Tailshaft Removal / Replacement

**Slevin** · 07-26-2011, 08:42 AM

A couple years ago I was at the track racing my car and my all-out run resulted in a broken torque arm, broken driveshaft (broke in 1/2), cracked tailshaft, and bent upper panhard bar. I've taken my merry time fixing the final piece, the tailshaft. I've replace everything else, driveshaft, torque arm (unmounted from tranny to crossmember).

Can anyone give me advice on removing the tailshaft while the transmission is still in the car? I have a 2001 Trams AM M6. I have tried to patch the crack with RTV to prevent the leak, but I believe there is a spot on the top that I can't see nor get patched. So I want to pull the tailshaft to check it out, and replace it with a new one. Is it as easy as removing the shifter, and the 8 bolts that hold it in place and separating it from the trans?

I also have a new clutch that I've been putting off installing, and was considering removing the transmission all together to put the new clutch in and replace the tailshaft, I hear it's easier if you can have the trans sit upright so you can alight the tailshaft in place. If the trans isn't that terrible to remove, I could venture down that path however, my friends grandpa has a lift at his house which would make that install much much easier. Not to mention I'd like to get the tailshaft to stop leaking so I could drive it out there, its about 30 miles away. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I want to get my car back in the air and try starting this tonight.

Thanks.

-Sleivn
Long time Member since 1998, 3 screen names later
Reko98TA / NVETHIS / Slevin

**Slevin** · 07-26-2011, 07:38 PM

Ok, well I'm half way there. I couldn't get a hold of a transmission jack, and I can't seem to figure out how to get my jack to support the transmission because of the thin spine that runs along the bottom of the trans. When I raise my jack there's really no flat surface to get the jack to and it seems like the trans will wobble back and forth on the jack. Any ideas????

Right now I have the trans supported by a 2x4 until I figure this out:

Also, I'm assuming I need to remove the pin noted by the arrow in this pic to remove the tailshaft while the transmission is still in the car. Do I just use a punch or something to push it out? Is a new one needed when it's reinstalled:

Thanks for any help.

-Sleivn
Long time Member since 1998, 3 screen names later
Reko98TA / NVETHIS / Slevin

**My00Z28** · 07-26-2011, 07:48 PM

take a punch and make sure the tranny is in neutral.. drive that pin all the way down, pull all the sensors on the tail housing, unbolt the tail housing and slid the housing off it will be alittle hard to move because they are sealed shut, be careful not to damage the housing doing this but after all the bolts, sensors and that pin is out the housing should just slid off...

check this link out and it should tell you what you need to do http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/T-56_Service_Manual.pdf

**Mr_Rich** · 07-26-2011, 09:18 PM

I'd definitely be using more support for the engine and trans. You can use a floor jack under the oil pan and a trans jack under the trans. I tried a hydraulic trans jack that was designed for an auto trans and it just gave me trouble. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight scissors type trans jack with plywood wedges on each side of the trans for support. I also got some extra long M10 X 1.5 bolts to use as guide pins to mount the trans to the bell housing. That's a lot of weight to wrestle around. I tried to be very careful when I was installing my trans two months ago.

**Knight** · 07-27-2011, 03:27 AM

Do not use a floor jack under your oil pan! You could severely damage it. It will not support the weight of the engine and tranny.

**Frozen WS6** · 07-27-2011, 05:03 AM

The engine is still supported by the engine mounts. You Can use a floor jack or transmission jack where your 2x4 is to support the transmission. I would NOT be under that car with only a 2x4 holding the transmission.

I second what knight said. Never jack a car up by the Oil pan..

**Slevin** · 07-27-2011, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Frozen WS6

The engine is still supported by the engine mounts. You Can use a floor jack or transmission jack where your 2x4 is to support the transmission. I would NOT be under that car with only a 2x4 holding the transmission.

I second what knight said. Never jack a car up by the Oil pan..

Yes, the only reason I wedged a 2x4 up there was because my jack kept lowering when I tried to use it to support the trans. So I just wanted a lil support without having to crawl back under there and putting the crossmember back on. I'm stopping my HF after work today to pick up that scisor trans jack you mentioned, it was like $80 so not too terrible. I have the car supported very well with jacks under the rear axel tubes as well as the front control arms, and ramps under the front wheel. Can never be too careful. It's very solid and about 18" off the ground, so a good amount of room to work as well!!!! I never jack by the oil pan, under the front engine crossmember and the pumpkin of my strange 12-bolt

I was contemplating pulling the whole trans and throwing in a clutch I've had sitting waiting for install, but I don't have anything other than the clutch. Do I need new parts like a new Pilot bearing, T.O. bearing, seal, slave, etc. etc. etc.???? I might have to have the trans out for a week or so if I can't see what type of leak the tailshaft has and stop it. The output shaft seal on the Talishaft seems to be in decent order, but is replacing that a quick thing, and can I get the part from the dealer or autozone??? Any thoughts would be very much welcomed!

