Changing clutch on 93 Explorer - help needed - tranny wont slide back in

[Lux]

Today i started putting a clutch in my 93 explorer 4x4. Everything went smooth till i got to the slave cylinder line, but i didnt let him conquer me. That little guy is a fighter. Lol

Now to the problem - everything is out, tranny is swayin in the breeze but i cannot for the life of me get it over the y pipe, i loosened the 4 bolts on the front cross member and let it drop down and that helped, (where the metal kind of over laps) but i need like an 1/8 inch left, maybe less. I removed the transfercase and it made it much easier to move around but this stupid y pipe is going to drive me insane not to mention i'm working by myself (friend came over for a little bit) and i got POURED on twice from the rain (of course on my day off) using towels and a rubber mat in the dirt i managed to drop it all in a few hours but back to the y pipe.

Those bolts on the ypipe are not coming out, they dont even look like a socket should be near them. I soaked them down and using long extensions, ratchet, and a pipe gave it some go. I'm afraid any more and they are going to SNAP.

Any of you do this before? I've searched some and some say it needs to come out some say it doesnt, well i pretty much need to leave the y pipe in. I have tomorrow to finish it before it gets cold in jersey and i have to go back to work. I'm seriously about ready to beat the ever loving hell out of the trans tunnel, hell i'll sawzall it open, and put a piece of metal with self tapping screws back into it if it comes to that and i'm totally against hack jobbing something like that but what else can i do?

Another thing i've thought about, these body bolts look like crap, what can i do for a cheapo bodylift? I'm on limited funds and really dont feel like doing a body lift but jeez that would make this swap a BREEZE.

 

[fordnut71]

try an get the lip of metel on the fire wall moved back to give the extra room.
for a cheap body lift, hockey pucks

 

[Lux]

I was thinking pucks right after i posted that and some grade 8 bolts. lol I used some pucks on my old f350 for the radiator support, cheap and easy, drill nice to.

How can high can i go before i have to do the steering/shifter extension?

Whats this lip on the firewall? Where exactly? Thanks!

 

[fordnut71]

its in the tranny tunnel. its where the fire wall an the floor pan meet. theres a lip thats spot welded together right there an it hangs up the tranny where the top 2 bolts would be.if you can pound it back you should get the room to clear.
as for the lift im not sure cause iv never seen any 1 mention it here. i think it some where around 3". but if you going to use pucks dont use more then 2 stacked.

 

[Lux]

Your the man fordnut!

Last night it was dark and i was cold and tired, go out there this morning and sure enough i pry up on the lip that i didnt see last night and it fell right out. Thanks!

 

[fordnut71]

your quite welcome, glad it worked out good for you.

 

[mjones97]

DO NOT USE HOCKEY PUCKS FOR A BODY LIFT! They are not safe.

The best way is to remove the y-pipe to get the transmission in and out.

 

[Lux]

It was actually a second kind of protruding dimple lol but i whacked all those up including the lip you were speaking of. I got the transmission back in but am having a problem. I got it all out, went and resurfaced my flywheel this morning but i cannot get the transmission to slide back in. Its about 2 inches to far from the engine block and just wont budge, i thought the splines werent lined up but i turned the output shaft, thus turning the input shaft and i got it to slide partly in and catch (where i cannot turn the output shaft anymore) but the sucker just wont go in.

I used the alignment tool, i've done clutches before, but i eventually gave up as i got to tired and cold and my arms went numb from wrestling with it.

Ideas?

 

[mjones97]

the slave cylinder is holding it out. You have to use pressure to get it back in.

 

[Lux]

Interesting, what do you mean by pressure? I cant push it in any further laying on my back.

This is the first hydraulic clutch vehicle i've ever owned, do i need to crack the bleeder or something, thanks?

 

[jumpn4jesus]

Don't spend the money for the "special tool" that is called for to remove the slave cyl hydro line. Use a small flathead screw driver and push the tabs in. Viola!

I warn you it's a PITA to line things back up!!!!!!

You have to use a torch to get the y-pipe bolts off. Put globs of never cease on them before you put them back on.

I wish you luck man!

 

[Lux]

I already had an entire set of quick disconnect tools in a fuel line set thing i got from napa for 30 bucks, plus the new clutch set came with one, but it was cheap. lol

The transmission can come in and out with the ypipe in place. Its a little bit of a pain but its doable.

Now i'm putting stuff back together and just need it to slide in.

 

[jumpn4jesus]

Well, if you get it in and out with out removing the y-pipe, I think that will be a first on here! I asked here and everyone said it's not possible!

 

[Spdrcer34]

I have dropped and installed the Manual Transmission on my White `92 Explorer 4 different times, and I NEVER had to remove the y pipe. In fact, I have never even had to touch the lip on the firewall...I will have to now that I am putting in a V8 though...

Ryan

 

[Lux]

Well, if you get it in and out with out removing the y-pipe, I think that will be a first on here! I asked here and everyone said it's not possible!

Its possible, i just did it last night in my backyard in the dirt (well have a rubber bedliner layed down) in cold new jersey, with one side up on a ramp and the other just barely jackedup. lol

Its definitely doable, at least it was for me. Once it was out i whacked the lips and tunnel up with a BFH and it went suprisingly easy back into the hole.

I need to find out whats up with that new slave and it not going all the way back in though.

 

[wood1]

I have had to put the bellhousing and clutch on the back of the engine, then slide the trans in, have someone push in the clutch and Bob's your uncle. Slides right in. That's a 5.0, not a 4.0 though. Not sure of the set-up in the 4.0

 

[fordnut71]

ya the slave is holding it from going all the way in. you either need to open the bleeder an push the slave down to bottom. or youll have to hook up the slave to the line an get some 1 to pump an hold the peddle.
btw bleeding the system wont be fun either. just keep pumping an bleeding it,its a long time.do a serch for it an u prob get a few hints on how to do it.

 

[Lux]

i hooked the line up last night and its defineltely got air in it i have like no pedal

how do i push the slave to bottom, with my hand or something? or will i just be able to crack it then itll slide in?

thanks

 

[fordnut71]

should be able to crack it an push it back by hand to the bottom

 

[Lux]

Its gonna be hard as the tranny is up in place, there is a little hole i can peek through though but doubt i can get my hand into it. I wonder if i can crack the bleeder then manhandle it into place? Hmm