Transmission jack - Harbor Freight?

[bgilbert]

Anyone have any experience with either of these two Harbor Freight transmission jacks? I have a HF store here in town, I went and looked at them, one is a 800lb capacity jack and looked ok, the other is a monster, a 2000lb capacity. I usually like to overdue things. When I bought a engine hoist, I didn't go for the 1 ton unit, I got the 4 ton unit from them and it worked well.

800# unit: $139 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3185

2000# unit on sale $199 btw: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4075



Two questions on transmission removal. Do I really have put the truck on jackstands, even with a tall 4x4? Do I really have to separate the trans and t-case before pulling them?

 

[Philip]

Bill go with the 2k jack. It has lower collasped hight. This means a lot. The other one all the way down is 3" higher. It could mean the difference between mgetting it rolled out from under the car/truck or not.



Jack it up Bill. If you measure how tall the trans is and then add the jack hieght. You porbably will not have enough room to slide it out.



Seperate the trans and transfercase. That narrow pad on those jacks only give you one shot at a good balence. If you miss you could wear the trans and transfer case.



I have seen a 727 and a 203 flip a regular low profile trans jack. The jacks your looking at are narrower than that one was.



If you want to use a trans adapter plate for a standard floor jack. I have one I could drop off this coming weekend.



Here is a link to the one I have.



http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_19795_19795

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I have the same one that Philip has. I had to put my truck up on jack stands and still had to take the transmission off the jack before I got it out from under the truck. Putting it back on the jack under the truck was the harder part. The 2k jack looks pretty low to me, you'd probably still need to put the truck up on jack stands but at least you'd be able to roll it out from under the truck.

 

[bgilbert]

If you want to use a trans adapter plate for a standard floor jack. I have one I could drop off this coming weekend.

I don't think I want to chance the adaptor and floor jack. I'll just get the 2k low profile jack. It definately looked like it will handle anything I would ever put under the Dodge. Thanks for the input.

 

[bmoeller]

I have to agree with Phillip.

 

[bgilbert]

I measured and you guys are right, I will have to put it up on jacks. I also took a closer look at the 205, and man it's really big:-laf. I didn't think it was that big. That's one big hunk of metal hanging there. Am I gonna be able to lift it up off the transmission jack without a crane:-laf???



Also, can I just remove the center crossmember/trans mount and leave the other two attached to the frame rails?



Hopefully the sale isn't over at Harbor Freight. I'm gonna go up there Monday. Clutch job to begin this weekend.

 

[swankmetal]

when i take my transmission out, i use a plate that i made to fit my floor jack. it bolts to the same place as the mount. with that mounting point, the trans and xfer-case are perfectly balanced. IOW, it would be really hard for me to do them separately. just something to consider. are you replacing? or rebuilding?

 

[bgilbert]

are you replacing? or rebuilding?

Installing this SBC FE clutch. I guess I should remove it from my sig til it gets installed.



Also think I'm gonna try to find a getrag top cover gasket, as it leaks pretty good with 5 quarts in. Clean up the getrag and 205 and see what else is leaking. I know its the top cover leaking, and maybe the gasket/seal between the two.

 

[steved]

I have the 800# one listed... it removed and installed a nv4500 with ease... it also handled the NP241DHD tcase with ease... this was from a 2nd gen though... should be the same.



The only reason you will need the truck on jackstands is to get the transmission/tcase from under the truck... I would not waste the extra $$ on the 2k jack... I sure didn't need it. 3"s won't make or break you, you still need the truck on stands anyway.



steved

 

[BJMarshall]

Bill,

I had mine in and out several times without a transmision jack. It may have been easier with a transmission jack, but it fit pretty good on my regular floor jack. I didn't use jack stands either, but if you don't, the transmission will have to come off the jack to get it out from under the truck and will have to go back on the jack under the truck. To do that all you have to do is tilt the transmission up by the input shaft with one hand and slide the floor jack under it with the other.

Manhandling the 205 is pretty easy. I take it off first and set it on the ground without a jack. If you get positioned right it is pretty easy to hang it back up there without a jack too. This may not be the case for everyone. I can bench press 300 lbs and it's pretty easy for me.

When I put the NV4500 in, it didn't balance as well on my floor jack. It didn't have the drain plug in the bottom to kinda center it on ht ejack.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Good thread! I was just thinking about buying HF's transmission jack adapter doodad that mounts on a normal floor jack. I've decided against it due to the reasons that you folks posted in this thread. I don't need a 330# transmission falling off an instable jack...



http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4075

Current price on that 2000# unit on their website is $299...



