Dumb idea?

Very solid points everyone. The shop quoted me 510.00, I may go for it. The wife gets really nervous about me working under the car. I wonder if the race ramps are high enough for up front?

Get some 2x4's and cut and stack them up under the wheels.

Not horrible but not fun. + 1 on the trans jack and I would get a few wobble extensions and 1 universal for the starter bolts. I am interested to hear if you need to drop the pass side header for it.

BoostedSVT03 said:

Not horrible but not fun. + 1 on the trans jack and I would get a few wobble extensions and 1 universal for the starter bolts. I am interested to hear if you need to drop the pass side header for it.

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I hope not, I've been told the trans comes out without removing the headers.

Bdubbs said:

Very solid points everyone. The shop quoted me 510.00, I may go for it. The wife gets really nervous about me working under the car. I wonder if the race ramps are high enough for up front?

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Probably not. It would be high enough to do the work underneath, but you need to get the car high enough to be able to roll the transmission out. Do you have any good jackstands for the rear? Then you could jack the front up high enough temporarily.

You should be fine with it on regular 3 ton stands as far as height and safety goes. You had to get underneath it to run the fuel lines right? You'll be fine underneath it. Just get it up on all four corners and give the car a good shake, should be solid as a rock. Myself I've never seen or heard of a jack stand failing so don't worry about that. I helped a friend do it like this and the hardest part was getting trans spline lined up with clutch. I would reccomend using a steel clutch allignment tool as well, the plastic ones seem awful flimsy to me.

P49Y-CY said:

Probably not. It would be high enough to do the work underneath, but you need to get the car high enough to be able to roll the transmission out. Do you have any good jackstands for the rear? Then you could jack the front up high enough temporarily.

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Yup, I have plenty of jack stands. I may look into buying the Pittsburgh Jack shown in link below.
https://m.harborfreight.com/automot.../800-lb-low-lift-transmission-jack-60234.html

I also talked to guy that installed my headers, he said they don't have to be touched at all doing a clutch swap. He did say it's a fun time getting the bell housing out.

if you replaced your supercharger this will be fairly easy! low profile trans jack,car high enough to clear. couple tips..remove front tires(makes starter & access better) remove cross member & lower a little to get the "bitch bolt" out the rest is just nuts & bolts. follow torque sequence & ARH headers will be NO problem!also remove shifter up top & tape off trans hole

$510 is a good price for install and very tempting but having done quite a few clutches without a lift, i think you might be over thinking this. With the mods that you have already done i would say your more than capable of this. I say go for it and put the 510 towards new rear tires.

Thanks guys for the advice. I think I'll be tackling it myself. Now it's just a matter of doing it sooner than later.

You got this np. I had to replace the TOB couple years ago and it was my first time pulling the trans. Just finished the FRPP cover install over the weekend and that was as much work as dropping the trans IMO. On jack stands as well

This was about perfect height when I did my clutch (you can see the gap in the fender areas I had weight on the jack stands and the wood under the tires you can never be too safe). Its not that hard of a job at all. If you get a trans jack it will probably be super easy. Instead of a jack I had another pair of hands to make things easier. Also the only thing I can think of would be the starter bolt unless you only have two bolts in the starter.

Just did a clutch on a GT this past weekend, You will definitely thank yourself later if you get yourself a transmission jack. It just makes it easier getting the angle right so the transmission lines up and goes back in easily.

Just a few tips I can remember off the top of my head..
sorry if others have already touched on these....

a wobbly impact 13mm is really helpful on the bell housing bolts

mark your driveshaft's position on the differential flange, this is so it get's re-installed exactly back in factory position.

Drain your transmission before you remove so it doesn't spill fluid out the back when you drop it down. Might as well change the fluid anyway.

WD40 all the exhaust studs a little before hand and the transmission dowels, trans should come off a little easier.

I don't know if the Cobra has a spacer between the engine and trans, but GT does and I like to tack it in place with either a dab of rtv or put a punch in it near the dowels, just to keep it in place.

Good luck !

More great tips, keep them coming! I'll likely have more questions once the install starts. My father will be in town this week, so I'll likely wait until his visit is over with. He says everytime he visits something is being worked on the car. So maybe this time I'll get him a ride in it.

Bdubbs said:

More great tips, keep them coming! I'll likely have more questions once the install starts. My father will be in town this week, so I'll likely wait until his visit is over with. He says everytime he visits something is being worked on the car. So maybe this time I'll get him a ride in it.

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Have him give you a hand haha having an extra pair of hands for this type of job would make things a lot easier. I will be doing this sometime in the next few weeks, too, but I have the motor and trans completely out of the car. There are some helpful videos on YT related to this, defiantly give them a watch before you begin.
Slightly off topic, is this the part # for the Ford TOB you purchased - F7ZZ-7548-AA

this is part 1 of 4. not a cobra but close enough to get you through the removal process and then some

Rent a pilot bearing tool and swap that out while you are there.

between my two terminators i have probably dropped the trans about a dozen times or so by now, and just like you, i do it on my back with only handtools and jacks/jackstands/raceramps. i have the cheaper 450 lb harbor freight trans jack which has proven to be invaluable. but that 800lb one you linked to looks to be lower profile and that would be nice.

all the advice so far is good, here's a couple more things that i have found that helped me out

- if you dont want to drain the trans fluid there is a plug available that fits into the tailshaft to keep it from leaking out

- when removing it or stabbing it back in, tilt the front of the engine up. i usually try to position a block of wood under the meaty part of the lower pulley cage

- you do not HAVE to remove the shifter, but it is a very, very tight fit and it just barely clears the floorpan. at least i remove the bolts in case it does hit and knocks it loose. then, if it doesn't, at least i won't have to worry about removing and reapplying the silicone gasket. (if i am going to change the fluid then of course i remove it anyway so i can refill through the top.)

- the top trans bolt that holds the t-56 vent bracket is very tough to get to even with the engine/trans at full (supported) droop. i usually leave the bolt sort of halfway hanging in the trans hole and through the bracket because once the trans is in it is very tough to get your hands up there to start it even with the engine fully tilted, and almost impossible to get it to thread through the vent bracket. use very long extensions to loosen and tighten.

- as stated 13mm (and 15mm) wobble sockets along with many different extensions are invaluable, esp for the starter and bell. keep front of engine tilted up in order to get to the top bellhousing bolts more easily

- use all three bolts on the starter, that's how it was designed. it just takes patience with a stock k-member if you are not used to it. go through the front of the k-member to get to the top two.

- the factory otc flywheel holding tool is great if you have one. that way you do not have to fight the flwheel from moving. there are other ways to hold it but it is a really nice tool to have.

- once i had to buy a steel alignment tool because the trans would not go back using the plastic tool, even with several re-adjustments and repeated attempts. but the steel tool made it go right in immediately.

- replace the pilot and throwout bearings, even if they look/sound good

Might sound dumb..

I use old rims..

Jack up car and put rims under wheel..

It gives you over 2 ft to get under with out stands in the way..

I use wheel with rubber on front..gives a place to stand..

I found its best to pull trans from bell housing..upper trans bolts can be reached from shifter area inside car..

Use 6 point impact sockets if you can..

These bolts will round off and than you will have issue and hate life.

I like to pull trans from bell even if basic exhaust..

Gives room to work with leaving trans under car..

Also..being I use floor jack..

Couple of 2x4s and ratchet strap will hold trans flat and tight..