[GMCnet] Manny's Transmission Lift and hints
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Emery Stora
Jun 28, 2013, 7:39:40 PM6/28/13
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I learned quite a few things from Manny several years ago when at his house installing another transmission into my GMC.
I had posted a drawing of his lift on the gmcmhphotos site back in 2006.
You can see it here
.http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/transmission-lift-structure/p29898-transmission-lift.html
This is a fairly compact lift and can easily be transported and put in place but it is very sturdy when in place
The leg with the threaded pipe fitting goes onto the front ledge of the place where the box cover fits.
The other leg goes onto the flange above the step. A length of 3/4" threader pipe screws into the front threaded coupling and slips through the back pipe coupler. A hole is drilled down into the slip fitting to hold a pin to lock it in place.
Manny's original had threaded pipe couplers on both ends which meant that one had to screw the back support onto the pipe after the two come a longs were in place. I modified it to have a slip on fitting on the rear support with a pin to hold it in place so that it could be assembled easier.
Manny uses one come a long to support the engine and the other one with a chain to lower and raise the transmission. He has a chain made up with S hooks at the proper locations to properly support the transmission so that he can quickly attach the chain to the transmission. I once had a drawing of the chain but I cannot find it. I had loaned out my support to someone a few years back but they "lost" it including the pipe and the chain. I cannot remember who the person was. He lived in Albuquerque at the time but I really didn't know him. Sometimes one shouldn't be so generous to a stranger just because he owns a GMC.
I have to make another one when I again need it.. So I'll have to ask Manny for the dimensions on the chain and hooks again someday so I can make up another chain. With his lift one can do it alone but you have to go up and down several times when lowering or raising the transmission. It is much easier to have one person below and another operating the come a long.
I have found that the hardest part of removal is reaching the top two corner bolts that hold the transmission to the bell housing. When Manny first removed mine at his shop he used a an air powered 3/8" socket wrench which removed them easily. When I did mine at home I had to really work with a hand wrench to get those bolts out.
When putting the transmission back in don't attach the gasket that goes between the final drive and the transmission until the transmission is lifted in place. Then slip the gasket in place. Otherwise you will likely tear the gasket when lifting the transmission.
When attaching the final drive to the transmission I have found it is difficult to line things up. I have found that you can just thread two approx. 6" long bolts through the bottom two holes of the final drive into the tranny. This will serve as "rails" for the tranny and final drive to line up and slide together quite easily.
Don't try to put in the top passenger side bolt when you attach the final drive. It can be done with a 3/8" flex and a long (24") extension but it is better to just leave the bolt out.
Emery Stora
On Jun 28, 2013, at 8:25 AM, John Wright wrote:
> Guys,
> Were missing the point here!
> How does he remove and replace and transmission, that is all! It is not how he builds a tranny or all the great parts that he uses or where he gets them from. Manny is a great resource for the GMC community that does quality work and goes out of his way to help when needed without being asked. People just need to see how it is done by the best! What are the little tricks and tools setups that could be used by the GMC owner that does the work himself?
>
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I had posted a drawing of his lift on the gmcmhphotos site back in 2006.
You can see it here
.http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/transmission-lift-structure/p29898-transmission-lift.html
This is a fairly compact lift and can easily be transported and put in place but it is very sturdy when in place
The leg with the threaded pipe fitting goes onto the front ledge of the place where the box cover fits.
The other leg goes onto the flange above the step. A length of 3/4" threader pipe screws into the front threaded coupling and slips through the back pipe coupler. A hole is drilled down into the slip fitting to hold a pin to lock it in place.
Manny's original had threaded pipe couplers on both ends which meant that one had to screw the back support onto the pipe after the two come a longs were in place. I modified it to have a slip on fitting on the rear support with a pin to hold it in place so that it could be assembled easier.
Manny uses one come a long to support the engine and the other one with a chain to lower and raise the transmission. He has a chain made up with S hooks at the proper locations to properly support the transmission so that he can quickly attach the chain to the transmission. I once had a drawing of the chain but I cannot find it. I had loaned out my support to someone a few years back but they "lost" it including the pipe and the chain. I cannot remember who the person was. He lived in Albuquerque at the time but I really didn't know him. Sometimes one shouldn't be so generous to a stranger just because he owns a GMC.
I have to make another one when I again need it.. So I'll have to ask Manny for the dimensions on the chain and hooks again someday so I can make up another chain. With his lift one can do it alone but you have to go up and down several times when lowering or raising the transmission. It is much easier to have one person below and another operating the come a long.
I have found that the hardest part of removal is reaching the top two corner bolts that hold the transmission to the bell housing. When Manny first removed mine at his shop he used a an air powered 3/8" socket wrench which removed them easily. When I did mine at home I had to really work with a hand wrench to get those bolts out.
