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Removing the C4?

silverbullet

Full Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
201
Loc.
Columbia, MO
I am preping the C4 to be taken out this weekend and had a few questions for anyone who has done this. Ive been getting everything out of the way like exhaust, wires, starter, ect. But am unsure the best method of actually taking it down. I will be working with 4 hands, floor jack, two jack stands, and ????. Has anyone figured out a method to lower the risk of droping it? Where should I put the jack? Should I remove t-case and adapter first? Is trans fluid going to volcano out or anything like that? Im not sure what to expect.

I should be able to get everything clear and out of the way but am unsure of how to get the thing out. Any and all help would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

Dave
Fort Collins
 

Steve

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
2,986
Loc.
Grand Junction, CO
First, it's not a job to do by yourself if there is any way to have a second person there. That would make it go a LOT easier and safer. Some tips:

- Remove the t-case from the trans (it's HEAVY so be careful)
- Unhook everything from the trans
- Unbolt the torque convertor from the flex plate so that it comes out with the trans (you will have to turn the engine over by hand to do this)
- Put your floor jack under the trans before removing the cross member (that cross member is also holding up the engine)
- Let the floor jack down a bit (1 or 2 inches) and then put a jack stand under the rear of the engine (you will get a LOT of trans fluid out of the back of the trans when you do this, so be ready)
- Remove the bolts holding the bell housing to the engine block
- Slide the trans backward a couple of inches and it will be free to drop (again, BE CAREFUL)

If you can't find someone to help, I'd advise renting a tranny jack to do this as it would make it much easier and safer; most rental places have them.

Good luck and BE CAREFUL as letting either the t-case or trans fall on you could be real bad.
 

73stallion

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Messages
16,786
Loc.
Eugene, OR
also keep in mind the front of that tranny is going to be nose heavy because the converter is in it, prepare for it to nose dive.
 

nashville77

Full Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
174
if you have a Harbor Freight they have a pretty good transmission jack that's not too expensive. the trick to get the car high enough to clear the trans.
 

Quick & Dirty

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
826
I'd advise draining the fluid before hand so it doesn't come pouring down your arm while you're wrestling with it. Even drained, you'll likely get a suprise shower from somewhere.
 
OP
OP
S

silverbullet

Full Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
201
Loc.
Columbia, MO
Luckily I think I will have a hand or two to help. If the trans is going to try out for the diving team and fall forward where will the best place be to place the jack underneath it? For some reason I remember my engine being extreamly hard to hand crank when trying to find tdc. A breaker on the harmonic balancer would be the best place or only i guess.

Dave
 

HUT ONE

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
32
Loc.
Lexington, NC
I literely just got my almost 43 year old body out from under mine. I'm geting to old for this stuff. I am in the process of bolting mine back up. I can't give much advice on the removal since I am converting from a 3 speed to the C4. But, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a transmission jack. I just did it by myself tonight with 2 floor jacks. The transmission was not that big of a deal, but the transfer was a bear. I ended up having to bench press the transfer w/ adapter to the transmission because my floor jack would not go high enough and the tranfer is REALLY unstable on a floor jack. My arms are still burning.

Be sure to take the filler tube off before you drop the transmission. Do'nt ask me how I know that. Drain it REAL good. Make sure you do'nt have the rig jacked too high. I made that mistake and none of my floor jacks are high enough. Good luck!!
 

Steve

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 5, 2003
Messages
2,986
Loc.
Grand Junction, CO
silverbullet said:
For some reason I remember my engine being extreamly hard to hand crank when trying to find tdc. A breaker on the harmonic balancer would be the best place or only i guess.

Dave
Yep, breaker bar and socket on the harmonic balancer bolt - and remove a few spark plugs to make it much easier to turn over. The tranny should balance fairly well (with help) on a floor jack with a 2x6 under the pan.
 

DebosDave'72

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
1,020
Loc.
Bozeman, MT
My tranny jack has a strap on it, so I would recommend strapping the tranny to whatever jack you are using, that may help the nose dive problem. Whatever you do, do get in a position where the transfercase or tranny can fall on you ;)

DD
 

bronconate68

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
361
Loc.
Vancouver, WA
After my frame off I don't think I would ever pull my C4 with out pulling the motor. This is the easiest by far and I can do it when I'm by myself (but having a friend or two around is always a good thing).

The T-case adapter is full of transmission fluid.

