Install Trans bolts from rear??

[Na5.0HO]

I'm currently swapping to a manual on my 97 and was wondering if anyone has tried bolting the transmission to the bellhousing from the outside?? It looks to me that the majority of the bolt holes are unobstructed from the outside, so why wouldn't you be able to bolt them in from the rear?

It seems like it would be alot easier to install the transmission this way and I already cringe at the thought of putting those top bellhousing bolts back in.

Can someone please shed some light on this for me...

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Shiroelex]

The belhousing isn't threaded, the transmission case is. If you put the bolt through backwards, it really wouldn't hold anything together. It would just be screwed into the transmission, and sitting in the bellhousing.

Those top bolts aren't so bad, if you have alot of socket extension, and drop the rear mount. What I do is, get all of the other bolts in and tight, and drop the rear trans crossmember, to let the engine/trans hang down a bit. I can typically get a ratchet with alot of extension, and the bolt in the socket all the way up to the hole. I hand tighten it in by hand with the extension, and once it's so far, I pop the ratchet on, and tighten it on down. I typically only undo one side of the crossmember, so I can swing it back under the transmission, and push it back up into place. It sounds difficult, but it really isn't so bad. I see you're in Michigan, so if you need help and are relatively close, I can lend a hand. Good luck!

 

[Na5.0HO]

Thanks for the info, I figured there was something I was missing, but I had to ask. I'm actually from Belleville so I'm pretty close, but I think I'll manage with my trusty 2 foot extension lol. Thanks for the offer and the info and hopefully I'll see ya out on Telegraph this summer.

Jason

 

[slow96mustang]

Thanks for the info, I figured there was something I was missing, but I had to ask. I'm actually from Belleville so I'm pretty close, but I think I'll manage with my trusty 2 foot extension lol. Thanks for the offer and the info and hopefully I'll see ya out on Telegraph this summer.

Jason

jason, my names rob. i live in romulus. i did the swap 3 weeks ago now on my 96. if you need any help, let me know. i live around the haggerty and i94 area. give me a call at 941 3942 if you need any help.

rob

 

[Shiroelex]

Sweet. We should make a southeastern Michigan stangnet club.

I preferred doing those bolts with 3 or 4 six inch 1/2" drive extensions, because they sort of made it into a giant flex bit. I tried getting them with one big extension, but I could't get a good approach to the holes going.

Side note, assuming you already know this, but, do this all with the shifter off of the trans. It makes lining up the bellhousing dowels alot easier.

 

[Na5.0HO]

Thanks for the offers and advice guys... I'm no stranger to a mustang but love advice and opportunities to make the job a little easier. Maybe we can all meet up sometime like 50's McDonalds on Telegraph or Cinnamons in Belleville if it's still open and buIIshlt about stangs...

Forgot to mention... I believe it would be completely doable if someone were to simply drill out the holes in the tranny to remove the threads and place bolts through the bellhousing into the tranny holes. Then, weld the heads of the bolts to the inside of the bellhousing and you'd have a studded bellhousing which would just needs nuts to hold the tranny on after it's slid into position.

Too much work for me though..
Jason

 

[slow96mustang]

i do go to 50's, but not all the time. i went every weekend last year, but this year, im gonna try to stay away from the street racing sceen. i was down there last weekend, and will probally go again sometime this weekend, just cause i get board. the guy that runs the cinnimans car show in belleville, goes to a church that i know the preacher at, so im framilliar with that too. do you ever hang out at the one in romulus at the blue sky? theres a few good down river area shows that go on about every friday and saturday also.

do you know where everyone is goin now? last two weekends, there hasnt been hardly anyone at rallys, and no shows everywhere else too.

Shiroelex? where are you from?


rob.

 

[slow96mustang]

also, swivvle is the key word. get one, with a 16 inch extension, and bolting your trans up take less the 10 minutes.

 

[Na5.0HO]

Hey Rob,
I usually hit up Telegraph every weekend becuase that's where all my buddies live. Don't get to alot of other stuff other then the Woodward and Down River Cruises and of course the Telegraph cruise now. Never been to the Blue Sky. We don't do any racing but the cops still seem to be real dicks this year.. not sure where's eveyone else has been hiding. Maybe it's still early in the season. Anyways, back to the garage for me... then, maybe 50's.
Jason

 

[Shiroelex]

I live in Wayne, right at 275 and Michigan Ave. I don't go to the 50's McD's very much, because I feel like I am out of place there. Last time I went, there were a bunch of homey Gs talking about stealing my car. I do cruise Michigan Ave alot, but there's not much going on there. Usually doing errands, or being a rocket taxi service.

 

[Na5.0HO]

I know what you mean... it's like when the sun goes down all the cars with neon lights and 3 foot wings come out. The key to 50's is to go early like 7 when all the muscle cars are out.

 

[Na5.0HO]

I got the tranny in today... Swivleheads rock. Hopefully I'll be cruising soon if I can MD to send me a tune adjustment...
Jason

 

[slow96mustang]

we all live really close to each other. good to know that you feel outta place at the 50's too. every time i go, and get out of my car, i kinda feel like theres guys checking me out, and thats not good. i took my girlfriend last weekend, and she enjoyed makein fun of the imports, especially the really crapy blue neon, that the owner was jumping on the roof of.
michigan ave is a fun street to cruise down, except for the construction. i like to stay on our side of telegraph, cause, i got arrested on the other side. long story short, i thought that this one street went all the way threw, and it didnt, so i took the feild that a cop was actually sitting in too. you can usually see alot of chicks on michigan ave also, between merriman and telegraph. i usually see atleast 2 or 3 cars of them, and can usually get them to flirt back.
if you guys ever see me, i got a 96 laser red mustang, that has 95 silver cobra wheels on it, and a weird rust spot right above the door handle on the driver side. the previous owner used metal finish instead of wax, and screwed it all up. anyways just sit by the car, i'll be back within 10 minutes.