When putting the transmission back in don't attach the gasket that goes between the final drive and the transmission until the transmission is lifted in place. Then slip the gasket in place. Otherwise you will likely tear the gasket when lifting the transmission.
When attaching the final drive to the transmission I have found it is difficult to line things up. I have found that you can just thread two approx. 6" long bolts through the bottom two holes of the final drive into the tranny. This will serve as "rails" for the tranny and final drive to line up and slide together quite easily.
Don't try to put in the top passenger side bolt when you attach the final drive. It can be done with a 3/8" flex and a long (24") extension but it is better to just leave the bolt out.
Emery Stora
On Jun 28, 2013, at 8:25 AM, John Wright wrote:
> Guys,
> Were missing the point here!
> How does he remove and replace and transmission, that is all! It is not how he builds a tranny or all the great parts that he uses or where he gets them from. Manny is a great resource for the GMC community that does quality work and goes out of his way to help when needed without being asked. People just need to see how it is done by the best! What are the little tricks and tools setups that could be used by the GMC owner that does the work himself?
>
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anthony ezzo
Jun 28, 2013, 7:52:38 PM6/28/13
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Tranny in and out is one thing.I still have no Idea how the guys got my motor out TWICE without taking any of the drive apart?? Anyone??? One shot is when the 429 came out.The other is when the 500 came back out after install.Still amazes me.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p49784-empty-again.html
--
77 455 Elaganza II and 67 Animal, Built 500 Powered Eldo
Richard
Jun 28, 2013, 7:55:10 PM6/28/13
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Hey Emery. The period from your previous sentence munged up the picture site link, at least for me. Haven't posted a link before, so I hope this works.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/transmission-lift-structure/p29898-transmission-lift.html
Richard
--
'77 Birchaven TZE...777
Rear bath, interior pretty much original,
Jasper 455, 3.50 final, Howell EFI w/EBL, Springfield, Thorley, 6 disks, Alcoas, currently installing a one ton front end
David H. Jarvis
Jun 28, 2013, 9:23:18 PM6/28/13
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How high does the coach have to be?
--
"I've always been crazy, but it kept me from going insane"
Emery Stora
Jun 28, 2013, 9:43:34 PM6/28/13
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If you use Mannystrans lift it only has to be high enough to slide out the transmission. About 18". But if you bigger around then Manny you might need 24".
Emery Stora
Emery Stora
Ken Henderson
Jun 29, 2013, 1:20:10 AM6/29/13
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Emery,
One minor change for your drawing of Manny's lifting device ("gantry", I
call it): The vertical members should be offset to the left a couple of
inches to position the come-a-longs over the center of gravity of the
transmission. Manny had to show me that, so the "couple"'s not very big --
maybe 2".
I meant to measure Manny's chain but never did. Maybe he'll tell us. If
not, it's just long enough to reach from the top of the starboard
inspection hole of the bell housing, over the top of the bell housing and
transmission, and under to the bottom of the inspection hole. Put a hook
on each end to grab into the hole. The chain needs to go forward of the
"bump" on the left side of the transmission, and have enough slack for the
lifting device to attach just below the level of the cockpit floor. Manny
has a hook attached at the proper location to position that device above
the CG, but I think it's not very critical.
Ken H.
One minor change for your drawing of Manny's lifting device ("gantry", I
call it): The vertical members should be offset to the left a couple of
inches to position the come-a-longs over the center of gravity of the
transmission. Manny had to show me that, so the "couple"'s not very big --
maybe 2".
I meant to measure Manny's chain but never did. Maybe he'll tell us. If
not, it's just long enough to reach from the top of the starboard
inspection hole of the bell housing, over the top of the bell housing and
transmission, and under to the bottom of the inspection hole. Put a hook
on each end to grab into the hole. The chain needs to go forward of the
"bump" on the left side of the transmission, and have enough slack for the
lifting device to attach just below the level of the cockpit floor. Manny
has a hook attached at the proper location to position that device above
the CG, but I think it's not very critical.
Ken H.
Emery Stora
Jun 29, 2013, 7:56:03 AM6/29/13
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That's one of the problems trying to document something. When changes are later made, such as Manny offsetting the vertical members, they are not changed in prior documents.
I made the drawings from his original setup.
Emery Stora
I made the drawings from his original setup.
Emery Stora
Jim Kanomata
Jun 29, 2013, 5:46:24 PM6/29/13
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Manny is a master of r&r trans with the final drive in the coach.
He knows exactly when to poke it in to get the job done.
Now that sounded like my sexual comment, but in this case I was not
grinning.
I want our guys to learn to do it that way, but they like the long way.
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
ji...@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
He knows exactly when to poke it in to get the job done.
Now that sounded like my sexual comment, but in this case I was not
grinning.
