*st*rd-

 

[Bonnewagon]

Joe- YIKES! The transfer case too?!? That is one heavy SOB. I hope you placed a sheet of plywood on your chest to protect yourself if it slipped. I still get pain in my ribs from an old goof. Anyway I got the car up higher and changed the blocks to vertical. I also placed a plank under each wheel to spread the load. It was kind of shakey getting it up that high but I managed it without losing control. Looks safer, yes? Then I began to take the trans apart. First thing I did was pull the speedo gear carrier out and peek inside. The gear is there and even the clip. It looks like the gear was forced off the clip and out of engagement with the driven gear. I tried prying it back into place but it would not budge. So total disassembly is indicated. When you take the side cover off be sure to keep the shifter linkage bolts in place tight. That way the shifter forks cannot get loose and cause more work than is necessary. It also makes it easy to use a 9/16" wrench to place the trans in neutral for disassembly. I got the side cover and input shaft cover off and was taking the tail housing apart when it got dark and I called it quits. Is there anything worse than peeling apart perfectly good gaskets?!?

 

[joesregalproject]

Joe- YIKES! The transfer case too?!? That is one heavy SOB. I hope you placed a sheet of plywood on your chest to protect yourself if it slipped.

Mark, it came out as one piece and went back in separately. The weight wasn't an issue as much as the awkward shape was. I didn't even think of protecting myself, I was more worried cracking the case if I dropped it. Just goes to show how back-assward my priorities are...

 

[Bonnewagon]

Joe I used to think that way too. Then one time the transmission slipped and landed on my chest. OUCH!!! To this day if I sleep in a certain position I wake up with my ribs aching like it just happened. After that I began using a plywood plank on my chest "just in case". Of course it never slipped again but the damage was done. As my late father-in-law used to say- "Ve get too soon oldt- unt too late schmartd!".

 

[DRIVEN]

"Ve get too soon oldt- unt too late schmartd!".

Too true

 

[64nailhead]

Please tell me your parking brake works.

I can't watch - after losing a couple of fingers and having them reattached I can't look at anyone sticking themselves, or any part of themselves, in harms way.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Yes, it works terrific. All new cables and I protected the rub spots. I too have lot of scars and aches. See the above quote.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Jackstands are relatively inexpensive and take less room to store than concrete blocks. I would hate to lose a fellow G body fan to the use of unpredictable materials.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I have those too. Some big ones. But I am more scared with the car on those for some reason. But what I do is while under there I position stands in critical spots "just in case". Actually the best thing I felt safe with is some 1' x 1' x 3' square timbers, very stable. But even being treated wood they get old and less trustworthy. I had a boat roll over with the timbers so I have been using cement blocks since then and they are much less wobbly.

 

[DRIVEN]

Geez guys, lighten up. Where's your sense of adventure? I never felt more alive than the time I tethered my hand under the weight of a car while home alone and had to figure out how to get free. That's next level problem solving, right there.