Using regular ramps, is there enough room to remove transmission of a 240D? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

airfoill · #1 03-03-2017, 09:21 AM

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

disqo · #2 03-03-2017, 09:49 AM

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

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tyl604 · #3 03-03-2017, 09:59 AM

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

airfoill · #4 03-03-2017, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyl604

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.

tyl604 · #5 03-03-2017, 10:59 AM

Good.

Dan Stokes · #6 03-03-2017, 11:38 AM

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

martureo · #7 03-03-2017, 12:09 PM

I used four ramps, one per wheel. The ramps were on pressure treated double layer 2x12 pieces.

x2 on the trans jack.

I'm not sure, outside of the sheet metal ramps what would be the issue with ramps.

jt20 · #8 03-03-2017, 12:22 PM

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.

bsmuwk · #9 03-03-2017, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt20

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.

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.

Rogviler · #10 03-03-2017, 03:35 PM

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

Rogviler · #11 03-03-2017, 03:52 PM

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/383160-safety-method-raising-car.html

-Rog

dennislarock · #12 03-03-2017, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogviler

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

97 SL320 · #13 03-03-2017, 06:17 PM

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.

Dan Stokes · #14 03-03-2017, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

I used four ramps, one per wheel. The ramps were on pressure treated double layer 2x12 pieces.

x2 on the trans jack.

I'm not sure, outside of the sheet metal ramps what would be the issue with ramps.

If you have tight bolts that are 90* to the centerline of the car (like bellhousing bolts, which are exactly what he'll be removing) the ramps can and do topple over sideways when you have to pull super hard to break the bolts loose, even on solid footing. Like I said, I know two guys whose loved ones can tell you all about it. Being crushed to death is NOT a nice way to go. I discourage the use of ramps whenever I can as I've seen the aftermath.

IF you REALLY want to use ramps they can be made safer by welding a length of angle iron 90* across the ramps such that there is a cross at the front of the ramps. I've seen this done a couple of ways but the set that I liked best had a couple of shorter (maybe 4 foot) lengths welded to each ramp and they had a series of holes drilled so you could bolt the stands at the track width of the car you were going to work on. The guy who was using these would set the track and put the bolts in then drive on. I highly doubt those would topple.

I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade but I also don't want to see anyone else crushed under ramps.

Dan

gatorblue92 · #15 03-04-2017, 06:56 AM

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.