I want our guys to learn to do it that way, but they like the long way.
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
ji...@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Todd Sullivan
Jun 30, 2013, 1:39:30 AM6/30/13
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Jim, I think u made a funny w/o even knowing it :)
Todd Sullivan
Sully
77 royale
Seattle
Todd Sullivan
Sully
77 royale
Seattle
Joe Weir
Jun 30, 2013, 7:14:37 AM6/30/13
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Does anyone have a picture of this device being used? I'm having a hard time visualizing how this works to remove a transmission.
--
76 Birchaven
Columbia, SC.
Ken Henderson
Jun 30, 2013, 11:06:03 AM6/30/13
to gmclist
Joe,
I don't have a photo, but it's a simple concept:
The gantry is just large enough for two 1-ton come-a-long hoists to hang
from it at the very rear of the engine access opening. To support the
engine, the forward hoist hooks a chain attached to two short 3/8-16 bolts
screwed into the rear vertical faces of the cylinder heads. That hoist is
tightened just enough to maintain the engine's position.
The second, rear, hoist attaches to the "Manny Chain" described earlier,
which basically wraps around the transmission with each end hooked into the
right side access port in the bell housing. That hoist supports, and later
lowers & raises, the transmission.
These steps are informational; they are NOT in the preferred sequence:
With the final drive disconnected from the transmission (but still attached
to the engine by the single large horizontal bolt at the front), and all
the other attachments un-done (starter, lower dust cover, torque converter,
speedometer cable, cooler hoses, and bell housing bolts -- including,
unfortunately, the 3 holding the rear mounting bracket to the rear of the
bell housing), it's almost time! But first, wrap a wire through the bell
housing port, around one of the 3 torque converter mounting lugs and back
to a secure fitting on the transmission -- you DO NOT want that 40# TC to
move. Finally, loosen the two bolts securing the rear motor mounts to the
#3 cross member -- they're up inside the beam.
With all that accomplished, it remains only to slide the transmission to
the rear far enough to disengage it from the final drive and lower it to
the floor.
That's NOT as simple as it sounds. The aluminum bell housing is indexed to
the engine by a steel alignment pin on each side. Galvanic corrosion
usually has those firmly mated so considerable judicious prying may be
required (apply anti-seize during reassembly). Considerable care, prying,
pushing, pulling, cussing, and general head-scratching is required while
lowering the transmission to avoid binding on flywheel mounting bolts, ring
gear, final drive input gear, and other assorted obstacles. About 3"
fore-aft clearance is needed. About 1" is available.
Installation's just the reverse.
Obviously an easy, quick task, huh?
Good luck.
Ken "Just Been There" H.
I don't have a photo, but it's a simple concept:
The gantry is just large enough for two 1-ton come-a-long hoists to hang
from it at the very rear of the engine access opening. To support the
engine, the forward hoist hooks a chain attached to two short 3/8-16 bolts
screwed into the rear vertical faces of the cylinder heads. That hoist is
tightened just enough to maintain the engine's position.
The second, rear, hoist attaches to the "Manny Chain" described earlier,
which basically wraps around the transmission with each end hooked into the
right side access port in the bell housing. That hoist supports, and later
lowers & raises, the transmission.
These steps are informational; they are NOT in the preferred sequence:
With the final drive disconnected from the transmission (but still attached
to the engine by the single large horizontal bolt at the front), and all
the other attachments un-done (starter, lower dust cover, torque converter,
speedometer cable, cooler hoses, and bell housing bolts -- including,
unfortunately, the 3 holding the rear mounting bracket to the rear of the
bell housing), it's almost time! But first, wrap a wire through the bell
housing port, around one of the 3 torque converter mounting lugs and back
to a secure fitting on the transmission -- you DO NOT want that 40# TC to
move. Finally, loosen the two bolts securing the rear motor mounts to the
#3 cross member -- they're up inside the beam.
With all that accomplished, it remains only to slide the transmission to
the rear far enough to disengage it from the final drive and lower it to
the floor.
That's NOT as simple as it sounds. The aluminum bell housing is indexed to
the engine by a steel alignment pin on each side. Galvanic corrosion
usually has those firmly mated so considerable judicious prying may be
required (apply anti-seize during reassembly). Considerable care, prying,
pushing, pulling, cussing, and general head-scratching is required while
lowering the transmission to avoid binding on flywheel mounting bolts, ring
gear, final drive input gear, and other assorted obstacles. About 3"
fore-aft clearance is needed. About 1" is available.
Installation's just the reverse.
Obviously an easy, quick task, huh?
Good luck.
Ken "Just Been There" H.
