Lizard928

I've always done it the old way too, the further you get it down the easier this is.

oups59

Is it the same recipe with an 1988 S4?

Lizard928

Should be yes, so long as it is a manual transmission.

nc_growler

Hilton - Yes, I did my TT replacement bearings without dropping the transmission on my '91 GT. In fact, I didn't touch the clutch either. I was able to slide the transmission back on it's mounts far enough to disconnect everything.

I just dropped my transmission to replace a seal last month. I dropped the entire rear suspension during that.

Now I'm contemplating whether it would have been easier to follow this very well documented approach.

It certainly would have saved me a re-alignment. Hmmm.

oups59

Did exactly the same thing.

How many hours to do it?

mark kibort

I think bill and I did it in about 3 hours, but we ddint have to take apart the clutch. we just dropped the lower bell housing and then un coupled the short shaft, and unbolted the torque tube using the twister socket once we broke the bolts loose. not having to mess with the clutch should save some time, right?

also, it seems you have left most of the rear suspension in place, so I guess you don't have to worry about unbolting the brake calipers and hanging them , and removing the ebrake stuff.

if you did a hybrid of your way and my way, would that work, or I think with your way, you still need to separate the transmission from the torque tube. the old way pulls it all out an keeps the torque tube and trans as one unit.

Ducman82

^^ i plan to do that when i do the TT here in next few weeks. leave the clutch in place...

Formula94lt1

I tried doing this recently, but the car was on stands and I was alone so it didnt work out. Nearly had a heart attack crammed under there bench pressing the drivetrain and all that. Good to hear it could work without screwing the alignment

nc_growler

I went slow and was not in a hurry. And I did a bunch of WYAIT stuff. The '91 was complicated by having PSD to disconnect as well.

I'd guess I was about 4 hours out and 4 hours in. Definitely helps to have someone else around to line things up on the way back in. Saved me a bunch of time.

Now that I've done it, I'm pretty sure I could do it in nearly half the time. Always learning the first time through.

hp18racer

Thank you very much Lizard928 for the post! What a HUGE time saver!

Worked great for me with the car on jack stands. I left the torque tube attached, made it easier to control the trans and keep it from falling over doing the job solo. I also left the clutch in.

worf928

How do you get a torque wrench to the TT bolts to the bell housing with the clutch in place?

mark kibort

there is a surprising amount of room in there. you use a normal set of sockets, maybe long sockets to break the bolts loose. (I cant remember if we got an open end or box end on those 4 bolts or not) then, the twister right angle socket drive to remove the bolts.

Bill might be able to elaborate. It was pretty straight forward, but the key was that right angle socket twister set.

worf928

You realize that you don't use a torque wrench to break bolts loose, right?

mark kibort

CONVENTIONAL wrenches cant operate in that tight of a space, and the right angled socket wrench cant develop enough torque to "break the the bolts free"
So, you need a combination of both.... did I mention a "torque wrench"?
But, if you want a torque wrench to actually get them to torque specs, I still think that is possible

Rob Edwards

Disagree- I'd like to see a picture of that....

One can certainly get a wrench on the upper TT bolts with the clutch in, but I just went out and played with the upper bolts on the Cobalt car using a 3/8" Craftsman torque wrench- MAYBE with the release arm off the ball you could get enough room to get one click on the wrench, but not with it in place.

Here's a gearwrench on the upper bolt, there's 1 tooth's worth of rotation
to work with, with the release arm on the ball.