Which to install first: Engine or Trans?

[WheelHorse]

Both engine and trans are out.

Trans is all rebuilt, t-case rebuilt and reinstalled and ready to be put back up as an assembly.

Engine is waiting on a few parts before it can go back together.

For those of you who have been down this road is there a preferred order of operations?

Go ahead and reinstall trans while waiting for engine parts to come in? Saves time.

Or wait to drop in engine and then install trans?

I'm sure there's a few guys on here who have been down this road and may have found one way works better than the other.

 

[00gyrhed]

Bolt it all together outside the truck and drop it in as one piece. Get one of those $20 level things from Harbor frieght.

The only issue I had was that I had to remove the drivers side valve cover to clear the master cylinder. I let the air out of the tires to because my lift wouldn't go high enough to clear the core support. then had to jack the front end up in the air to get the transmission tailshaft around the corner.

 

[smokinjoe]

Bolt it all together outside the truck and drop it in as one piece.

x 2! Disclaimer-I've haven't done it on an EB, but I've always installed them as one unit when I could.

 

[buck68]

I prefer installing the engine first. Then the transmission/transfer case assembly. You can do it the other way too. Where are you in Chicago? I grew up on the North side. I live in Schaumburg now. If you need a hand, let me know.

 

[ENDLIFE]

X2 on what buck68 said, as I just got done installing a new torque converter with my little Harbor Freight scissor jack. Last time I did it as one unit I still had to call in backup because my leveler wouldn't pull the transmission up far enough. If I'm working by myself I break it up, I cut the heads of a couple of four inch 5/8 bolts to use as guide pins for the transmission, and I got the whole thing done in under 90 minutes with a very lengthy lunch break.

 

[thegreatjustino]

I'm the opposite. I think trying to stab a transmission and transfer case into the back of a crank and get everything lined up underneath the Bronco is 1,000 times more difficult than installing the tranny & Tcase on the cross member and then slowly lowering and lining the engine up from above. I'd rather be climbing up and over the fenders and into the engine bay to adjust things than crawl around on the ground and contort my body into wherever it will fit underneath the Bronco.

 

[Scoop]

X3 above. I install them together whenever possible. Much easier IMHO.

 

[smokinjoe]

OP is gonna have to start a poll it looks like

 

[spap]

I had mine together and did it by myself. Not bad if you have a lift and big tires you have to let air out of the tires. And I covered the whole engine bay with towels. Just seemed easier to put the trans on out side the truck. It is kinda tight though

 

[Broncobowsher]

Another vote for a whole package install. 1 big project in the open is better than 3 big projects in the confines of a vehicle.

 

[lowbush]

I'm the opposite. I think trying to stab a transmission and transfer case into the back of a crank and get everything lined up underneath the Bronco is 1,000 times more difficult than installing the tranny & Tcase on the cross member and then slowly lowering and lining the engine up from above. I'd rather be climbing up and over the fenders and into the engine bay to adjust things than crawl around on the ground and contort my body into wherever it will fit underneath the Bronco.

Agreed if I have to choose between the two, but I am with everyone else, put it all in together it's easier. The only time I go in order of putting the engine in first is if I have access to a lift.


IF you do it all togehter get a speed jack with good wheels on it under the transfer case and use that to bring up the rear and make sure it does not catch, as well as the leveler mentioned earlier.

 

[jmangi62]

I put the trans/t-case together,then bolted them to the engine,wasn't bad at all(to my surprise),my friend brought over a old school tranny Jack from the 50s,I mean this thing was ancient but it made the job super easy LOL,good luck

 

[377]

I installed mine all together. Mine is a 351w I did take off my driver side valve cover to keep it out of the firewall. Justino made a huge point about lining everything up just right. That part was a bitch on my rig but I finally got it all centered up.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I installed mine all together. Mine is a 351w I did take off my driver side valve cover to keep it out of the firewall. Justino made a huge point about lining everything up just right. That part was a bitch on my rig but I finally got it all centered up.

I had to wait until I had the engine leveled out before I could put the mounts on the engine. At that point it was just like doing an engine mount swap. Much rather do something that simple compared to lining up a clutch while under the truck. Engines and transmissions mate up so much easier when not in the truck.

 

[WheelHorse]

Bolt it all together outside the truck and drop it in as one piece. Get one of those $20 level things from Harbor frieght.

The only issue I had was that I had to remove the drivers side valve cover to clear the master cylinder. I let the air out of the tires to because my lift wouldn't go high enough to clear the core support. then had to jack the front end up in the air to get the transmission tailshaft around the corner.

No one has any problems getting enough clearance with their cherry pickers in a standard garage?

Engine was no big deal bolted to the intake manifold, but I feel like you'd need some serious lift to clear both the engine and the trans plus this additional tool.

 

[ransil]

install tranny first then engine unless you have a lots of room and help to install as a combo

 

[Teal68]

I just did this recently all as one assembly. Was a breeze! Be sure to use a leveler and mount the back chains to the back of the heads so you have a good balance point to tip the tranny and t-case once you get over the grill.

I only have 8' ceilings in my garage, and did not have any issues...but Bronco is stock height on 31's.

Let us know how it goes.

Good luck,
Tyler

 

[00gyrhed]

No one has any problems getting enough clearance with their cherry pickers in a standard garage?

Engine was no big deal bolted to the intake manifold, but I feel like you'd need some serious lift to clear both the engine and the trans plus this additional tool.

well I did push mine outside. My hood wont fold all the way back in my garage. the picture is from before I took the valve cover off the drivers side. 351 taller dec, trickflow heads have taller rail, and then I used the tallest valve covers I could find.