R&R Transmission: Minimum Height

[Augster]

What is the minimum height a Z32 has to be raised to remove and replace a manual transmission, as measured from the ground to the floor pan?

I'm actually pulling the motor and removing the transmission is the generally recommended way to do so for home garage mechanics. I would like to use a transmission jack but I don't think my jack stands will go that high to clear both the transmission and jack, not to mention I'll be doing this on a slightly inclined driveway meaning the higher it has to be raised, the more unstable the vehicle will be on jack stands.

[amiry36]

If your jack stands cant go high enough, just jack up the car a little higher than the height you think would clear the transmission and put something under the wheels. So the car is sitting on a raised surface and you have space to work under it; however, i REALLY recommend you to put the car on a level surface before you do any of this as jacking up the car on a tilted surface can be extremely dangerous! Specially the height you want it to go! Specially you are working under it! And you never know if you are gonna hit any complications during the job. I suggest you to do it in the garage if it is possible.

[Augster]

I suggest you to do it in the garage if it is possible.

The problem is that once I pull the transmission, the car is pretty much stuck in that position; I can either raise it up on stands, or rest it on concrete, but it's not moving.

As my intended goal is actually to pull the engine, there really is no room lengthwise in the garage to pull the motor forward of the front of the car (towards the back of the garage) without having the car sticking partway out of the garage, meaning its rear wheels will be on the slightly inclined driveway downward, making it very difficult to push the car back into the garage (assuming there was enough room with the engine on a stand, which there isn't) over a little bump that's between the garage floor and driveway.

There is another immobile car on the left of the two car garage (1966 Mustang GT A-Code Fastback) which exacerbates the space issue within the garage.

So my only choice is to position the Z just near the bottom of the relatively long driveway where I will lift and pull the exhaust and transmission, then drop the car to pull the engine. And there the car will stay until I put it all back together.

[Augster]

If your jack stands cant go high enough, just jack up the car a little higher than the height you think would clear the transmission and put something under the wheels.

Although I've got a set of extreme duty (for full-size truck application) jack stands that can go very high, I'm trying to determine the approximate height NOW so I can do the necessary planning and logistics for that height; hence my question put forth here on the forums to ascertain that height. A ball park figure is sufficient as I have absolutely no idea how tall the bell housing is.

[nissanfreak12]

Car needs to be around 16" high at the lowest spot, usually right behind the front tires to remove the trans.

[itsa300zx]

The bell housing is only about 15-16" in dia max. That plus the height of your transmission jack. I only had to jack my car 20" measured at the frame rails, as I just modified my floor jack for the transmission. Hope that helps

[Augster]

Car needs to be around 16" high at the lowest spot, usually right behind the front tires to remove the trans.

The bell housing is only about 15-16" in dia max. That plus the height of your transmission jack. I only had to jack my car 20" measured at the frame rails, as I just modified my floor jack for the transmission. Hope that helps

Many thanks for that!

I was wondering if the engine can be pulled up high enough to clear the radiator support using the typical standard flavor Harbor Freight variety engine hoist with the car still on jackstands; not at the 16"-20" height necessary to pull the transmission, but at the jackstands' lowest setting. Just saves me time trying to fit a low profile jack back under the car to raise it again when installing the transmission... actually, it will also save me from having to buy a new low-profile floor jack (Arcan XL2T) that can fit under my lowered Z since it won't be drivable under its own power.

[amiry36]

Yes. You can pull the engine out of the car and clear the radiator support on the jack stand's lowest setting. However, as you stated, you may need to lower the car a little bit to get the engine out; otherwise, your engine hoist would get maxed out at the highest position without clearing the radiator support. After you are done with the engine, pop it back in, then raise the car a little to clear the transmission that you want to put in it. Save your money that you want to spend for the low profile jack and buy other goodies for your Z!