trans repair

[silversink]

How do I replace the 2 bolts that hold the ball on the bottom of the transmission. One of mine is cross threaded and wont tighten up enough to compress the spring to get a cotter pin in.

[1930artdeco]

If you are talking about the wishbone ball then I believe you have to pull either the engine or tranny out. As they come down through the bell housing from inside.

Mike

[Jerry Kzoo]

I think that if you can get the nuts off and hold the ball down away far enough you can pull the pin holding the bolts in the bottom of the bell housing and then fish out the old bolts with forceps or needle nose pliers. Then put new ones in and repin to keep them from turning and you are all set.

Hopefully someone else will confirm or deny this but it is easier than pulling the motor or tranny.

Jerry

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by Jerry Kzoo

I think that if you can get the nuts off and hold the ball down away far enough you can pull the pin holding the bolts in the bottom of the bell housing and then fish out the old bolts with forceps or needle nose pliers. Then put new ones in and repin to keep them from turning and you are all set.

Hopefully someone else will confirm or deny this but it is easier than pulling the motor or tranny.

Jerry

I have done this. Bent tip needle nose pliers and some machine wire to help fish the new ones in. Didn't seem to be a tough job at all.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I have done this. Bent tip needle nose pliers and some machine wire to help fish the new ones in. Didn't seem to be a tough job at all.

That is how i did mine.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Yes, I've done it like Jerry said. I may have had help by using a small magnet also. I blocked the ball down with a piece of wood, then changed the entire kit including the felt. I may have use string through the cotter holes in the bolts to help in case my fingers lost grip of the bolts. It was 20 years ago when I did it.

[silversink]

don't sound like fun but possible

[Franchise_24]

Originally Posted by Jerry Kzoo

I think that if you can get the nuts off and hold the ball down away far enough you can pull the pin holding the bolts in the bottom of the bell housing and then fish out the old bolts with forceps or needle nose pliers. Then put new ones in and repin to keep them from turning and you are all set.

Hopefully someone else will confirm or deny this but it is easier than pulling the motor or tranny.

Jerry

I did it this way too. Luckily I didn't have any problems with it.

[Tom Wesenberg]

BTW, sometimes the pockets in the housing (under the special bolt heads) get worn so much that the bolt slots set too low for the cross pin to engage the slots. If this happens you will have to make a metal spacer to fit under the bolt heads to lift them up to the correct height.

[Tiny]

First I tied a piece of thread to a length of tie wire and threaded the thread up through the bolt hole and down the wishbone hole, using the wire as a needle. Then i tied the thread through the cotter pin hole of the bolt. I used a tie wire to make a "tool" to hold the bolt, so it dangled down. I then put the bolt up through the big hole and "fished" it down thought the bolt hole. My cross pin was bent so the bolts did not engage it at all. I used an ice pick though the cotter pin hole so I could loosen the nuts till i could get some needle nose pliers behind the nuts to hold them.

I used the thread after my first attempt landed the bolt in an almost impossible place to retrieve.
Good luck!! It not a fun job
My next un-fun job is going to be adjusting the mains and rods with the engine in the car!!