Stupid question of the day.....trans crossmember

[The Horvaths]

I saw the blue moose @ mini nats here in garland, it looked pretty good.

are yall taking that one apart? or a different one ?

- saylor

This one: 1966 Plymouth Sport Fury 383 4 Barrel 4 Speed Restoration Thread | For C Bodies Only Classic Mopar Forum

 

[Yatzee]

So I had an eventful day yesterday. Swapped 24 spline input shaft and reaction shaft support into the 65 trans, engine off the stand, bolt engine and trans together, learned that Chrysler torque converters only bolt to the flexplate one way and then tried to slide the engine and trans back into the car. Tried is the key word. It all came out as one unit without removing the trans crossmember. However, this new oil pan is so big that I can't get it back in because the trans now hits the tunnel and doesn't have enough angle. The logical solution is to drop the trans crossmember. But the torsion bar mount bolts to it and I'm a bit leary of unbolting them without some explanation. I do not want to break any bones or lose any fingers in the process. I know B-bodies and A-bodies are not set up like my car. Am I missing something here?

Had my cross member out many times. Always support the torsion stubs with cheap scissor jacks I got at the auto wreckers for $5 bucks apiece. Have four of them actually of two different sizes and weight capacity. Use layered blocks underneath while the car is sitting up on the ramps on it's own wheels. Make sure to tighten the upward facing bolts first when reinstalling and use a large tapered 3/8 punch to line up the horizontal bolt holes. Easy-peasey when you know what you're doing.

 

[joetrucker]

Spent 5 years in a trans. shop...all advice is correct as usual...always supported with stands so we didn't have the extra labour of loosening off torq arms although that is probably the correct way, imo

 

[commando1]

Maybe a visual will help describe what's going on...

When you remove the crossmember, you are removing the connection between the left side and the right side.

When that happens, the Torsion Bars "twist" the unconnected ends downward.

 

[John A]

Unbolt the transmission, drop the motor in, put the transmission in last. Before you put the transmission back in check the idler arm / oil pan clearance...

 

[Darrell]

View attachment 68069

Maybe a visual will help describe what's going on...

When you remove the crossmember, you are removing the connection between the left side and the right side.

When that happens, the Torsion Bars "twist" the unconnected ends downward.

Mine is different. There is a mount for the torsion bars on the back of the transmission cross member that bolts to the cross member. I'll have to snap a picture. I've been laid up with some foot problems for a few days so I haven't had any desire to work on it lately.

Unbolt the transmission, drop the motor in, put the transmission in last. Before you put the transmission back in check the idler arm / oil pan clearance...

I think that is the best plan, except reverse. I'm going to put the trans in first and then the engine. I think the headers are going to be tight so I'm thinking it will be easier to have the trans already in the car rather than fighting it around the headers and such.

 

[ChrisBcream]

I took my car 100% down to metal body recently and I just removed trans support and then removed stub frame.

When i temped it back together to take to the blaster, I just re-installed the stub frame and re-bolted the trans support. Just temped one side and used a jack to line up the other like mentioned

The stub frame is still bolted to the body so the torsion bars aren't gonna just fly out.