The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Pulling 4-Speed Transmission. It's all coming back.

I removed the drive line in advance of pulling the 4-speed tranny. The shop manual says to remove the top 2 bolts and screw in 2 guide pins. A guide pin on the driver's side is no problem but I can't see how to get a guide pin in the passenger's side.

On the pass side, there are 2 unused raised threaded holes in the casting. I think these were to attach a hand parking brake on a 1-ton. That slot in the tranny cover reinforces the idea of the hand brake. One of these protuberances blocks the screwing in of any guide pin. My 3/4-T has the foot parking brake pedal.

1. Can I use the bottom bolt holes for guide pins? Are guide pins really necessary?

2. I had planned to rent a tranny jack. Would a big floor jack be OK?

Full disclosure: I pulled the tranny 17 years ago and I can't remember what I did! I used guide pins but maybe I ignored the shop manual. I know what you're thinking and Mrs. Wally might be thinking the same.

Guide pins are more important when installing than when removing a tranny. They'd keep the input shaft straight going into the clutch and prevent tweaking the clutch disk. There's no reason you couldn't use one of the lower bolt holes (unless they're obstructed as well), but it wouldn't be a stable as a pin in the upper hole. It looks like you could put a short guide pin on the passenger side upper bolt. It would have to be the same length as the space between the bolt hole and the lug behind it to be able to install and remove it.
The problem with using a floor jack is that the tranny is teetering on top of it. Some of the guys have used an engine hoist sticking into the cab with a chain bolted to the tranny. That's a bit more stable as there's no worries about the tranny falling off the jack.

Or you could get out your grinder with cutoff wheel and "fix" that bit on the tranny that's in the way.

Aren't the lower holes in the trans case threaded for bolts that come through from inside the bellhousing?

Instead of a transmission jack, I use a long 4 X 4 post across the doors with the windows rolled down, and a cable "come-along" to suspend the transmission for removal and installation. It's a lot simpler than trying to work around a jack that's taking up a lot of floor space.
Jerry

To remove the transmission by lowering it (and, not worrying about marring anything in the cab):

After removing u-joint assembly, I use this procedure described in the Shop Manuals - steps 11 an onwards. [added later: this is basically the procedure described by klhansen]

I have a small/large rolling jack/lift positioned under the transmission.

The "pins" are simply long bolts with the hex head cut off.

I did as khansen suggested above with the short guide pin. I only used them to re-install and used a vicegrip to turn it out afterwards.
Since I didn't need to service the transmission, I strapped it securely on an ATV type platform jack to maintain orientation for installation.
Unfortunately I have had to do this 3 times. First because I misdiagnosed my clutch noise as a bad throwout bearing.
Immediately after I had to do it again because I thought I could attach the release arm after installing the transmission- you can't.
I finally cured my clutch noise by replacing the bronze colored steel pilot bushing with a proper OEM brass bushing.
Don't use the the darn steel ones most suppliers sell.

If one cuts a slot in the ends of the guide pins, they can be operated with a slot screwdriver.

Ed

Thanks for all this great advice, Guys!

Tim, Step 11 is impossible because the raised bolt holes block the way. Maybe a short guide pin is what the used. Looking for 1-ton exceptions doesn't help. That's where those holes are used for a hand parking brake.

Hotrod, I remember Cletis describing that "4x4 on the doors" method many years ago. Good ol' Charlie.

It's all coming back. I was really confused seeing the 2nd pin wouldn't work. I didn't remember this 17 years ago when I followed the manual instructions for removing the tranny from the engine while they were in the truck. That's because I removed the engine with tranny ATTACHED!!! Duh. I didn't face the pin problem then! I did use a tranny jack and pins when reinstalling.

I've showed the pic before. It is possible if the radiator frame was cut "back in the day" and not rewelded, like mine. You also need to grimace properly as my clean friend and I show in the 2nd pic.

Thanks to you all. I have a 4x4 plan and won't do the 1st picture. Thanks again.

So your pins must have been short enough to unscrew them and get them out after the tranny was installed. If that's the case, you can install the pins to remove the tranny.

Nice Grimaces. Your clean friend wins that prize though.

I have used a floor jack thru the passenger door to connect to a small chain connected to the gearbox. With the drive line disconnected from the gearbox and moved, tilted, etc, I slide the gearbox back and lowered to the ground, disconnect from the floor jack and then slide it out on the ground from under the truck. Pretty simple.

I just had the 4 speed out and back in without using alignment pins, mostly because I didn't have any, and because I did have a proper transmission jack. The screw drive scissor type with a ratchet strap to hold the trans in place, and a bit of 2x4 on the passenger sump area to keep the trans from rotating. I've used the same tooling in the past to swap other transmissions and this was actually pretty easy considering aligning the input into the clutch disc is all visible and not hidden by the bellhousing.

If I was using a cherry picker, floor jack, or 4x4 through the door then alignment pins would be a whole lot more useful. I'm just providing an alternate solution to a common problem.

I used the 4x4 thru the windows. The tight quarters of the garage made getting the 75" long 4x4 a challenge. (Pic shown before)

I wish I had refreshed my memory about how to reverse the come-along before having the tranny hang from it. And then I remembered my Warn 12-volt winch was at this place and not our other place. I could have raised the tranny and lowered it with push buttons.

One question on the 4x4 method. If you have the 4x4 sitting on the lower portion of the windows with the doors closed, how do you get in to operate the come-along?

I got the 4x4 behind the steering wheel. I went in head first through the window (part way) and almost upside down, slid the tranny back and then tried to figure out how to operate the come-along to lower the tranny. Not good.

I then slld the 4x4 sideways to the passenger side as much as I could safely w/o it dropping from the driver's side door. I was able to open the passenger side door which opened out under the 4x4. There was enough room to slide in and sit down. Then I tried to figure out how to lower the come-along but from a more comfortable position.

I had forgotten that I had brought my Warn winch home. So much better than a come-along for lowering especially.

https://www.warn.com/dc-2000-winch-92000

Yeah I can visualize you with your legs flapping in the breeze out of the window.

I figured it wouldn't be easy. Even harder with a '51 or later truck with wing windows. That winch would have been the way to go for sure. Takes a little time to set up though.

If I ever need to pull a tranny with the cab on, I'm planning on using my engine hoist. Or maybe borrow a buddy's tranny jack.

Use an 8 foot 4 X 4 or a 6 X 6, and you can swing both doors open. That's how I used to handle a Clark 5 speed on bigger rigs when I had to change a clutch out on the side of the road, back when I ran a 24 hour Diesel shop and road service. Sometimes having a shop with a smooth, level floor just isn't an option. Ditto for working on a construction site after a hard rain with ankle deep mud.
Jerry