Chevy & GMC Vans

Anybody remove/install a trans without a specific transmission jack? I have a couple 2 1/2 ton floor jacks, but neither have wide bases or lifting platforms.

I've been trying to figure out a ratchet strap/floor jack combo that would do the trick. Am I nuts? Too cheap for my own good? Or am I on to something?

Suggestions?

They can be muscled off the alignment pins ( did this with mine ) and we did this at the wreckers getting skippy's tranny a few yr's back, BUT it is not the recommended way unless you have a few extra hands. The tranny weighs approx 150lbs which is fairly akward when you are under the van all crunched up. What I did with mine when i was putting it back in was to get some thick plywood and make a base ( which would go under the pan ) then get a floor jack lift it up a bit and with the help of my dad find the balancing point of the tranny, we marked where the plywood base needed to be on the jack and where the tranny needed to rest on the base. Once we got the tranny over to the back of the van we reset it back up on the jack and pushed it under the van then raised the jack back up and muscled it back onto the pins. Make sure that before you re-install the tranny that your T.C ( torque convertor ) is seated correctly on the front pump.

getting it out with ratchet straps would probably work ok, but trying to put it back in would be really tough.
sounds like an opportunity to get hurt really bad.

What Zam said is pretty much the way to do it if you don't have the proper jack. A ratchet strap or two wouldn't hurt either. Whatever you do, BE CAREFUL. If it gets away from you get the "H" out of the way and let it go. I've done that more than a couple of times. It won't hurt anything. It does't have that far to fall.

having seen everything that Aaron has done on his vans, I'm sure this is going to come out just fine, but man Smilie, talk about a contradictory post.
be careful, won't hurt anything....? lmao

After finding that the trans should weigh roughly 185 lbs, I've started with the ratchet straps. The trans cross member is removed and the rear of the trans is being held up by the by one. The trans is still 8/9th bolted to the engine and the TC/fly wheel bolts are still in place. Weather is supposed to be cool, with some occasional rain here tomorrow. Hopefully I catch a break and am able to finish unbolting everything without getting soaked. I'm planning on hooking another ratchet strap to the opening for the engine cover, obviously on opposite sides of the trans. I'm gonna practice letting it down and picking it up with a few boards under it so at most it can only drop a couple inches. Once I'm confident, I'll lower it the whole way. Might have to borrow my daughter's camera for this.

vice grips clamped to the bellhousing work pretty good for keeping the torque converter in place while removing the transmission.

When I swapped my transfer case I was alone and did it balancing on a jack.. it weighs quite a bit less than the trans and I had trouble trying to muscle it around in there... I also experienced what happens when it loses balance. I got out of there quick and we both were ok.. at least it has not given me any issues in the last five years. I guess I am just trying to say.. BE VERY CAREFUL!! We dont want any squished members!

I love it when I have too much going on....sigh. Well I leave for a two week vacation in the Jeep tomorrow, it's a planned Jeep trip so it's OK. Tonight I put the van back down on its wheels so the city doesn't harass me for having a vehicle on jack stands while I'm gone. Hopefully I can finish dropping it the weekend after we get back.

Aaron...I wanna see lots of pics of the wheeling! Man I miss it sometimes.

There will be lots and lots of pictures. My wife has gotten the photography bug now. Look up yellocoyote on PhotoBucket to see her album.

I'd link it, but PB is blocked at work.

I just swapped out the transmission in my van yesterday and I couldn't use a transmission jack because the van is too low. I ended up removing the transmission with some wood blocks and a little 2 ton floor jack. To put the new (junkyard) one back in, I used two ratchet straps, one to lift the tailshaft and the other at the front edge of the pan. I was able to lift the trans this way and position blocks under it, then reposition the straps and do it again. Once it was up high enough, I put the floor jack under the pan and slid the whole thing forward slowly until it lined up. I don't think that it is as easy as it would be with the transmission jack, but it did work since I didn't have room to get one under the van.

oh I don't know, sounds like it wasn't too bad. I have a transmission jack - had to jack the whole front of the van up with a 27" lift hydraulic jack, and then tilt the the trans jack to get the bellhousing to clear when wheeling it underneath. Mine's a harbor freight pos, so it's not like it was rock solid when adjusting to position the transmission. I bet your wood blocks were a lot more stable than my jack...

I'm soo lame. Green's trans is still in it. Seems I left my trans rebuild money in Colorado.

well if you left it, that is lame. [-X
if you spent it, I'm sure it was a lot more fun than rebuilding a tranny.