Transmission Removal Question?

[sixtyfour]

In my 64 C-10 I have the SM-420 4 speed transmission. I'll be pulling it out this weekend to replace my clutch, my main concern is the cross-member that is riveted to the frame, will that (the cross-member) have to come out to remove the trans?

Thanks
Mike

[steverino66]

GM wouldn't do that to us - no way. Everything will unbolt and come out over/behind that crossmember - at least it did with my old 3-speed.

[daverod]

On my 3 speed I had to unbolt it from the engine then unbolt the bell housing from the trans then it came right out. There was two bolts on the inside to take the bell housing off. If you unbolt it from the engine there just enough room to get a wrench in there. After you unbolt the bell housing just turn the trans sideways and every thing will slide out.

[padresag]

I do not understand why you had to undo the b/housing from the eng to take the tranny out. there are 4 bolts holding the tranny to the b/housing; 2 are removed from outside and 2 are removed from inside the b/housing which you have to remove the dustshield from under the clutch/flywheel
take off the floor hump over trans and remove the shifter
ron

[joe231]

ron, you haven't figured it out yet??
dave likes to do things his own way...ie. the hard way

just pokin' at ya dave

[sshockr]

I know I'm the newb and all but I took the center floor and bench out of my 63 and pulled the whole 4-speed with bell housing still attached out the passenger door.

-SShockr

[padresag]

Originally Posted by sshockr

I know I'm the newb and all but I took the center floor and bench out of my 63 and pulled the whole 4-speed with bell housing still attached out the passenger door.

-SShockr

is the problem not knowing about the 2 bolts holding the trans to the bellhousing coming from inside the housing. t

if one takes off the bell housing that is a lot more work for nothing as the housing mounts to the crossmember so you have to lift the eng up and suspend it. remove the starter and cluch linkage.

a clean removal of a 3 spd should be no problem at between 10 - 15 minutes.
4 speed is more complicated as there is a little more to removing the d/shaft , floorboards and shifter. then you should use a trans jack for the trans; not really required for a 3 speed.
only someone young and foolish would try and muscle a 4 speed up through the floorboards with the b/housing attached. more power to you for that. how much damage did you do to the rest of the truck struggling to get it out. did you put it back together the same way?
ron
I can remember that we weren't given that much time to drop a cast iron p/glide back in the early-mid sixties and that was not working with a hoist but up on stands and on a creeper

[bubba327]

I took out the crossmember but I went back with a TH350 and it had to come out anyway. By the way,the top rivets were a HUGE PIA to remove from under the truck! drill and die grinder and chisel.

[sshockr]

Originally Posted by padresag

only someone young and foolish would try and muscle a 4 speed up through the floorboards with the b/housing attached. more power to you for that. how much damage did you do to the rest of the truck struggling to get it out. did you put it back together the same way?
ron

No damage to the rest of the truck. Why yes I am quite young and foolish. It was all for naught anyway. Flattened a cam lobe less than a month later. (I think it had already started before I bought it but I found it.) I also am used to 4L60E's with the integral bell housing.

- Brian

[padresag]

it wasn't all for naught. I imagine that you did learn a few things. you didn't state how you put it back in though
ron
we have all done young , foolish and sometimes stupid things. just the nature of things

[daverod]

Originally Posted by padresag

I do not understand why you had to undo the b/housing from the eng to take the tranny out. there are 4 bolts holding the tranny to the b/housing; 2 are removed from outside and 2 are removed from inside the b/housing which you have to remove the dustshield from under the clutch/flywheel
take off the floor hump over trans and remove the shifter
ron

Where were you 3 weeks ago when I was taking mine out. I did'nt know about the bolts on the inside, so I unbolted everthing from the engine. Then tried to get it out, it won't come out until you seperate the bellhousing from the transmission. Duh.

[Tx Firefighter]

I leave the bellhousing bolted down to the crossmember and still bolted to the engine. Remove the trans from the bellhousing and drop the clutch stuff out the bottom of the bellhousing access.

[daverod]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I leave the bellhousing bolted down to the crossmember and still bolted to the engine. Remove the trans from the bellhousing and drop the clutch stuff out the bottom of the bellhousing access.

Now that I've done it and put it back in it all makes since. Next time it'll be a breeze. We''ll see how 64 does. Keep us posted 64. and good luck.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by daverod

Where were you 3 weeks ago when I was taking mine out. I did'nt know about the bolts on the inside, so I unbolted everthing from the engine. Then tried to get it out, it won't come out until you seperate the bellhousing from the transmission. Duh.

I did respond to a couple of things before on your thread but you sort of blew me off and I wasn't going to try for 3
I did see your problem with the trans, but thought it wise to keep my mouth shut at that time
ron

[sshockr]

Originally Posted by padresag

it wasn't all for naught. I imagine that you did learn a few things. you didn't state how you put it back in though
ron
we have all done young , foolish and sometimes stupid things. just the nature of things

Now that we've hi-jacked the thread...

Installation was the reverse of removal. (ie. through the floor) I had to dismantle the pressure plate so I could get all the rats nest out of it cause it was holding the clutch in. Now I'm planning out an LT1 swap seeing as I have a donor 95 Impala SS sitting in my garage. This means I'll have a 4L60E with integral b/housing now.

- Brian

[sixtyfour]

Well, I gotta tell ya, you guys are life savers! Took me and a buddy about 4 hours to put in a new clutch. I left the bell housing attached to the engine, it made the job so much easier!!! Thanks for all the suggestions guys...ya'll are awesome!

[66_stepside]

this thread just saved me hours of frustration! this forum is awsome