Dropping tranny tomorrow - advice?

[Zachary Beck]

I am going to replace the slave cylinder and clutch on my '96 Sport tomorrow evening. I've never done anything like this before, although I've researched the hell out of it.. So if you guys have any tips or tricks to make the job easier/faster please let me know! I have some basic instructions on how to do it, and watched a YouTube video of some guy doing it - but I just want to make sure I have as much information as possible before I start.

Also, do I need to replace any seals after dropping it? My buddy said if I remove the tranny then I have to get a new rear main seal (and something else?) because they'll break when I do. First I've heard of this.. I don't want to spend unnecessary money replacing **** if it's not broken.

 

[jhow1]

Transmission jacks are worth every penny, even for a relatively lightweight manual transmission.

Replacing the rear main seal is up to you. If it is not leaking now it won't be leaking after you put the new clutch in. But since it is a wear item then it could or could not decide to start leaking a month or a year from now. And the are usually around $10-$15.

Use loctite on the important bolts and use a torque wrench unless you want to do all of this over again very soon.

 

[Tedybear]

PB blaster the bat crap out of the exhaust "Y" pipe bolts. The shop manual for our '95 (This MIGHT not apply for the '96....) states to drop the exhaust. Ours is pulled apart awaiting the $$ for the parts needed. (slave, pilot, flywheel (heat scored badly) clutch kit....)

You can access via the wheel wells the bell housing bolts in most cases. For the hard to reach bolts I suggest several very long 1/2" extensions and a wobble at the end. Attempting this with a 3/8" set of extensions about 30" was a huge PITA. The twist factor on the 3/8" was extreme. Lost a lot of torque that way. 1/2" should reduce the twist-flexing of the extensions a great deal.

Examine all other parts. If reusing the flywheel, examine it for damage. jhow1 is correct. This isn't a job you want to do twice. Pilot bearing should also be changed out. It's been suggested to get a high quality brand. Timken has high marks...National would be my 2nd choice. Generic I would stay away from (that's the one that usually comes with the kit)

If you have the 4wd Explorer. You'll want to remove the transfer case before the transmission comes down. That beast weighs A LOT and can be man-handled around. Due to the gas tank position it'll have to come off to allow the transmission to be pulled back. Again--this is where careful jack position is critical. The transfer case, once free of the bolts and dowel pin will free-spin and rotate while it hangs off the output shaft of the transmission. And I've got two crushed (thankfully not broken) fingers when that stinker kicked free of the gas tank and flipped around and tagged the muffler.

Let me know any tricks and such as well you discover. Considering we're doing the same exact repairs to our '95 Explorer Sport 4wd I would love to know how you made out with it.

S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Zachary Beck]

PB blaster the bat crap out of the exhaust "Y" pipe bolts. The shop manual for our '95 (This MIGHT not apply for the '96....) states to drop the exhaust. Ours is pulled apart awaiting the $$ for the parts needed. (slave, pilot, flywheel (heat scored badly) clutch kit....)

You can access via the wheel wells the bell housing bolts in most cases. For the hard to reach bolts I suggest several very long 1/2" extensions and a wobble at the end. Attempting this with a 3/8" set of extensions about 30" was a huge PITA. The twist factor on the 3/8" was extreme. Lost a lot of torque that way. 1/2" should reduce the twist-flexing of the extensions a great deal.

Examine all other parts. If reusing the flywheel, examine it for damage. jhow1 is correct. This isn't a job you want to do twice. Pilot bearing should also be changed out. It's been suggested to get a high quality brand. Timken has high marks...National would be my 2nd choice. Generic I would stay away from (that's the one that usually comes with the kit)

If you have the 4wd Explorer. You'll want to remove the transfer case before the transmission comes down. That beast weighs A LOT and can be man-handled around. Due to the gas tank position it'll have to come off to allow the transmission to be pulled back. Again--this is where careful jack position is critical. The transfer case, once free of the bolts and dowel pin will free-spin and rotate while it hangs off the output shaft of the transmission. And I've got two crushed (thankfully not broken) fingers when that stinker kicked free of the gas tank and flipped around and tagged the muffler.

Let me know any tricks and such as well you discover. Considering we're doing the same exact repairs to our '95 Explorer Sport 4wd I would love to know how you made out with it.