Sometimes the in-store price is lower... usually, the website is cheaper.

When I buy stuff from HF, I print out the webpage with the product(s) on it and then I either use it to my advantage for a cheaper price (they honor the website prices - no questions asked) or keep my mouth shut.



Matt



On edit: I just found a 1200# low-profile unit that looks like a good alternative: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91020 $184

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I just got a flyer today with that 2000 lb transmission jack on sale for $197. 99 I think it was.

 

[SGibson]

I'd rent one way before I'd pay 2-300 bucks for a chinese jack, everytime I go to-thru Indiana I am envious of all the hot-rod type stuff there, so it stands to reason that there are plenty of unclaimed trans jacks at hydraulic shops that will sell for the bill owed,or old gas stations etc. like a Walker or a Lincoln that you can leave to your grandkids versas a unrepairable chinese one that you'll leave to the scrapile.

 

[Idually]

Bill. When I was doing the RC/CTD conversion, I bought a Craftsman ATV Jack(The "steel" one). Sounds silly, but it worked perfectly. Now, it was a 727/205 that I moved from the donor to the RC, but it was great. Only $70. 00 at Sears and you can weld/fab brackets to it if you need(I didn't need to). I'm sure you could do something for the G360(I think that is what you have), to make it work. I DID need to jack up the front to get the clearance, but once it was in between the rails, I dropped it back down. Besides... How many times will you REALLY use it... I know, scary question with that new head and all...

Just my 2 cents... .

Good luck!

Andrew

Andrew

 

[bgilbert]

BJM, most I ever got up to was 295 on the bench . I doubt I could get that now.



I'm not too worried about spending a little bit of money for something a little heavy duty and also I have no access to fabbing, welding or modifying anything here in the garage. Sure I could spend a little more and pay a shop to do the job, then I wouldn't have to have a heavy Chinese piece of equipment laying around and not go through the hassle. But I want to learn more about my truck and this type of job.



Hopefully I don't have to pull the getrag again anytime soon for a screwup or what have you. But I do plan to do a conversion with the crew cab so the transmission jack will get used again. Plus it will be nice to add more tools and shop equipment to my collection for future use and help other members out down the road.

I DID need to jack up the front to get the clearance.

I'm not real comfortable working under the truck with the jackstands I have, so I was hoping after pulling the trans, I could just jack up the front end with my floor jack enough so the trans clears the frame.

Edit: ah heck, just remembered that engine thats gonna wanna hang down if I jack up the front end in this manner. Jackstands it will be :-laf .

 

[Mel Fuelling]

I also have an adapter for a floor jack, but its from Northern Tool. I ordered it from their catalog in a weak moment. When it arrived, I should have sent it back. Its so tall that its unstable and the tab that secures it to the top of your floor jack bent and the whole thing collapsed and rolled over the first time I attempted to use it to remove my Getrag. (Unlike BJMarshall, I can't bench press a Getrag. ) Its capacity and construction are only suitable for Nissan pickups, etc. (which you don't really need a jack for) I would like to give it to someone to get it out of my way, but I'm afraid my conscience would bother me too much.



Like Idually, I have used an atv/motorcycle jack for two Getrag removal/installations. They have a long wide stable base that makes removal/reinstallation a snap. I did use some 2x4's to make a cradle for the top, but I'm not sure that its necessary. Look for a cycle jack that has the rubber pads on top well ancored. Their flat top deck makes it easy to scoot, wiggle, and reposition a heavy transmission going back in.



Good Luck,

Mel

 

[BJMarshall]

No no no. I can't put the Getrag up there without a jack. Just the 205. No matter what route you go on the transmission jack, stay away from the adapters for a floor jack. As Mel said, they are too light for this application. The one thing that I did that I know made the installation much simpler was to get four long bolts that would thread into the face of the bellhousing where the trans bolts up. I cut the heads off them and rounded the ends. Use them to line up the transmission as you stab it into the bellhousing. Do not allow the weight of the transmission to hang on the bolts and don't let the let the pressure off the jack until the transmission is fully bolted up to the bellhousing. These things can be a pain to stab when you have all new parts.

 

[JLEONARD]

I can't put the Getrag up there without a jack

Sorry... I would prefer to have Jill help me

 

[BJMarshall]

Funny Jay.

 

[bgilbert]

Hey now Jay don't be hijacking my thread:-laf!! I have the 2k lb jack in the garage now. Got it just before the sale is up on 4/12. Will fill yall in how it works.