Getting to the clutch trans removal question.

[TeamCF]

So I'm under the car.

Leaking jack under the front of the trans supporting it.

Everything disconnected, gear oil drained.

All bolts out except one on each side for the crossmember.

When I had a thought.

Could I just remove the two nuts for the trans mounts to the crossmember, and pushup and slide back the tranny to get at my clutch?

Leaving the crossmember to hold it up? (and proly a better jack to balance it)

 

Or is there not enough room. (It's and EA81 4 speed D/R)

 

It's just one of those situations where I have limited space under the car (jackstands), and that thing is gonna land on my chest.

 

If the guy next door didn't have his Infinity up on his hoist I would have just did this over there and used his trans jack.

But I'm doing it the hard way and only have me, myself, and I for help. :-\

 

And I remember how heavy the trans was in my Altima when I did this, and how much fun it was landing on my chest.

[McDave]

You can rent transmission jacks. Worth every penny.

[GeneralDisorder]

And I remember how heavy the trans was in my Altima when I did this, and how much fun it was landing on my chest.

 

You have NO idea. I don't know how big you are, but I'm 6' 2", 225 lbs and I have a hard time lifting the EA transmissions into place. I have done it, and I have also dropped them on my chest and brother they ARE heavy. More so than a FWD anyway. And the protrusions on them are punishingly sharp to the rib cage

 

I sugest before you go any further, that you put the tranny back in, and pull the engine forward. You don't have to remove it from the car. Just remove the radiator, and pull the engine up and forward till it slides off the tranny then set it forward so you can get to the clutch. It's actually quite easy and the engine (with all fluids) weighs about as much as the tranny. The EA81 complete with all fluids and accesories is about 180 lbs.

 

Renting or buying an engine hoist is the best investment for this job. My engine hoist is a 4 ton job from Harbor Frieght and it's saved me hours of frustration. Was like $199 on sale.

 

GD

[TeamCF]

I have a big engine hoist. Got it for The diesel truck years ago.

Kinda overkill for the Soob but it would work.

And I really wish I would have removed the engine. (thought about it )

I hate draining and dealing with coolant but it would have been worth it.

I got it all apart. (In my infinite impatience, I posted. Then proceeded to remove the trans anyway. Same reason I have a problem with ordering parts, I want them to have it in stock now when I walk in.... :rolleyes: )

 

No problem out. In is gonna be tricky though. But I think I already have a plan devised.

 

My clutch still had some life in it before getting into the rivets. But the springs in the disc were broken and pieces were jamming it up.

Release bearing is toast too. The ears are half worn off by the fork. Fork looks good though. Flywheel is good (whew..) I hit it with some emery to take the glaze off.

[GeneralDisorder]

To go back in with the tranny, I have devised a plan of action over the years that works well for me.

 

1. Get the car HIGH. As high as you can without resorting to hot-boxing it (ok - sorry for the pot joke - I couldn't help it). But as high as you can - high like giraffe snatch.

 

2. Slide the tranny under the car.

 

3. Loop a rope through the shifter hole and around the tail-shaft of the tranny.

 

4. Use your engine hoist to lift the front of the tranny and the rope to lift the rear. Slam the rope in the drivers door to keep the thing in the air.

 

5. This is the ugly part - slide under the tranny and mate it to the engine. Use your legs - you can only do this easily if the car is HIGH. Smoke it out - do what you have to.

 

GD

[TeamCF]

To go back in with the tranny, I have devised a plan of action over the years that works well for me.

 

1. Get the car HIGH. As high as you can without resorting to hot-boxing it (ok - sorry for the pot joke - I couldn't help it). But as high as you can - high like giraffe snatch.

 

2. Slide the tranny under the car.

 

3. Loop a rope through the shifter hole and around the tail-shaft of the tranny.

 

4. Use your engine hoist to lift the front of the tranny and the rope to lift the rear. Slam the rope in the drivers door to keep the thing in the air.

 

5. This is the ugly part - slide under the tranny and mate it to the engine. Use your legs - you can only do this easily if the car is HIGH. Smoke it out - do what you have to.

 

GD

 

:lol:

 

Good plan. Thank you.

I'll dig the hoist out of the shop and run with it when I'm slaping it all back in.

 

This is what I get when I just go for it the hard way.

[GeneralDisorder]

Also - leave the pressure plate bolts loose enough to slide the disc around by hand but tight enough to hold it in the center. Mate the tranny and then tighten the PP bolts through the starter hole.

 

Beleive me - it's better this way. Don't need an alignment tool, and you will avoid problems with hitting the disc and the pilot bearing sqaure if you do it this way. The cheap plastic alignment tools often are not accurate enough for Subaru's system.

 

GD

[TeamCF]

Also - leave the pressure plate bolts loose enough to slide the disc around by hand but tight enough to hold it in the center. Mate the tranny and then tighten the PP bolts through the starter hole.