S-

Dude! This y-pipe is no joke! Looks like the last guy ended up cutting it off and welding it back. I got two ends off so far but the ones on the passenger side are busting my balls. I got the driveshaft off easily. I think this y -pipe is gonna take up more time than dropping the tranny itself.. I might have to let those bolts sit overnight drenched in on blaster.

My method so far when coming to stubborn bolts is to pb blast them and move on to something else, then go back to em. This damn y-pipe though! I'm tempted to try and slide the tranny out backwards over the y-pipe but I don't want to break the damn thing. I feel your pain dude, this is aggravating.

 

[Tedybear]

We couldn't even get 1 bolt on that Y pipe broken free. Wound up using a pry bar and forcing it over the Y pipe which took a small chunk out of the bell housing at the base. Sense it's not coming free (yet. I'll give it another shot on Sunday with the PB and the impact tools)

The back up plan is to remove the already busted up flange where the converter connects to the muffler. Once that flange is cut out (which is easy, ours is toasted and held together by two hose clamps...Seriously! I'll post a photo of it) I'll see about pulling the converters/pipe downward. That should cause the engine to pivot downwards on the two front motor mounts a couple of inches before it smacks the plastic fan into the shroud. It'll be tricky-we might just remove the fan shroud to be careful. In our case that might be the only way to open enough space.

That and we'll bend the body spot weld seam out of the way where everything connects just above the transmission. That seam sticks down about 1 1/2 an inch and was also catching the upper section of bell housing. Should be fairly safe to bend it over a bit. Just so long as we don't go "Caveman" on it.

I have ZERO idea if that will work or not! But that's all we got if that pipe won't play nice.

If I ever meet the idiot that designed that Y Pipe I'll likely smack him/her on the mush. All it would take is having that pipe about 1/2" lower slung below the transmission! And it would slip out. Then again most people think we're taking things to a stealership or high end repair shop where they have all the toys to remove stuck nuts and bolts.

S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

What I did is I slid it over the top of the y-pipe. It was caught on some metal towards the passenger side but I lowered the back of the jack so that it came out at a downward angle. It was sketchy and I could've broken **** but it worked man, got it out finally.

 

[rb142]

PB won't get those Y-pipe nuts off. You need a torch or to just cut them off and move on. But the job is much harder if you don't get that pipe out first.

Disconnect the tail end and let it lower down a bit. This makes it much easier to get to the bell housing bolts. Two or three feet of 1/2" extensions and a swivel 13mm socket will get those bolts out pretty easily. Get a transmission jack, even if you need to rent or borrow one. Be sure to jack the truck up high enough on stands before you start. It needs to be pretty high in order to get the trans out from under the truck. It is possible to slide it back and leave it under the truck, but that makes it much harder to work in there.

Definitely change the pilot bearing. Check the rear main seal and the trans input shaft seal for any leaking and replace if needed. Some people say to always change the rear main seal when you are in there. If that seal isn't put in just right, the new one will leak and may be worse than leaving the original. If you have high mileage, it's probably a good idea to change it, but make sure it goes in straight.

Keep track of where the bell housing bolts go -- there are two different lengths.

 

[Tedybear]

Watching this one closely as well. Seems we are both at about the same spot. Except I'm stuck waiting for my expense check to clear so I can order in the slave/clutch kit from Rock Auto.

Same exact issue, Y pipe isn't coming out. We both managed to get the stink weed out, but I'm sure we have shared concerns about putting it back together. I'll be seeing either tomorrow afternoon or Sunday afternoon if disconnecting the muffler and using that converter as a lever to pull the engine's rear end down an inch or so. Kinda like bringing the transmission in up and over the Y pipe...and then lining things up and sliding it into place. Sucks I know, but it's all I have to offer...

With luck Mr. Beck should make progress and update...

S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

PB seemed to work great for me getting those bolts off. The only reason I was able to slide it over the y-pipe is because I managed to get two of the three sets of bolts out for it so it had some play to it, allowing me to push it down a couple inches and get that tranny over it. It would've been a lot easier to cut the thing off, but I don't have a welder so that was off the table.
Is the rear main seal the one that sits on the very back, where the driveshaft goes in? Because I have a tiny tear on that, but have never seen it leak there. I was thinking of repairing it with some kindve epoxy since my funds have run dry and I'd have to order it anyways.

