checkmate1996

Problem:
Getting at the the top two central shaft (Torque Tube) bolts that connect to the lower bell housing on a manual transmission. (this may apply to an AUTO but somebody else may have to chime in on that)

Options:
Not many. I haven't seen or read of great tips on this one. Some say it's just easier to remove the clutch. Others have come up with unique ways to get tools up there.

What I did:
Of course, others may have a better way, but this certainly worked for me with limited pain.

Knowing my craftsman 3/8" inch rachet was too small in length (no torque and the head was to fat to even move back & forth with the clutch drive shaft in the way, I went to harbor freight and purchased a variety of different rachets, offsets, etc to hopefully see if any of them make this very hard to reach, PITA, job any easier. After trying several of them, the one that did the trick was this one ...

Click me --> 3/8" x 1/4" Dual Drive Extendable Ratchet <-- Click me

It gave me the length, the torque and the space to get a 17mm socket up in there. Now granted it took about 10 minutes per bolts because I was only getting 1-2 clicks per turn, but with patience it worked!! Now frustrating make shift tools, etc!

I also used this in combination with a 17mm *Gearwrench" rachet wrench.

The results were great and the tool was inexpensive. If there are other ideas to this, please share. Otherwise, I hope this helps someone else!!

YMMV,
Brad

vfrv4

Good to see you are moving ahead brother! While I am still in the disassembly stages of my project. sigh........

Doug

jon928se

Pretty sure that these can be undone quite simply by using approx 4 feet of extensions with a wobble end extension onto the socket. You end up with the ratchet or breaker bar back near the trans but below the TT giving plenty of space for a large arc to turn it through.

checkmate1996

that was my next idea!!!

jeff spahn

wobble extensions are also handy for winding garage door springs!

Imo000

That didn't work for me on an '89 auto.

The right side bolt angle was too sharp to keep the swivle end socket, with a woble extension on the bolt and it would easily slip off with minimal amout of force. The only way to crack it loose both upper bolts was from the top. For that, had to use a spark plug ratchet (1st pic) with a foot long tube hammered onto the handle for extension. Once the bolt cracked loose, because of the lack of space to loosen the bolt by hand, had to use a twist grip ratchet (2nd pic) to unscrew it.

The left side upper bolt was removed with a swivle head gearwrench (3rd pic), extended by another wrech for extra leverage.

For all this, the left side fuel dampner and U shaped fuel line had to be removed and both fuel cooler lines had to be taken out too.

jon928se

Bizarely my experience of doing this was on an 85 Auto. AFAIK no difference at the front end between this and up to 95GTS.

New motor mounts may make this not work as engine is higher making angle more acute ?

Mike Frye

Good tip!

And for those of you following this job along at home, when you get to removing the bolts that hold the trans to the TT, there are SIX bolts, not four. (this really only matters if you're leaving the TT in and removing the trans, rather than removing both as a unit).

There are 4 bolts that you can see at the corners, and two on top between the flanges where you can only feel them.