With no lift I think it would be hard to drop the trans. With 2 1/2" it was a perfect height. With 6 ½” it was way too high for me alone and just an all around PITA.

Like said above, jack stand under the motor, remove the T-case, with the jack under the trans pan. I use a flat piece of wood between the trans and the jack to help stabilize. If you have a buddy or two, one can work the jack and two can steady the trans and pull it back off of the flex plate. It is a bit of a tight squeeze between the frame rails for the bell housing. As much as it might want to nose dive it is going to also want to roll. You might need to roll it a bit if you have headers, bell housing tight squeeze and all.

If you have a cheery picker, I would still vote for pulling the motor and trans as one piece. It is a lot less physical them muscling everything up between the frame rails and exhaust.

Good luck, post a picture or two.
 

g-money

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
734
Loc.
Vancouver, WA
I can't help with e C4 but I took my 3 speed out my self one thing I did was attach a tie own strap (good quality) to my roll and ran it down thru my T-case shifter hole and to the tranny. I also did this for the T-case. I am not a big guy so I didn't want either pieces to crush me or a hand. The strap prevented eiter one from falling to the floor. I still used the floor jack but the strap just kept everything under control.

Galen
 

Madgyver

Bronco Madman
Joined
Jul 30, 2001
Messages
14,678
Get the right tools or madgyver one up......
Here is mines built with Unistrut materials
 

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Paco

Full Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Messages
293
Loc.
Pueblo, CO
nashville77 said:
if you have a Harbor Freight they have a pretty good transmission jack that's not too expensive. the trick to get the car high enough to clear the trans.

Harbor Freight's jack works well. Don't try to lower the trans case and tranny at the same time!!! It's not that good of a jack!! The strap on it keeps the tranny from moving around. If you don't want to buy one, a rental may be the way to go, especially when you put it back in. I had the opposite problem with mine...with a 3 1/2" lift and 35" tires, I had to let most of the air out of my tires to get my Bronco low enough to use the jack. Drain the torque converter,too.


DebosDave'72 said:
Whatever you do, do get in a position where the transfercase or tranny can fall on you ;)

DD

Not too sure about that, he might have left out an " n't "
 

76 bronco J

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
1,480
I noticed nobody mentioned this- without a body lift I had to remove the motor mounts bolts and tilt it back towards the firewall because of minimal clearance at the back of the trans hump- I think is easier installing everything seperate - for the tranfercase I use a flat board on a regular jack with a huge 18 wheeler type wheel chock & precised placed shims then a strap around it
 

Quick & Dirty

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
826
I found this on another site; a neat way to turn an engine hoist into a long travel trans jack.

transjack1.JPG

transjack2.JPG

transjack3.JPG

transjack5.JPG
 
OP
OP
S

silverbullet

Full Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
201
Loc.
Columbia, MO
Thanks for all the suggestions they will come in handy Im sure. I plan on pulling it this weekend and will try to get to Harbor freight before work tommorow. Thanks again much appreciated. Dam those are some shinny axles on thay heep. :)

Dave
 

grs44310

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
490
Loc.
Akron, Ohio
Notes from my experience

I dropped and re-installed my C4 and transfercase this past summer by myself. Here is what I did and learned in the process:
1. Do not attempt this task without a tranny jack. I dropped $100 on the Harbor Freight jack and it was worth every penny.
2. A Chilton's manual will help keep you from making stupid mistakes.
3. Drain the tranny and the convertor.
4. Remove the cross member and the transfer case first.
5. Use the tranny strap on the jack and make sure that it is tight as possible!
6. I pulled the exhaust on both sides just so I had as much room as possible.
7. A screw driver on the ring gear prying against the bell housing will rotate the engine with a little work. ( I'm sure it is less work than getting up and down 1000 times.)
8. Remove the filler tube.
9. Make sure that the convertor is fully seated into the tranny when reinstalling.
Given the chance to do this alone again I would probably pass. Buy some beer and invite some buddies over.
 

BwoncoHowie

C-4 Wizard
Joined
Nov 11, 2002
Messages
3,571
Geesh! All this talk about breaker bars and spark plugs to get the converter nuts off. Just leave the starter installed and use a remote starter switch to bump the motor over. Then when you have the converter nuts off then remove the starter. Hint: a 14mm wrench or socket will fit the nuts tighter than a 9/16 in case they are tough to loosen, or a little bit rounded
 
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