As of right now I managed to get the tranny back up over the y-pipe. The bell housing is like 2 inches away from the motor, in the right position, but I can't get it to go all the way in. I've done this whole thing by myself but I think I'm gonna need a guy to help me get it back in - I don't want to damage the spline or pressure plate. The bolts were all mismatched when I took it out so hopefully I can get them back in the right spots.

I find it kinda funny that we both have the exact same project going on at the same time - also very helpful. Let me know how it works out Tedy, best of luck!

 

[Tedybear]

It might be catching on the splines a touch. If the splines on the input shaft are not matched with the clutch disk it can just catch and come to a dead stop. Rotating it (the input shaft) a hair or two in either direction might cause it to slip past. If the clutch alignment tool was dead on straight in, and could be moved in and out of the clutch disk and pilot bearing without any resistance or binding- the input shaft might need to be rotated just a hair.

Kinda why I left the stub shaft attached to ours. In case I need to knock it into a gear and give it a little rotational nudge to clear that.

Or I could be totally wrong? But it sounds like you're on the right track. Just getting it over that Y pipe is the large part of the battle.

I'll be addressing our Y pipe over the next couple of days. I'm hopeful with some 1/2" short extensions and the impact tools (and pent. oil) that we can coax those bolts off the pipe. If not? Then I'll lever it back using the converters after pulling the muffler flange.

I'd say "Race Ya to the finish".... But I've still got another few days before the $$ hits my account.



S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

Did you end up buying the Motorcraft slave cylinder? I wanted to but it's crazy expensive.. $50 more than the Luk clutch kit itself.. I'm starting to feel like, with how much work it is to take this tranny out, I'm going to wish I had gotten it!

I watched a couple YouTube videos of guys doing the same job as us and they make it look sooo easy.. Maybe it's the fact that they were replacing the slave on Rangers with the M5R1. All I know is this has been quite the project... Not something I'd like to do again, at least not for a while.

 

[Tedybear]

I have the parts sitting in 'cart' at Rockauto. LUK clutch kit. Basic LUK flywheel. And a middle of the road slave made by Sachs. Parts with shipping will run me: $185ish. Add the expected random misc stuff (Brake cleaner for the contact areas of the flywheel and pressure plate. Fresh can of DOT-3. First Aid kit.... Flange kit for the converter, as that's likely how I'll have to attempt to install this pig. And a better quality National or Timken pilot bearing. There goes the expense check I've been waiting to get deposited. LOL

And next month? Wife's car for 2 tires and timing belt/waterpump/tensioner pulley. (It's a VW New Beetle....)

I swear these cars sense when I have $$ coming in and then it's like the plant from Little Shop of Horrors. "Feed Me......."

S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

Well I managed to get my tranny back in without removing the y-pipe. As soon as I got the spline lined up and in there I put the bottom bolts in and tightened until the bellhousing clamped back on. There's probably better ways to do it but this is how I got it back in. Hope this helps.. Good luck man.

 

[Tedybear]

Let me know how it works for ya! Our issue is on a different thread. The slave was allowing air to get into the system--the last owner looks like he tossed a new clutch disk in, and never changed anything else out..... (old and crusty...two of my least favorite words...)

Glad it got in to position!!

S-

 

[Zachary Beck]

It's running great! Shifts like its brand new now I hope everything works out for ya man, let me know if you get stuck with anything I'll try to help.

 

[Tedybear]

Hope it's still running great for ya! I'll update on the thread for our '95. Made some progress today I guess.....

S-

 

[rb142]

After the fact, but .... if you put the transmission into gear before putting it in, it is easy to turn the output shaft to get the input shaft splines to line up properly. That helps get it in. You also need to be sure to have the angle right or you can get hung up going into the pilot bearing.

 

[Zachary Beck]

Soooo.. My hydraulic line blew up. If you're going to replace the slave you might as well do the master cylinder and hydraulic line as well because they will end up going out in no time. My best guess as to why, is that there's too much pressure from the new part for the old parts to handle?

So I'm gonna throw another $100 into it tomorrow and replace the hydraulic line. I really really hope my new slave didn't get damaged. If the new line doesn't work I'm screwed.

 

[jhow1]

After the fact, but .... if you put the transmission into gear before putting it in, it is easy to turn the output shaft to get the input shaft splines to line up properly. That helps get it in. You also need to be sure to have the angle right or you can get hung up going into the pilot bearing.

Holy frick - why have i never realized this?!
Done my F150 a few months back and that really would have come in handy. Im doing my explorer this weekend so i get a chance to try it out.