Tips on how to replace flexplate and which one to order?

[SnS C10]

Hey guys on my 86 4x4 suburban with goodwrench crate 350 the flexplate is cracked. Looking at flexplates i see that there are internally and externally balanced ones. It would seem the 86 and new one piece rear main 350s require an externally balanced flexplate? I assume that is also why my current flexplate has a counterweight on it? I just want to confirm that when i order a flexplate that i get the correct style, can you guys help me out?

Now for replacement. I have read that I can get some 8" long bolt and put them in the bottom trans mounting holes, unbolt the trans from the cross member, unbolt the torque converter and slide the trans back a few inches....

Will i need to disconnect the 4x4 and column shift linkages?
Trans lines?
Drive shaft?
Starter?

Any advice on what all needs to be done exactly i would greatly appreciate

Heres a picture of my current flexplate also

[68Timber]

Try Rock Auto, see what they list for a flex plate. Do you have a trans jack?

[48cj2a]

I posted this over on SteelSoldiers on a flex plate replacement on a M1009 CUCV (Blazer) with the 6.2 Diesel, THM 400/NP208:

For anyone comptemplating a flywheel change, this was much easier that I thought it would be and I did not have to completely remove the THM400/NP208.

1. Disconnect the battery cables
2. Remove the flywheel inspection cover and torque converter bolts
3. Remove the 6 bell housing bolts (and I slightly bent the starter shield bolt tab to clear the trans)
4. Reinstall 2 or 4 new bolts that are approximately 4" long in the lower holes to support the bell housing (I used 2)
5. I jacked the engine up and placed a large jack stand under the oil pan to support the engine and less the bind and realignment upon engine/bell housing split.
6. Remove the differential ends of both drive shafts and tape the caps so they don't fall off
7. Disconnect the linkage by removing the clip and pull it out of transmission end
disconnect the two cooler lines from the transmission.
8. I put small jack stands on a little 4 wheel cart I made with a bottle jack in the center on dunage and jacked up the cross member enough to support it while I removed the 4 cross member bolts and lowered it to the jack stands. (a HF furniture dolly would be perfect)
9. Using a large prybar I split the bell housing from the engine enough to gain access to the flexplate/flywheel bolts. Because it was on the cart it just rolled back on its own.
10. Use a long prybar to lock the flywheel enough to break the torque of the mounting bolts or a flywheel tool which I tried using too, but this one was a borrowed and well used POS from HF - after I figured out it had a bent tab and bent it back with a hammer it worked good upon tightening the bolts on the new flexplate.

I surprisingly was able to do all this in a couple hours after I had all the tools handy and the jack stands on the temporary cart figured out.

I got the fly wheel from my local Oreilly's.

[SnS C10]

No need for step 6 or 7

[68Timber]

You can get by without one no doubt, but a good transmission jack makes this easy.