So I am just about ready to drop my 700r4 to change the bracket on the tail shaft.The one on there has rubber that has deteriorated due to a stage 2 trans upgrade.It bangs hard metal on metal when decelerating.From what I remember when installing the motor and trans together I think I could not get this bracket off once the motor is on the motor mounts.Even if I dropped the trans cross member it still wouldnt clear the trans tunnel because of the long bolts on the bracket.
So my question is;
If I drop my cross member and lower the trans with the motor still on the mounts will the braket have enough room to come out?SHould I take out my motor mount bolts for more of an angle?

 

DO NOT forget to remove your distributor cap and anything else up there, that might get crushed agains the firewall. unless of course you wanna buy new ones

i suppose you might get enough angle without pulling motor mount bolts, i honestly can't tell you for sure, cuz i did it the same way as you did it was already on the trans when it got put in.

if you are gonna take out motor mount bolts plan on having a engine hoist around, cuz you may need it to get them out and definately back in

 

There's another way to do it without removing the crossmember at all. If you remove the torque arm from the 'clam-shell' mount (where the messed up rubber is) you can just remove the exhaust hanger (which I bleieve you'll have to remove anyway) along with the speedo cable. Then just take the whole tail shaft housing off. It's pretty easy and you'd have a good oppritunity to change out those seals. It'll save you from having to open the hood at all.

 

Thanks for the tips firechicken!I probly would have forgot about that tilll it was too late Jichniow,never thought of this,Thanks.Is it going to be a small amount in the catch bucket or a large amount when i remove tailshaft with trans full of atf?

 

Some of the tranny fluid will come out, but not much. When I did mine it was probably less than a cup of fluid that came out.

 

Excellent,Thanks!

 

I went through this when I installed my Spohn TA. I could remove the bracket and two lower bolts but you can't lower the tail shaft enough to get the top bolt. Since I knew I needed to replace the tailshaft yoke bushing and would be easier to do on the bench, I removed the tailshaft housing to remove the top bolt. Only 4 bolts and remove the VSS and the housing is out, much easier than removing the distributor and like the other guy says you loose less than a cup of fluid.

 

Done!
Not much mess at all.
Way easier than dropping the cross member.
And no broken parts either.
Had to cut a 15mm wrench down to fit in the tight spot though.
I was so happy I just had to take it for a good rip to break in the new bushing!