Any tips on a diy trans jack adapter

Discussion in 'Wrenchin' Secrets' started by Donuts & Peelouts, Apr 29, 2018.

  1. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    I'm going to be doing a clutch replacement on my wife's o/t car. Any tips on what I could use for a transmission jack. I have a 3 ton jack like the one in the picture.any tips would help. shopping.jpg
     
  2. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Ive done it with a jack just like that. Its a balancing act. You'd be much better off going to a rental place and picking up a trans jack for 20.00. Get it on Fri night or Sat morning and keep until Monday. Orrrr. If ya plan on doing it more than once or twice, Harbor Freight has them for around 100.00.

    https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/transmission-jacks.html
     
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  3. Daves69

    Daves69 Too many cars too work on

    There are some transmission jack adapters that fit your jack. You can make one if you want. You tube has some ideas. The biggest problem I have had is getting the car up high enough to get the transmission out from under the car while still on the jack.
     
  4. 70skylark350

    70skylark350 Jesus loves you unconditionally

    NAPA sells an adapter but it makes the jack rather tall. I have made them before out of some 1x1 square tube, not sure if you have any welding ability?
     
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  5. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

  6. NZ GS 400

    NZ GS 400 Gold Level Contributor

  7. BrunoD

    BrunoD Looking for Fast Eddie

    Where do you live.I have one if you live nearby.Bruno.
     
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  8. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    I appriciate that Bruno but I'm in LA, and I think your in NY.
     
  9. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    Thanks everyone, 1st I'm going to see who can rent me one. I forgot about that.
    2nd YouTube.

    Then I might just have to buy one, just to add to my tools. Can't have enough tools.
     
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  10. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    My motto is If I rent it more than twice in a yr Im buying one. Few yrs back I stopped at a yard sale and got a big parts washer tank, a low profile trans jack like ur looking for and a cut off saw for 100.00!
     
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  11. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

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  12. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    That's a good tool rule to live by
     
  13. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Sometimes production shops or dealerships will just throw jacks away or put them in the scrap truck. Check the alley ways behind some bigger shops and see if there are any left for dead out back (we've got 4 sitting outside the dealership rotting away right now). You can take the "cup" from one of those, and weld or have somebody weld a square plate to it. Much safer than the balancing act, which I've used as well, and you only have one jack to store with interchangeable cups. If you end up with some extra cash sitting around and pay attention to the coupons, I got my trans jack from Harbor Freight for under $80. It is super handy and makes the job a snap, but on a budget doing the hillbilly adapter for your regular jack works ok.
     
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  14. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    Thanks Lucas, unfortunately the alleys in my neighorhood are death traps, if your not known in a particular alley it can go pretty bad especially my age group and skin color. Plus bums with shopping carts work them so hard dumpster diving through out the day and night. They will take anything to sell especially metal. I think I'll be safer throwing dirt on my face, rip my shirt, walk with a limp, and start talking to myself while pushing a shoppng cart around here lol.
    Good tip though.
     
  15. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    Screenshot_20180501-081415.png
    This is my alley, I avoid it. Right off Florence ave. I remember two years ago i wanted a dr pepper in in the night, it was my birthday i walked down it and two guys popped out one put a big gun to my face, looked like a tech 9 with a clip that was super long. He kept asking me where i was from with finger on the trigger and his hand/gun shaking. A third guy came out and noticed me and said "he's cool" ...

    Last month at the bus stop 3 streets down, a guy in his early 30's was waiting for the bus in the night after his day at work. A car rolled up to him and some guys came out and asked him what gang he was from. He didn't gangbang, he was a father of two and kept to himself. They didn't belive him and shot him in the head and left. He died thier.

    The nick name of my city is homicide park.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2018
  16. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    When I was a younger version of me, low mileage and all original parts,, I had no trouble putting a tranny on my chest and sliding under a car, and stabbing it, holding it and putting the bolts in by myself.
    Now, 40 years later, I cannot believe I ever could do it. Hell, I have trouble with steering gearboxes and starters!

    Got tired of the T-10 rolling and falling off the jack when trying to install and remove.
    So, I built my own out of scraps in about 20 minutes.
    (I had to carve a bit on the 1x2 front and back to match the contour of the bottom of the tranny after I took the pics)

    I also used some long grade 8 bolts, cut off heads and use them as guide pins.

    Tranny removal and installation is a breeze.

    [​IMG]
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  17. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    That's rough, my friend. I was meaning just to go check out back of car dealerships, but I suppose I don't know if they'd be in the same kind of situation/area. I wouldn't go searching down your alley, either. We don't have to worry about gangs up here, it's the meth and heroin addicts running around. This alleyway is just a few blocks down from a friend of mine's house. What's weird is that it's nice houses where he's at, and then like a light switch it turns to crack houses directly across the street, but this is where I usually park when visiting. I usually have a .357 under my coat though (legally).........
    coward.png coward1.png
     
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  18. Rich Skylark

    Rich Skylark Gold Level Contributor

    Here is my low buck model designed for 1 use: 1 2x10 , 1 3/8 lag bolt & nut, & a few washers. It ain't pretty but was stable enough to lift up & position my TH350 with ease
     

    Attached Files:

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  19. Philip66

    Philip66 Well-Known Member

    That's really a shame, but hilarious!! You got me with that one Ronnie!! ROTFLOL
     
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  20. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

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