anyone ever replaced a trans on a dodge caravan?

[Modular2v]

A mustang....sure its old hat but i have never done one on a van. Im 99.9% sure it will go smooth but im just wondering if you all have ever done it? Any tricks?

 

[Modular2v]

btw.....i would not even be doing this but im getting paid to do it

 

[1990Coupe]

no.. all i can say is my mom has a dodge caravan with 180xxx miles... been thru 5 transmissions.. my jeep cherokee has 216xxx miles all origional drivetrain.. yea baby yea...

 

[Modular2v]

well its not my vehicle......(you would never catch me driving a van) As i think the whole vehicle is a hunk of ****!

 

[tunedin302]

Front wheel drive 4 cyl or v6?

 

[Modular2v]

v6 ...of course fwd

 

[tunedin302]

Heres a start for ya:

http://www.freebsd-corp-net-guide.com/94tcpics/project.html

 

[Modular2v]

thats an awd.....the trans i will be doing is fwd... but i appreciate the thought!

 

[Deleted member 87397]

FWD transmissions are not fun. You have to take apart the axles, steering, and possibly some suspension just to get the thing out. If you can do all that and put it back together and make it work then go for it. Oh and I'd never consider doing a FWD trans without access to a lift. Major PITA!

 

[Busted07]

We had an older fwd van i helped replace the rear main seal on. We didnt have a lift, we put the thing on jackstands, took the wheel off, tie rod end, pulled the cv joint out, disconnected all the crap (speedo cable and everything) had a dude on one side of the van, and one on the other side... used a steel pipe and a rope (yeah, we were ghetto back then) put the rope through some brackets on the tranny, took all the bolts loose, and slid the tranny straight up and out.

like i said, this was an older one, so i dont know if its the same or not.

 

[Modular2v]

well i just go the transmission today and the thing is little bitty

 

[Deleted member 87397]

Good hopefully is will be a little bitty task putting it in.

 

[90mustangGT]

I've done several. I held the engine with a cross-brace, dropped the subframe, axels, front suspension, of course, easier said than done.

 

[Modular2v]

I've done several. I held the engine with a cross-brace, dropped the subframe, axels, front suspension, of course, easier said than done.

any tricks? Special things to be aware of? How many hours does it usually take?

 

[90]

i helped my neighbor change one out 2 years ago... hes a machanic tho, i was just giving him a hand lowering the old and holding up the new one...

 

[PJB]

Theyre one of the easiest transmissions to swap. Its almost like theyre designed to be changed in a parking lot.

 

[Aaron'S'tang]

Total pain in the ass I'd never do it again...........

 

[Modular2v]

wow alot of contradicting statements here hahaha......easiest or hardest? lol

 

[PJB]

I used to work at a tranny shop and one guy there could have a Caravan tranny out and replaced with a rebuilt one in an hour.

 

[mustangjoe87]

Theyre one of the easiest transmissions to swap. Its almost like theyre designed to be changed in a parking lot.

I did one 2 years ago, and they are pretty simple as long as you can get it high enough.