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Pulling transmission with a lift

DWinTX

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I have to pull the 727 out my 65 Coronet. Fortunately I have a lift and high trans jack, but I've never pulled a trans with a lift before. How do you support the rear of the engine? On the ground I could put a jack, blocks or whatever is around and will hold the weight. But what do I use when it's 6 ft in the air?

Doing some searching on the web I found someone say they just let the pan sit on the drag link. Seems like that would be a lot of weight on it. What do you think?
 
The motor mounts are still in it, I don't see a problem putting some weight on the draglink.
Just cut a block of wood to fit in there.
 
Let it rest on the center link. Will make it much easier putting the trans back in with the engine tilted down.
 
If the exhaust system is left in place, the pipes provide some resistance to the engine tilting rearward very much. Resting on the center link seems like a hack move. At the very least place a towel or thin block of wood between the two. Me? I used a tall jackstand from Harbor Freight.
 
I have a BlackHawk single post screw jack. It was the first thing I bought after the lift.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200318715_200318715
$99

I actually have two of those that I put on either end of the car when it's up, just for extra safety. This lift (2-post) is new to me and I'm still getting used to being under there. But, I want to lower the car after I get the trans out. May take me a couple weeks to get it back together.
 
If the exhaust system is left in place, the pipes provide some resistance to the engine tilting rearward very much. Resting on the center link seems like a hack move. At the very least place a towel or thin block of wood between the two. Me? I used a tall jackstand from Harbor Freight.

Yes, there will be a block of wood. I didn't really mean directly on the link.
 
There is not really much weight and the exhaust will hold up a lot. A 2x4 between the center link and pan will work, but you can't turn the steering. There are bars that straddle the fenderwells that you can support the back of the engine with. I think they were designed for front wheel drive cars.
 
Put rag on the center link and move on. Or you can use a strap under the pan and around the tb’s.
 
With stock motor mounts, I used the 2x4 between the drag link & the pan.
 
You can use a wood 2x4 or a steel bar dropped across the top of the fender aprons inside the engine compartment. Bolt a chain to an unused hole in the rear, ( back of the head for example), wrap the chain around the wood/bar and slip a bolt through the chain links to form a loop around the bar. Once you drop the trans mount the chain will tighten and support the rear, while giving better access to the upper bolts.
 
Oh, if using a steel bar, sit it on a piece of wood on each fender apron to protect the apron itself.
 
Center link is fine. Even with a motor plate it'll come down. Two bigger issues. make sure you are either VERY careful or secure the trans to the jack. Especially when removing the converter if the trans is still on the jack. 2nd , my jack doesn't go down far enough to lift the trans off. I use a strap connected to the trans wrapped around a lift arm. Raise the lift and pick the trans off the jack. Then lower the lift to where you want the trans.
Doug
 
I had the same problem with my transmission jack - it only lowered the 727 down to chest height. I put my arms under it with the expectation of lifting it off in a sort of modified bear hug and lifted up with my legs and torso and all that happened was I went ugghhhh - nothing. Then I went to look to see what an A727 weighed and after I found out I rigged up a side boom off of my 4-poster to lift it off.

IMG_3820_zps63ctoszk.jpg


Also worked up this little sled rig to hold the housing once I started loading parts into it and to assist with moving it around and laying it down on a furniture dolly to lift it back on the jack hoist.

IMG_3819_zpsyl34hnbc.jpg
 
Where there's a will, there's a way, right? :thumbsup:

I got it out yesterday. Used the wood blocks on the apron with a couple of lengths of angle iron, taped together to create a "boxed" bar, across them. Then used some straps through the back runners of the intake and around the bar. It sorta worked. The angle iron was what I had around, but it wasn't thick enough to prevent some bending. So the engine did rest to some degree on the center link.

All worked out OK though. Got it out, dropped the car, then used a bottle jack and 2x4 block to brace the block until I get the tranny done (new seals). Man, using the lift and tranny jack was soooo nice, compared to laying on my back under a car on jack stands a foot and a half off the ground. Just the process of disconnecting everything was so much easier. I'm 60 years old and just couldn't do it anymore. Wish I bought it years ago.

BTW, if anyone is looking for a good transmission jack, I recommend the Sunex 7793b. That thing was stable as hell. The 727 didn't bother it at all.
 
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