 

Beleive me - it's better this way. Don't need an alignment tool, and you will avoid problems with hitting the disc and the pilot bearing sqaure if you do it this way. The cheap plastic alignment tools often are not accurate enough for Subaru's system.

 

GD

 

Good to know.

[ferox]

If you have difficulties with the install you are welcome to borrow my transmission jack. If I didn't have so much going on right now I would just offer to bring it over and help, but I'm swamped. I am sure you will probably get it done, but sometimes they can be a bugger, so...it's there if you need it.

[TeamCF]

If you have difficulties with the install you are welcome to borrow my transmission jack. If I didn't have so much going on right now I would just offer to bring it over and help, but I'm swamped. I am sure you will probably get it done, but sometimes they can be a bugger, so...it's there if you need it.

 

Awesome. Thanks

 

So the only trans jacks I'm familiar with are the tall ones for when the car is lifted over your head.

 

Your's must be all lo-pro so it fits under a car on jackstands?

(thinking that's the kind McDave was talking about to, the lo-pro kind)

[GeneralDisorder]

Your's must be all lo-pro so it fits under a car on jackstands?

(thinking that's the kind McDave was talking about to, the lo-pro kind)

 

Think of a normal 2 ton shop jack but with a large rectangular saddle that has the ability to tilt and has ratchet straps to hold to tranny to it. In fact for some nicer shop jacks you can buy transmission saddles that replace the normal small, round saddle that most have. Although actual transmission jacks have a different pump handle that can swing 90 or 180 degrees and be used while you are under the vehicle.

 

I've used such a beast before. They are definitely nice to have.

 

GD

[Greenley]

To go back in with the tranny, I have devised a plan of action over the years that works well for me.

 

1. Get the car HIGH... as you can

 

2. Slide the tranny under the car.

 

3. Loop a rope through the shifter hole and around the tail-shaft of the tranny.

 

4. Use your engine hoist to lift the front of the tranny and the rope to lift the rear. Slam the rope in the drivers door to keep the thing in the air.

 

5. slide under the tranny and mate it to the engine. Use your legs - you can only do this easily if the car is HIGH.

 

GD

 

I really like this idea for getting the tranny back IN. Good thinkin'

 

How would you use the engine hoist to raise the tranny? The space between the engine and the firewall??

[TeamCF]

Think of a normal 2 ton shop jack but with a large rectangular saddle that has the ability to tilt and has ratchet straps to hold to tranny to it. In fact for some nicer shop jacks you can buy transmission saddles that replace the normal small, round saddle that most have. Although actual transmission jacks have a different pump handle that can swing 90 or 180 degrees and be used while you are under the vehicle.

 

I've used such a beast before. They are definitely nice to have.

 

GD

 

Thats what I was picturing.

[screwbaru2]

I'm going to be installing a trans in a 96 impreza soon. I have that beast sittiing on a trans jack table on a 2 ton floor jack. That makes the top of the trans three feet from the ground. That's quite a feat in a driveway! I was thinking of using my crane on the front of the trans and the 2 ton floor jack in regular configuration for the back, After reading this I think I'm on the right track. Thanks!

[smelly_cat]

Awesome stuff. I figure I will be plunking in a clutch pretty soon from my kids chirping the tires every time they dump the clutch, I never knew my GL had such tire burn out power. SC

[McDave]

Awesome. Thanks

 

So the only trans jacks I'm familiar with are the tall ones for when the car is lifted over your head.

 

Your's must be all lo-pro so it fits under a car on jackstands?

(thinking that's the kind McDave was talking about to, the lo-pro kind)

Yep. Bonus points if it has a good strap or chain to lash the tranny down to the jack's cradle. I'm getting too old for GD's method.

[scoobyclimbs]

Are we in a race to see which one of us gets our car back on the road... J/K...

 

I'm doing my clutch this week ...when my clutch kit shows up...

 

Hey , I can surface your flywheel . We have a flywheel resurfacer at my shop....

 

I'll be gone all weekend so I won't be wheelin' yet...

[TeamCF]

Are we in a race to see which one of us gets our car back on the road... J/K...

 

I'm doing my clutch this week ...when my clutch kit shows up...

 

Hey , I can surface your flywheel . We have a flywheel resurfacer at my shop....

 

I'll be gone all weekend so I won't be wheelin' yet...

 

 

Oh my flywheel was pristine. Still had some of the roughness in it from it's last resurfacing so I went lightly and evenly over it with a buzz sander and some emery cloth. Clutch wasn't really worn out. Just getting jammed up by bits of spring falling out of it.

 

Yeah I just sucked it up and payed extra for a local one. And even then had missing parts (release bearing was missing, and mine is shot) so they had to order me a new one.

Proly gonna pick up my 5 speed today. But I'm not planning on putting it in for awhile while I gather more parts and do a big change on the car.

 

Think I'm gonna fix my wobbly seat and tear out the carpeting too.