-Sleivn
Long time Member since 1998, 3 screen names later
Reko98TA / NVETHIS / Slevin

**Slevin** · 07-27-2011, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

I'd definitely be using more support for the engine and trans. You can use a floor jack under the oil pan and a trans jack under the trans. I tried a hydraulic trans jack that was designed for an auto trans and it just gave me trouble. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight scissors type trans jack with plywood wedges on each side of the trans for support. I also got some extra long M10 X 1.5 bolts to use as guide pins to mount the trans to the bell housing. That's a lot of weight to wrestle around. I tried to be very careful when I was installing my trans two months ago.

I think I'm going to pick up that jack after work today to make life simpler. Also, I have used that trick before with the M10 x 1.5 extra long bolts, cut head off and notch a straight in it for a flat screwdriver, works good to guide the trans back in.

-Sleivn
Long time Member since 1998, 3 screen names later
Reko98TA / NVETHIS / Slevin

**Mr_Rich** · 07-27-2011, 10:28 AM

I think I made it clear to support the engine with the floor jack under the oil pan AND support the trans with the trans jack. Of course you would use a pad or a wood block under the oil pan. I used 4x4 wood blocks with plywood shims to keep the engine at the angle I needed. I used 2x4 blocks to jockey the T56 up under the car so I could slide it on to the trans jack. I only had about 18" to work with so I was doing arm curls under the car trying to get the trans high enough to slide on the trans jack. Once I had the height right I got the T56 close enough to thread the long M10 bolts I used as guide pins. I had everything lined up perfectly. My T56 mated to the bell housing with a clunk on the first go.
When I saw that 2x4 in the pic I got nervous. I used a stack of 3 4x4's on each side with a 4x4 perpendicular to the stack on each side when I was working on my car. I doubled up on supports wherever I could. I'm not as young as most of you so I'm not going muscle these heavy parts around.

**Mr_Rich** · 07-27-2011, 10:41 AM

I would never jack a car up by the oil pan. I re-read my post and I don't see how anyone could infer that. I used my floor jack to the support the trans near the mount when the drivetrain assembly was together while I made the 4x4 support cradle I described in the previous post. It gave me less room to work, but I felt it was much safer. I used my floor jack under the engine for support and to get the angle right to install the trans.

**Knight** · 07-27-2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

I'd definitely be using more support for the engine and trans. You can use a floor jack under the oil pan and a trans jack under the trans.

Never said you were refering to jacking the car up by the oil pan. You do state to put a floor jack under the oil pan for support. This is what I was refering to. Putiing a jack under the oil pan, even for support, could cause damage. It doesn't take much to dent one, or push it in too close to the oil pickup. You could also cause it to deform, which may cause leaks. Bottom line is, you don't want the oil pan to bear any weight.

**Mr_Rich** · 07-27-2011, 11:43 AM

032611 014.jpg

This is what I did. I supported the rear of the engine with a 4x4 cradle on the garage floor. This was the old engine. When I needed to lift the engine I jacked under the 4x4 so that the weight was spread over the support.

**Mr_Rich** · 07-27-2011, 02:26 PM

These were the pics of my T56 install after I had already installed my LS6.052011 010.jpg 052011 008.jpg

**Slevin** · 07-27-2011, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

These were the pics of my T56 install after I had already installed my LS6.052011 010.jpg 052011 008.jpg

Mr Rich,

Are those 4x4's supporting the car and not jack stands? That's a really good idea if so. What did you do for the rear section? I have mine on jack stands right now, It's managable to move around under, not too high. I think it's prolly about 18-22 inches off the ground.

How did that trans jack work out? I was going to pick that exact same one up today from Harbor Freight, but I bought the next one up instead:
http://www.harborfreight.com/800-lb-...jack-3185.html

The problem I had with the one I got was after the trans was out and lowered on the jack, I couldn't get it out from under the car. I had to roll it off onto my creeper and it came out just barely under the exhaust. i might return the one I got and go for the one you have pictured.

-Sleivn
Long time Member since 1998, 3 screen names later
Reko98TA / NVETHIS / Slevin

**Slevin** · 07-28-2011, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

These were the pics of my T56 install after I had already installed my LS6.052011 010.jpg 052011 008.jpg

How was that trans jack? I was going to get the same exact one from HF but decided to get the 800lb heavy duty one. It got the trans out, but wasn't low enough to the floor and I had to roll the tranny off onto my creeper to get it out from under the car. I may return the heavy duty one for the other today.

-Slevin

**Mr_Rich** · 07-28-2011, 12:20 PM

I did the same thing. Fortunately I have to drop the auto trans out of my truck soon, and the hydraulic trans jack will work well for that project. I used the HF scissors trans jack for the install. This jack had a V-notch down the center and I used blocks of plywood to prop up the sides of the trans to keep it relatively vertical until I could line up those long bolts I used as guide pins. It worked beautifully.
I still had to do arm curls under my car and lift the T56 on 2x4's to get it high enough to slide on the trans jack. My car was not high enough to roll the T56 on the trans jack under the car. It should be easier for you, you're younger than me...;^)
052011 008.jpg