jenyap

How hard is it to remove the torqe tube with the engine out of the way? I would like to avoid messing with the transmission if I can help it... BTW it's a 1986.5 auto.

LT Texan

I'd like to say "real simple." But that might be an understatement.

Dan87951

I think you will still have to lower the rear suspension just a tad to get to the top 2 bolts on the torque tube where it connects to the transmission. Should be fairly easy if you have a helper in my opinion. I can't stress this enough but if you can do the rear converter bearing now is the time 80% of the time this is what fails when people think its the torque tube.

Mrmerlin

FWIW it would be smarter to remove the rear suspension then drop the TT and trans as a unit
Then you can
replace the cooler lines,
replace the torque converter bearings,
replace the front pump seal
and the TC radial seal
and refresh all of the flex air lines ,
Plus splitting the trans/ TT will be much easier on the floor.
This is to make taking the TT away from the trans easier so you dont damage the input shaft, and taking the bowden cable loose
Remove the rear pinchbolt prior to dropping the unit.
I know it sounds like a lot more work but it really isnt in the grand scheme of things, if you damage the input shaft then you will be removing both of these parts.
Only caveat is you might need 2 floor jacks and a few hands to do this, or better yet a lift with a strong table to drop the unit onto

jenyap

How hard is it to get to the top bolts without doing anything to the transmission/suspension? Is it even possible? The reason I would prefer the engine route is: it would only take me 2 hours or so to get the engine out of the way. While I'm at it... how far forward does the engine need to be moved for the TT to have enough room to slide out? I don't have a way to remove the engine completely- no hoist, just rolling jacks...

Mrmerlin

if the engine is in place, then it can stay there.
simply remove the flex plate to the driveshaft clamp connection.
Then the 4 bolts inside the bell housing to TT.
Also remove the small allen bolt that holds the front of the bowden cable housing to the bell housing, this is done from the top
Mark its position to the flex plate and shaft, then slide the trans /TT back and down, the coupler will then slide off the driveshaft so have a helper there to catch it, remove the front pinchbolt and rear pinch bolts first

LT Texan

"engine out of the way" =
good luck

jenyap

Dan, by saying "out of the way" I mean that it can moved forward in the engine compartment several inches. The questions are: how far would I need to move it forward and will I be able to unbolt the rear torque tube bolts without doing anything to the transmission/rear suspension? Sorry I was not clear...
Jenya

Rob Edwards

Without a way to lift the engine at least 3-4 inches, the 'ears' of the lower girdle that sit on the motor mounts are trapped by the motor mount brackets. The weight of the engine allows you to sort of tilt back and forth a bit (necessary when re-connecting it to the upper bellhousing), but it ain't gonna move forward or aft any inches.

jenyap

Just forget about the obsticales that might prevent the engine from moving forward for a moment. Ok, let me ask it this way: if the engine could be moved forward 3-4 inches inside the engine compartment would that give the torque tube enough room to slide out of the way? Second question, would I be able to reach the top rear torque tube bolts?

Rob Edwards

I can't answer question #1, never done an auto TT. For #2, check this thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...anny-side.html

HF sells a long extension set that you could use with a U-joint: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=99883

Also handy for the half shaft socket cap bolts on the axle flanges, though I know you don't want to go there.

Tom928

If you need to replace the torque tube, there are several other things that you should consider replacing as Mr. Merlin suggested.

I dropped the transmission / torque tube / flexplate housing as a unit (and installed it that way).
It's alot easier torquing the TT bolts, installing the beldon cable, vacuum line and other items. It was also a real PITA getting the old driveshaft off of the transmission coupler that was connected for over 20 years! Trying to do that under the car would have been a nightmare.

It takes 15 minutes, (after rear suspension is dropped and everything is unbolted) with one jack at the tranny and one with a 4x12 under the flexplate housing (without the cover) to drop the unit and pull it out from behind.

Good luck,

jenyap

A question for those who have experience separating a torque tube from a transmission: how far does the torque tube have to move forward before it separates from the transmission/TC?

Black Sea RD

About 2.5 inches before the drive shaft/TT body will clear the input snout to the T/C.

Make sure you remove the rear pinch bolt first!

HTH,