KB
Jun 30, 2013, 1:54:06 PM6/30/13
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Here's a picture:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p49787-transmission-hoist-by.html
Karen
1973 23'
1975 26'
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p49787-transmission-hoist-by.html
Karen
1973 23'
1975 26'
Joe Weir
Jun 30, 2013, 2:12:22 PM6/30/13
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Thank you. Truly worth 1000 words.
Looks like a scaled down gmc engine hoist/scaffold. Wouldn't one of those serve the same purpose?
--
76 Birchaven
Columbia, SC.
76 Birchaven
Columbia, SC.
Jim Kanomata
Jun 30, 2013, 4:48:51 PM6/30/13
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Manny is so skilled at using his set up, I know he can do it with a 120 lbs
rated equipment.
One time we used his fixture and broke it. Manny does not hold back and
told me that I did not know what I was doing.
I had to agree.
It is like fishing, my Uncle would fish with a 5 lbs line and haul in 10
lbs fish while I was using a 10lbs line and broke the line.
Migule at MGM GMC is anther speedy guy, he can do more in an hour than I
can in 2.
When we use to Drag Race, I hated to help out other guys as we were always
pressed for time, and too many chances to screw up.
rated equipment.
One time we used his fixture and broke it. Manny does not hold back and
told me that I did not know what I was doing.
I had to agree.
It is like fishing, my Uncle would fish with a 5 lbs line and haul in 10
lbs fish while I was using a 10lbs line and broke the line.
Migule at MGM GMC is anther speedy guy, he can do more in an hour than I
can in 2.
When we use to Drag Race, I hated to help out other guys as we were always
pressed for time, and too many chances to screw up.
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
ji...@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
ji...@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Mickey Space Ship Shuttle
Jun 30, 2013, 5:04:17 PM6/30/13
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I had a mechanic once he was fast, but it took 4 times longer to redo it.
So i would rather take a slow guy that knows and tells you why he is doing it like you jimK.
thank you for you great help to all of us.
mickey :-)
anaheim ca. 77 palm beach
So i would rather take a slow guy that knows and tells you why he is doing it like you jimK.
thank you for you great help to all of us.
mickey :-)
anaheim ca. 77 palm beach
Jim Kanomata
Jun 30, 2013, 8:15:38 PM6/30/13
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Mickey,
I was once full of energy and knowledge, at 70, I do little wrenching and
my mind has forfotten lot.
At least I can ask our guys what I taught them and fake
I was once full of energy and knowledge, at 70, I do little wrenching and
my mind has forfotten lot.
At least I can ask our guys what I taught them and fake
Jp Benson
Jul 7, 2013, 11:36:49 AM7/7/13
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Ken,
Just one question about disconnecting the final drive. There is one bolt on the top right of the final drive that is very close to the oil pan and engine. It's difficult to even get a wrench on it. I installed my final drive with the engine and trans in place. On that particular bolt, I had to cut one of my old wrenches in half so that there would be enough room to turn the wrench. The MM glosses over this issue. Is there a special wrench or technique for dealing with this bolt.
Thanks,
JP
>________________________________
> From: Ken Henderson <hend...@bellsouth.net>
>To: gmclist <gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org>
>Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 11:06 AM
>Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Manny's Transmission Lift and hints
Just one question about disconnecting the final drive. There is one bolt on the top right of the final drive that is very close to the oil pan and engine. It's difficult to even get a wrench on it. I installed my final drive with the engine and trans in place. On that particular bolt, I had to cut one of my old wrenches in half so that there would be enough room to turn the wrench. The MM glosses over this issue. Is there a special wrench or technique for dealing with this bolt.
Thanks,
JP
>________________________________
> From: Ken Henderson <hend...@bellsouth.net>
>To: gmclist <gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org>
>Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 11:06 AM
>Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Manny's Transmission Lift and hints
Todd Sullivan
Jul 7, 2013, 12:04:56 PM7/7/13
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I think you are referring to the bolt which is commonly left out during final drive rnr
Todd Sullivan
Sully
77 royale
Seattle
Todd Sullivan
Sully
77 royale
Seattle
KB
Jul 7, 2013, 1:57:44 PM7/7/13
to gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org
> Just one question about disconnecting the final drive.? There is one bolt on the top right of the final drive that is very close to the oil pan and engine.? It's difficult to even get a wrench on it.? I installed my final drive with the engine and trans in place.? On that particular bolt, I had to cut one of my old wrenches in half so that there would be enough room to turn the wrench.? The MM glosses over this issue.? Is there a special wrench or technique for dealing with this bolt
I've seen Manny use a right-angle air-powered wrench for that bolt.
He brought an air compressor along specifically to run that
tool to get at that bolt.
Karen
1973 23'
1975 26'
I've seen Manny use a right-angle air-powered wrench for that bolt.
He brought an air compressor along specifically to run that
tool to get at that bolt.
Karen
1973 23'
1975 26'
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