Elevating Car To Remove 727 Transmission

[ykf7b0]

I am about to begin removal of the 727 torqueflite in my roadrunner for a rebuild and I'm looking for tips on how to elevate the car. I don't have a lift and the last time I had the trans out I got the car high enough by cutting some railroad cross ties into two foot lengths and double stacking them under each wheel. This gave me around 10 inches of lift under the wheels which was enough to get that big 727 out. Well that was several years ago and those cross ties have now rotted and I want to get some idea's on how some of you do it. :chuck: Thanks for you replies and for a great site!!!!

 

[droptop]

Safety first. :yesnod: These stands have a total height of 24". That should be enough clearance to get the trans. out safely.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-jack ... 38847.html

 

[Jim S.]

I'm one of the unfortunate ones to also to have a 727 in my car. I have got it out in the past using railroad ties with jack stands on top of them. That's a little scary but, I did also have a engine hoist supporting the front of the car for backup until I got out from under it. Next time (if there is one) I would consider making some of these.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/wood-block.htm

The last few years I have been getting too old and sore to be doing crazy stuff without a hoist... :crazy:

 

[A31PKG]

Try this at all four corners... add the 2x12 sections to taste... Don't forget the e-brake!
For added stability you could use two cinder blocks and longer boards. That would also give you room for wheel chocks.

 

[Big John]

I would stay away from using the cinder blocks if it were me. Yea, I know.... we've all used them at some time or another but after reading a few horror stories, they really aren't a good choice. The blocks aren't made to support that type of weight and can break or crumble. I really don't like blocking up jack stands either.

I've become very cautious about working under cars over the years. One friend in a wheelchair and the guy next door to my old garage dying from vehicles falling on them tends to make you think.

The wood cribbing listed above is probably the safest, followed by the tall jack stands. I use jack stands myself and always throw the tire and wheel under the car too or an extra jack stand under the frame just for a little added safety.

 

[A31PKG]

I would stay away from using the cinder blocks if it were me. Yea, I know.... we've all used them at some time or another but after reading a few horror stories, they really aren't a good choice. The blocks aren't made to support that type of weight and can break or crumble. I really don't like blocking up jack stands either.

I've become very cautious about working under cars over the years. One friend in a wheelchair and the guy next door to my old garage dying from vehicles falling on them tends to make you think.

The wood cribbing listed above is probably the safest, followed by the tall jack stands. I use jack stands myself and always throw the tire and wheel under the car too or an extra jack stand under the frame just for a little added safety.

I do not mean to advise anything that could be construed as unsafe, and you make a good point John, but if you'll look closely, I've put my floor jack under the diff. There are also other safety precautions I took, such as placing tires under the car before working on it. The idea here is to some how take the place of a lift, which is the ideal situation. Jack stands are at their safest when at the lowest setting. They can be a bit unsteady when extended. Larger jack stands are your best bet, but getting the car high enough can be another safety challenge...... Just my two cent response..... :cheers:

 

[ACME A12]

Make friends with someone that has a lift and a tranny jack...

 

[moparchris]

Please dont do the block under the tires. Take it from someone who made a questionable decision and almost got killed and ended up in the hospital for my efforts. Approved jackstands (placed under the frame) and a floor jack are the safe way to go. I have seen a few people crushed by cars falling on them and its not a pretty way to go. If you get the front up as high as the jack allows then place the stands under the front frame and then go to the back and do the same. Then do this over again 2 more times until the jack can no longer pick the car any higher, that is high enough to get the trans out from under the car. I also slide the trans on a piece of cardboard out the front manuevering it between the k frame and the lower control arm (which will have the most clearance). If you are just changing out a flex plate or something then you can just leave it on the jack. Thats the hardest part, getting that heavy mother on the jack. I use 2 4x4 blocks of wood and pivot the trans on them front and rear until I get it high enough to get it on the jack. I also went down to Harbor freight and bought a motorcycle lift for 79 bucks and it worked killer.

