rjpbboi

Hey guys, I'm in the process of removing my transmission and it's come time to remove the torque arm. The Haynes manual says to remove the rear coil springs before removing the torque arm, I'm just wondering if this is really necessary.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

No. Once you unbolt the front of the torque arm, the springs will be pushing down on the back of the axle, and push the torque arm upwards. Since it's about 4' long, you've got a lot of moment arm there, you can pull it downwards with one hand.
However, if you need to unbolt the TA altogether, you'll want to put something (jackstand) under one of the spring perches, to keep the axle from rotating A LOT once you completely remove the TA. Since you've got the car up in the air, do you have a 5th jackstand? I have used the jack itself before, IIRC.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

No, it is not necessary - IF the proper other procedures are followed.

Warning: You can KILL YOURSELF messing around with anything to do with springs, so follow these instructions TO THE LETTER!!!!

Jack the rear of the car up (I assume you already have the front up on jack stands) and put it on a 2nd set of jack stands, supporting the "frame" at the point where the rear lower control arm attaches to it. Let the rear hang all the way down as low as it will go. Put your floor jack under the pumpkin, such that it contacts the pumpkin right in front of the cover; and jack it up about an inch or 2; basically, all you're doing, is taking the tension off of everything. Put a 3rd set of jack stands under the AXLE TUBES: not the shock brackets, not the control arms, not ANYTHING ELSE but the AXLE TUBES, such that the rear is held an inch or so above hanging free.

In that state, there is virtually no force trying to rotate the rear, so the front of the torque arm can be raised or lowered with as little as one finger. You can easily work with the hardware and the bracket and all that in this state.

The transmission can be removed and re-installed with the torque arm in place, using this method.

91blkta

I can confirm the above advice is correct just did the job my self. Changed out the tranny mount and Torque arm bushing at the same time. Letting the rear hang gave me the best movement of the arm to take out and put back in the bushing. I also found that pulling the plugs to the back of the distributor helped me lower the tranny just a little farther to get the stud bolt out that is attached to torque arm bushing bracket to the trans. Although I did take my crow bar and gently move the tranny over a little to get that last stud out.