I'm trying to follow the books directions to change clutch. It says to remove tranny,
1.drain tranny
2.book says have to remove coil springs before the torque arm,how do I do this?
2a.remove rear torque arm( don't know what this is ,no pic)
3.It says lower the rear axle and remove drive shaft

if anyone could give me a play by play on how to do this,someone who has done it before,because I'm not used to this platform
The car is a 89 RS Camaro 5.0 tbi 5 speed

 

Most of us do not remove the rear coil springs. The Torque Arm is the long stamped steel (assuming original) bar that runs from the front side of the rear to the tailshaft of the transmission next to the driveshaft. I would be cautious about unbolting the torque arm without having the main wieght of the car on jack stands. It holds the rear end in line with the driveshaft.

 

Okay, I think I know what the torque arm is,(now that you say that),
I'll have the car up on 4 jacks completely off the suspension.
Exactly what damage could occur to the vehicle if the coil springs are not removed first, because the book says damage will occur. I appreciate your help. I just need to know what COULD happen.

 

The concern is that the coil springs will try to twist the rear end and come out under pressure. As most people only take the torque arm off the tranny (not off the rear) and let it rest on the ground or against the car tunnel it is not a problem. The rear can not twist appreciably with the torque arm attached to it. This could be very different if up on a lift as compared to jack stands or ramps.
I disconnected the torque arm from the tranny on a parts car and with all weight on the ground it just laid there. Later jacking it was still not a problem and never came a problem even when removing the rear. It dropped enough so that the pressure was off them and I pulled them out.

 

ok so i should unbolt the torque arm from the tranny side and let rest on ground,
and then Also can i remove drive shaft by unbolting U-joint? or is that not recommended?

also where are four main jacking points on the car? on the inside of each tire along the chassis has 4 indents in symetrical places are these fit?

 

You need to unbolt the drive shaft from the rear as that is the only way to pull it back and out of the tranny. As for jacking in this case I would jack under the center of the rear and put jack stands under the axle near the lower control arm in the back and under the crossmember in the front and set stands under the control arms.

I will normally not work on a car up on four jack stands so I only use two at a time. I always feel safer with two wheels on the ground. On a suburban I did have it come down once while on four stands so I do not do it any more. The stands were admittedly as high as they would go to so that did not help any.

 

well... i changed my tranny in a downhill street... i just raised the back wheels... unbolted torque arm... removed join from shaft to rear end... pulled the shaft towards the rear end... put jack stand at the rear and front of trany ... unbolt tranny from engine... bring in the jacky... raise the tranny a little.. remove jack stand... warning.. make sure you jack it where in will balance on the jacky or it will fall... lower the jack and put it on its side on the floor and pull it out... i coudent raise my car high enough so tranny wouldn't come out with housing.. sooo i pulled the tranny to the front near the wheel opening and bang it comes right out

 

thats something im wondering is how i am going to pull the tranny from out under, but i geuss i can figure that out later,

also the car is in a slanted drive way

so im trying to put it in the air as safe as possible, maybe jack in front and back and stands every where?

 

so i undid drive shaft and shift boot, and torque arm

now support tranny undo tranny from engine then undo mounts and support tranny then drop down and out of wheel well,

also the shifter is supposed to just drop straight down>?

im used to japanese engines with shift linkage

 

the slave cylinder comes off with two bolts... just put a stand all the way at the back..undo bell housing bolts... put another jack at the front... un tighten the cross member bolts a .. lift tranny with jack a little.. pull back from engine slowly... make sure its balanced.. .. then.. making sure its balanced.. take off both stands or drop them two slots.. lower tranny and keep doping the slots.. when the jacky is completely down then just turn it on its side or leave it under the car.. its up to you...

 

ohh the shifter.. take off the plastic on top... you can see theres bolts holding the shifter.. i would take it off and cover it with something..

 

The plastic on top is the shifter plate on the top of the center console inside the car. I would stuff a clean rag in the shifter hole.