And if I'm real ambitious (meaning feeling like a JY trip), do the twin handbrake mod. Looking at it under the console it's so easy, just need another lever and such.

Twin brake, with locked rear.....

[TeamCF]

Well.

I got the clutch in.

Got the trans up and hanging by a rope in the door.

And the inputshaft is in the disc.

The lower studs are lined up and in a little.

But that last inch or so just wont go.

Loosend the pressure plate bolts some more. (to the point of almost coming out, the input shaft is already in the disc remember)

But I still can't seem to get the pilot bearing to line up and accept it.

I got it as high as it'll go on my jackstands. (which is not high enough for the kicking method)

 

Made sure it'll all stay put and came in the house.

I REALLY should have just pulled the engine to do this.

Thinking of pulling the engine anyway. Putting the trans in. and THEN putting the engine back in. I'm thinking that'll be easier at this point.

 

Yay for the long way around?

 

* The engine hoist from the front, rope up through the shifter hole slammed in the door trick worked like a charm though.

 

Ferox, if I have to lower the trans back out I'll proly take ya up on the offer to use the trans jack.

[GeneralDisorder]

Turn the engine over by hand while you shove on it. Sometimes that will get them in.

 

GD

[TeamCF]

Turn the engine over by hand while you shove on it. Sometimes that will get them in.

 

GD

 

I was trying that. By myself though. So I'd turn it a hair, shove. Turn it a hair, shove. Rinse and repeat.

 

I'll hand a ratchet with the proper socket to someone around here tomarrow and have them turn while I'm under it shoving.

[Turbone]

When they do that to me, I just go berserk.

Really, I'm not kidding.

I grab the engine and get very physical with it.

But thats when I do the engine pull, not a tranny pull.

 

Well, today I did a tranny swap on my 89 XT6. Dropped the old and installed another. I've been dreading this for a couple of weeks and have been going thru the motions in my head. It never seams to work out that way tho.

I managed to get a comealong above the car to hoist the front of the tranny, but with a XT you dont need to remove the shifter etc. Just the rod and brace under the car. So I couldnt hold up the rear of the tranny.

I pulled my floor jack under the car and then laying on my back I lifted the end of the tranny up and braced it with a block.

Lots of sweat and swearing here.

I lifted the tranny some more with the rdnk hoist and then got back under the car and pushed the floorjack under the tranny.

I started lifting it all, but when I got the bellhousing close to the engine I was having a problem getting the bottom studs into the holes. Usually not a problem and I fought it for a 1/2hr. I then realized that the hoist was pulling the tranny against the engine and binding up. So I had to back that off and lift the rear up more.

Also lifted the front of the engine so it would help line up better.

Once I got the bottom studs in everything went together real smooth.

Just to pull and replace took me over 4hrs. I still need to hook up the driveline and some stuff in the engine bay.

And yeah, I'm definitely getting to old for this

 

My redneck hoist....and no, I would never try and lift a engine with this.

[TeamCF]

When they do that to me, I just go berserk.

 

Yeah. I'm just glad I grew out of my bad temper.

I've been known to crawl out from under a car and in frustration start kicking in bodypanels.

But that was way back.

And only leaves me with an ugly car after it's fixed.

 

Now it's just alot of laying under there swearing. And alot of "Why are you doing this to me!?!" Like asking it will help.

Still get a little physical with the part in question though.

[calebz]

To go back in with the tranny, I have devised a plan of action over the years that works well for me.

 

1. Get the car HIGH. As high as you can without resorting to hot-boxing it (ok - sorry for the pot joke - I couldn't help it). But as high as you can - high like giraffe snatch.

 

2. Slide the tranny under the car.

 

3. Loop a rope through the shifter hole and around the tail-shaft of the tranny.

 

4. Use your engine hoist to lift the front of the tranny and the rope to lift the rear. Slam the rope in the drivers door to keep the thing in the air.

 

5. This is the ugly part - slide under the tranny and mate it to the engine. Use your legs - you can only do this easily if the car is HIGH. Smoke it out - do what you have to.

 

GD

 

 

+1

 

This is about the only decent way of doing a soob tranny at home without a trans jack.

 

After doing it a few times I am still a little fuzzy on something though. Am I supposed to smoke the car out or myself? I have tried it both ways and the car never seemed to be too affected either way

[ferox]

Ferox, if I have to lower the trans back out I'll proly take ya up on the offer to use the trans jack.

 

The jack I have is the cheap H. Freight racheting scissor lift type with built in rachet strap on the saddle. It's pretty low profile with four casters. It's a POS, but it works great for these transmissions. Highness is essential...of the car of course. I make sure my car is as high as I can get it.

 

I also remove the pitch stopper on the engine and run a compression strap through the rear engine lift eyelet and around the spare tire hold down bolt, so I can orient the pitch of the engine with the approach pitch of the transmission.