How hard to remove a transaxle?
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Well my spare (including full clutch assembly) is very easy for my wife and I to lift onto/off of my work bench, and to generally cart around short distances. And she's a gurl 
Not saying I'd like one dropping on my head while lying on my back under the car mind. Although, now that I think of it, that has actually happened to me! Luckily it was just pivoting on the rear mount or it might have ruined my dazzlingly good looks
ed
Not saying I'd like one dropping on my head while lying on my back under the car mind. Although, now that I think of it, that has actually happened to me! Luckily it was just pivoting on the rear mount or it might have ruined my dazzlingly good looks
ed
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4,090 Posts
I would not attempt it without a jack (or two, actually). If only the transaxle needs servicing I usually leave the driveshaft in place and only undo the 3 bolts securing the driveshaft to clutch yoke. Then I undo all dedion and transaxle "connections" with jacks supporting dedion and transaxle. After that the whole dedion+transaxle assembly slides straight back an inch or so to free it off the driveshaft and you can lower it and slide out. Installation is reverse. I usually have a jack stand or other support on rear half of driveshaft. Having someone with you that has done it before will speed up the process quite a bit. Other people do it differently, but this is my preferred method.
Besides drive shaft, you've got:
- shift linkage (tap out pin on 75/Milano, undo 2 bolts with 13 mm wrench on GTV6)
- clutch flex line
- brake flex line
- reverse light wires
- speedo sensor wires
- brake pad wear sensor wires (if your have them)
- ABS sensor wires (under rear seat on 75/Milano if you have ABS)
- shocks (at dedion)
- watts linkage (at chassis)
- rear transmission mount
- 6 bolts securing dedion x-member to chassis
to disconnect. Along with what I forgot in the list above
This is not easy to do alone - I would say two people are required when you get to the point of lowering it out of the car.
Once you have the assembly on the ground you can separate the transaxle from the dedion easily by undoing:
- 2 front tranny mounts
- half-shafts
Jes
Besides drive shaft, you've got:
- shift linkage (tap out pin on 75/Milano, undo 2 bolts with 13 mm wrench on GTV6)
- clutch flex line
- brake flex line
- reverse light wires
- speedo sensor wires
- brake pad wear sensor wires (if your have them)
- ABS sensor wires (under rear seat on 75/Milano if you have ABS)
- shocks (at dedion)
- watts linkage (at chassis)
- rear transmission mount
- 6 bolts securing dedion x-member to chassis
to disconnect. Along with what I forgot in the list above
This is not easy to do alone - I would say two people are required when you get to the point of lowering it out of the car.
Once you have the assembly on the ground you can separate the transaxle from the dedion easily by undoing:
- 2 front tranny mounts
- half-shafts
Jes
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1,415 Posts
Ive managed to tear the transaxle out alone a few times now, and put it back in on my own twice now, but the first time or two its definitely a lot easier to do it when someone is helping you.
Id say just go get a cheap jack and jackstands.
Or can you not use a jack for other reasons?
Id say just go get a cheap jack and jackstands.
Or can you not use a jack for other reasons?
Its in a junkyard. I could get it for about $40-$50. Jacks are not allowed in the yard. I was just wondering if it would be worth it or too much of a pita/unsafe to try to pull it out of the car without being able to use a jack to support it.
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1,415 Posts
Are bricks allowed in the junkyard? I've used bricks to help put a transaxle back in. (support the edges of the de dion and then jack the front up) I'd think it'd be a bit tougher to take it out with just bricks...but if you had a helper it wouldnt be impossible.
The only way its really worth it to figure out how to do it w/o jacks would be if its a milano platinum or verde IMO. Unless your transaxle is in really bad condition.
The only way its really worth it to figure out how to do it w/o jacks would be if its a milano platinum or verde IMO. Unless your transaxle is in really bad condition.
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2,465 Posts
the trick in that case is to find a few spare tire jacks from other cars.....ive pulled transfercases, engines, transmissions in wreckers...you simply have to lear to scavange around for the "not allowed" tools
a transaxle without the clutch and brakes is 130lbs
a transaxle without the clutch and brakes is 130lbs
its a beat to hell silver with 120k miles, i just thought for that cheap it might be worth it. Mine has been rebuilt like 50k miles ago and is still good, so i guess it may not be worth it. I could probably use tires to stack under it if i wanted to take it out though,
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3,771 Posts
The transaxle is not very hard to take out alone if you have a transmission jack adapter being used in conjunction with a regular floor jack, but if you can't use anything to help you support it at the yard, definitely go with a friend or a family member. That thing probably weighs close to 100lbs ( I think more!) and if it fell on your leg from being up in the air, you could fracture or break a leg for sure!
For $40 I would nab it, but be safe! And PM me about those parts you have. I'd like to buy it.
For $40 I would nab it, but be safe! And PM me about those parts you have. I'd like to buy it.
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143 Posts
I have done exactly this in a junkyard and where I was not allowed to use a jack. The car was about 2 feet off of the ground. I wanted to drop the whole de dion but the shock nuts were well rusted preventing that. I ended up undoing the drive shaft (you don't need to remove it, it pops loose when you drop the nose of the box down) and left the gearbox casing held in place by the rearmount. I only wanted the gears themselves so split the casing in-situ and slid the gear section out the front after removing the clutch. This took about 2 hours but allows you to leave the driveshafts, brakes etc in place.
Once the gearbox weight is taken on the rear mount bolt alone there is no way in hell you will get that bolt out by yourself, the weight is too great.
If you want the whole transaxle I'd undo the driveshafts and other connections to the gearbox. I'd then undo the rear gearbox bolt and replace it with a taper pry bar with a right angle on the end. I'd then undo the front cross member bolts using something to wedge up the front of the box (find something in the yard). I'd undo the rear shocks and de-dion linkages, again with something under the dedion. That bend in the prybar? Smack it with a hammer and everything will be loose. Don't be under it! The gearbox is easily separated from the de-dion on the ground.
I found the easiest way to install a complete gearbox into my 75 was to install it on the de-dion and lift the lot using 4 or 5 jacks.
Once the gearbox weight is taken on the rear mount bolt alone there is no way in hell you will get that bolt out by yourself, the weight is too great.
If you want the whole transaxle I'd undo the driveshafts and other connections to the gearbox. I'd then undo the rear gearbox bolt and replace it with a taper pry bar with a right angle on the end. I'd then undo the front cross member bolts using something to wedge up the front of the box (find something in the yard). I'd undo the rear shocks and de-dion linkages, again with something under the dedion. That bend in the prybar? Smack it with a hammer and everything will be loose. Don't be under it! The gearbox is easily separated from the de-dion on the ground.
I found the easiest way to install a complete gearbox into my 75 was to install it on the de-dion and lift the lot using 4 or 5 jacks.
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143 Posts
The one I go to!!
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There's got to be a few platinums sitting in junkyards that alfisti havent found yet! Heck i found one
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I dont have anyone to help me do it, and my milano is the only car i have and a tranny seems kinda heavy to put in the trunk... After this weekend it will be $75 anyway. If someone else wants it go for it, if not i may still go try to get it later, I dont know.
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