Hello to the group. I'm planning on swapping out the automatic transmission from my '82 240D with a rebuilt one using a transmission jack. Is there enough room to remove and swap out the transmission with just regular ramps or do I need to go even higher. If I do need to go raise the car higher, how would you do it?

Thanks

Herb

I have done it before. Not fun, but possible. A transmission jack is a must.


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1985 Euro 300TD Turbo

Can you use a floor jack instead with maybe a square of 2x8 on the top and rest the tranny on the wood?

A friend of mine says he will lend me his transmission jack so that shouldn't be a problem.

Good.

PLEASE don't work on ramps. They are simply NOT safe - I know 2 guys who were killed as a result of working under them.

Put the car up on jack stands (if you're going to do any car work you'll need a floor jack and 4 jack stands anyway). And yes, you can pretty easily get a car up high enough on stands to do a trans.

Dan

Personally, it is so much safer and convenient on these cars to pull the entire unit - engine and trans together.

then reinstall as an entire unit. especially with the 4 cylinder non turbo units.

getting the engine back together with the trans is really annoying with either of them still in the car.

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how do you propose he removes the engine and trans as a combo when all he has at his disposal are ramps and a buddy's trans jack?





Herb,

Get the front on ramps, get the rear on jackstands as high and stable as you can get it. From there - it's a cake walk. You want 20" or more ground clearance minimum or you're not going to be able to slide the trans out from under the car. You're not going to be able to do this properly if one end of the car is still on the ground.

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Allen Kroliczek
Oak Grove Autosport | Oak Grove Autosport
01 G500, 82 300TD, quite a few more.....

If you have the ability, a few years ago when I had to do a lot of work under my cars I dug a trench to park over. Since the car is just sitting on the ground it was way safer. There are also a lot of other good methods mentioned around here, in fact there's a whole thread somewhere.

-Rog

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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'84 300D (211k) *New*... (Wife's)
'85 300TD (174K) 10th Year... (Mine)
'96 F-350 7.3L Dually (149K) Since New
'85 300D (156K) ~~~Wrecked~~~ Damn it! (parts)
'84 300D (176k) ~~~Wrecked~~~ Damn it! (parts)

Safety of Method for Raising Car

-Rog

Ramps are just fine as long as they are in a level hard surface and the wheel is centered on the ramp. If the car falls off, it was not on them properly to start.

You will very likely need to pull the trans off the jack to get out from under the car as the whole assembly is going to be pretty high.

Have you gotten a price from a trans shop to make the swap? ( or even a regular shop as some will change trans but not rebuild them ) R&R on a rack is pretty straight forward.

Its very tight but this is how I did the 4 speed swap on the 240D. Getting the auto transmission off of the transmission jack under the car is not exactly fun and I honestly don't know how I would have been able to get it back on in the limited space. I raised the 300TE about 6 inches higher for its swap but I cant find the pictures right now.

nice looking jack stands just like mine!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Harbor Freight specials. They are the 6 ton versions. I believe in overkill when it comes to supporting a car over my head which is why there is another pair of stands plus the ramps there to catch the car in case one fails.