 

[A31PKG]

The weight of the vehicle in the picture I posted is not entirely supported by the block & wood set-up. Most of the vehicle's weight is supported by three floor jacks - one of which is in the pic. I then stacked some tires and wedged them under the frame. The cinder block was a 12" block laid on its face, not side. It was more of a safety measure than weight support. I appologize for a "shade-tree" answer to a legitimate question. The best way to service an automobile is to have the proper equipment, in this case, a lift - period. Any other approach requires the upmost of care and planning, and unfortunately requires one to assume some risk. Additionally, in the pic I posted, I was not getting under the car but simply raising it so I could slip the engine/trans assy under it. Once in place, it was lowered onto jackstands for final assembly to the car.

 

[Big John]

Make friends with someone that has a lift and a tranny jack...

My son was standing with his back turned, just a few feet from the back of this truck. I saw a Firebird fall off a lift once too.

It's ALL about common sense when it comes to safety. If it looks unsafe... IT IS! If it looks safe, check it again and only then trust your life with it.

 

[ACME A12]

My son was standing with his back turned, just a few feet from the back of this truck. I saw a Firebird fall off a lift once too.

It's ALL about common sense when it comes to safety. If it looks unsafe... IT IS! If it looks safe, check it again and only then trust your life with it.

Yikes! That's scary... WTH happened there???

 

[A31PKG]

I've witnessed that scenario more than once in my career....Oh the stories....

Glad your son was not hurt!

 

[Hoosier Bird]

WOW..........

 

[droptop]

Those Tommy Lift tail gate are very heavy. It looks like it was not centered correctly. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[Big John]

The lift wasn't positioned correctly and yes, the Tomy lift wasn't taken into consideration when the truck was put on the lift. An experienced mechanic didn't think because he had done it so many times before.

So many times it's the person that's gotten too comfortable with what they do and they get careless and then someone gets hurt.

 

[Basketcase]

l've gotten to where l don't like belng under a car too much. whem we dld the motor swap on the Boss's Ghia lt wasn't bad. guess l got spoiled by my Power Wagons. could do just about anythlng underneath just by crawllng under lt.

 

[moparchris]

The weight of the vehicle in the picture I posted is not entirely supported by the block & wood set-up. Most of the vehicle's weight is supported by three floor jacks - one of which is in the pic. I then stacked some tires and wedged them under the frame. The cinder block was a 12" block laid on its face, not side. It was more of a safety measure than weight support. I appologize for a "shade-tree" answer to a legitimate question. The best way to service an automobile is to have the proper equipment, in this case, a lift - period. Any other approach requires the upmost of care and planning, and unfortunately requires one to assume some risk. Additionally, in the pic I posted, I was not getting under the car but simply raising it so I could slip the engine/trans assy under it. Once in place, it was lowered onto jackstands for final assembly to the car.

Dont get me wrong. That comment wasnt necessarily meant towards you, I dont know the story about how you did yours. A lift is a luxury and a good set of jack stands manufactured from a reputable source is really the safest. I had an arm on a lift break back when I was a "pro" and it almost killed me. It looked exactly like the pic that John posted. The lift was 30 years old and had enough and just snapped one arm! I wa under it at the time and got wrapped up in the undercarriage and couldn't get out from under it. Fortunately it just fell part way down until the rear bumper touched the ground.

 

[A31PKG]

Dont get me wrong. That comment wasnt necessarily meant towards you, I dont know the story about how you did yours. A lift is a luxury and a good set of jack stands manufactured from a reputable source is really the safest. I had an arm on a lift break back when I was a "pro" and it almost killed me. It looked exactly like the pic that John posted. The lift was 30 years old and had enough and just snapped one arm! I wa under it at the time and got wrapped up in the undercarriage and couldn't get out from under it. Fortunately it just fell part way down until the rear bumper touched the ground.

No biggee... In my 35 years as a professional auto tech, I have been very cautious and probably lucky - knock on wood. That is not to say that I have not witnessed a few mishaps in my career. Regardless, I'll pick a lift over crawling on the ground any day. This particular pic is when I was re-installing the engine/trans/suspension as a unit. I did not feel like trailering the car to the shop, and the procedure is pretty straight-forward... at least for me.
:grouphug:

 

[Big John]

Here's some ideas for homemade ramps.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?s=60efe447521818d593a290373b1225f5&t=467120

Post 42 has some more links to other sites.

 

[moparchris]

Funny. I'm going out and building a two post lift from wood. I'll let you know how it went. Home Depot here I come. :bricks: