Best Way To Take A T90 Out...

I've come to realize that I'm gonna have to rebuild the T90 in my '57 CJ5. Whoopie. After staring at it for a while, I'd like to get everyone's opinion on the easiest way to remove the T90 from the jeep.

Do I take it out with the bellhousing attached or can I just slide the input shaft out through the bellhousing? Also, am I going to have to separate the T-case first?

Thanks,
Evan

 

Yeah I'll be doing it on the ground. I have a couple of floor jacks, but no tranny jack. Am I going to need one?

 

Can I pull the tranny out of the back of the bellhousing? or do I have to remove that too?

 

I used an ATV jack and took out a TJ NV3550 and 231 case out in one piece, it was easy, and made it really easy to put back in. I got the trans and transfer case lined up and rolled the Jeep back into it. Maybe you can borrow one.

Paul

 

Took T90/D18 combo out as one unit. Bellhousing stayed on the engine. Just be sure to remove the clutch fork and it's spring first. AMHIK.

Also, unless you have a lift in your garage, it is MUCH easier if you take the tower off the T90, another valuable Jeepin' lesson I learned during my first rebuild.

 

Sounds like I should be looking into an ATV jack.

As for the bellhousing, I think I'll be leaving it in place, as I just got done taking the engine out of this jeep to machine the flywheel and install a new clutch and I don't have any desire to see the inside of the bellhousing for a very long time...

When you said to remove the clutch fork and spring, does that just slide out the side?

- Evan

 

Here's a tip for you. Get a couple of bolts the same size as the T case mounting bolts. But longer. I believe they are 3/8" NC. Cut the heads off and use them as studs. Remove 2 of the mounting bolts and partially screw in the studs. Then when you remove the other mounting bolts the Tcase will stay there until you are ready to pull it out. The T case i just drop on my chest I use a jack for the tranny. I do the same thing with the studs for the tranny. I REALLY helps to use the studs for re-assembly. The pic shows the 2 studs i use to remount the Tcase, which I did 2 days ago. Also, i took a file and made a cut on two sides of the studs soI could get a 5/16" open end wrench on them in case they get a little tight. They probably don't show in the pic, but it's just a little flat spot on opposite sides of the stud.

 

The clutch fork should just slide towards the side enough to not be in the way. I used an ATV jack as well. Works good enough. I saw one on sale at Sears recently for ~$60. Harbor Freight has them for ~$50 a lot of the time. HF has a tranny jack for $100 currently.

 

When I did the SM465/NP205 in my truck I used a gen-u-wine tranny jack. It was an old one (probably 30 years old), but it made life a lot easier. The head is adjustable with these big long screws, so it tilts on two axis so you can get it positioned exactly where it needs to be. A new one of these would probably cost an arm and a leg...that ATV jack sounds like it might work pretty well. If you can borrow a "real" tranny jack, I'd highly recommend it. There's been a couple of times I've done SM465s by bench pressing them into place with a helper...and praying you can get the clutch splines lined up before you crap out. Although this method does work, it's not recommended . OTOH, a T90 weighs a fraction of what a full size truck tranny weighs...you could do that in a pinch.

 

You can leave the clutch fork and all in the bell housing. Just a note: I bought a transmission jack at harbor freight for about $40. It makes the job WAY easier pulling the trans and T/C out and then back in. I did my top loader trans and D18 as a unit and I think the RUG trans is heavier than the T90. I later used the trans jack on my XJ NP231 T/C so it has more than paid for itself. Just a general purpose handy thing to have around. Harbour Freight stuff is mostly junk but for something like this that only gets used a few times the stuff works OK.

 

I boomed my SM465 in with an engine lift. Those things are pigs! Just the cover weighs about the same as a T90 case. Transfer case (same size as NP205) went in with the ATV jack.

Paul

 

They really are a hog! I can pick one up and move it around, but don't expect me to get very far with it. I carried my complete T90/Spicer 18 with the crossmember still on it in from the truck, and I'm pretty sure that whole assembly is lighter than just a 465 all by itself. Pretty unbreakable though.

 

Wow! I'm glad I'm just doing a T90. I found a 450lb tranny jack on harbor freight that I think I'll use. I can't imagine the T90 and D18 weighing in at more than 450 lbs.

Here's the link for the jack on harbor freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39178

- Evan

 

They don't Like I said above, I've carried a complete T90/D18/PTO assembly (with the crossmember still on it) from the back of the truck into the garage. I also had to load that setup onto the truck after I dropped it out of the jeep. The two piece drive shaft was still on the PTO, and it made it unbelievably awkward to carry around...I really wouldn't want to see a video of me carrying that thing . Note for future reference...that stamped crossmember has pointy edges that like to dig into your legs when you pack that stuff around . I'd guess the whole setup can't weigh more than a couple hundred pounds. I'm definetly no he-man.

 

This one is on sale for $100 through January:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3185

I would spend the extra $20 if you have a store close. Plus they have been putting 15% coupons in their mail-out ads recently. That would get you to $85.

 

Yeah that's a good deal... I think I'll go with that one.

 

Bumping this old thread so I don't have to make a new one and add clutter. Apologies to Focker in advance if he has to capitalize the title!

Dumb question because I've never done this before - I want to take the bellhousing off of the transmission (T86-AA...) before I hoist up the transmission and transfer case together to place on my workbench. How does one remove the clutch fork from the main gear shaft so I can unbolt the bellhousing?


Hopefully the answer will help someone else trying to do this one day. Thanks in advance guys!