CAN'T GET SAFARI TRANSMISSION OUT TO WORK ON IT. HELP?

[Dude01]

[b]Im working on a 2002 SAFARI AWD for a friend that lost their job so doing the work for free to help. When the van was brought to me I was told it only needed a front pump seal on the transmission as it was leaking. Replaced that seal with the transmission only pulled back away from the motor enough to get my tools in there and then reinstalled the tranny and all,then took it for a short testdrive. When I stopped to look underneath the van,I couldn't believe my eyes as it was still leaking? It drips about every 5 seconds when running.
I then contacted a transmission expert and he told me to bring the transmission to his shop,and he will replace all or the front pump gaskets and o-rings seals etc..
The problem I'm having now is I can't get the transmission out of the van to bring to the tranny expert. I have been struggling with this for a couple days now and trying to find the answers. So my only questions are,how do I get this tranny out?

1)Remove crossmember?(loaded torsion bars) OR ...

2) Drop exhaust?

3) Or do I have to drop both?

Any help would be extremely appreciated as I would like to get the van back to the friend as soon as I can. Im hoping I can just take out the crossmember and a how to on that would be great because here in Maine they use salt on the roads and even though I have cleaned and heated the exhaust nuts/studs they are pretty much welded with rust and there permenantly and ready to snap off due to the rust on them.
Thanks for any help you can offer

[chevymaher]

Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Raise the vehicle.
Drain the transmission fluid.
Remove the rear propeller shaft.
Support the transmission with a transmission jack.
Remove the nut (2WD) or nuts (AWD) securing the transmission mount to the transmission support.
Raise the transmission slightly and remove the transmission support from the vehicle.
Remove front exhaust pipe assembly.
Remove starter motor.
Lower the transmission to gain access to the top and sides of the transmission.
Remove vent tube hose and the electrical connections from the transfer case, if equipped.
Remove transmission mount.
Remove transfer case, if equipped.
Disconnect range selector cable end from the transmission range selector lever ball stud and bracket.
Remove transmission heat shield.
Remove transmission vent hose.
Disconnect Park/Neutral Position (PNP) switch connector.
Remove main electrical connector from the transmission.
Remove bolt that secures the fuel line bracket to the left side of the transmission.
Remove torque converter access plug.
Remove flywheel-to-torque converter bolts.
Disconnect transmission oil cooler pipes from the transmission, then plug the openings in the transmission case.
Remove stud and the bolt securing the transmission to the engine.
Remove six studs and one bolt securing the transmission to the engine.
Install tool J 21366 converter holding strap onto the transmission bell housing to retain the torque converter.
Pull the transmission straight back.
Remove the transmission from the vehicle while simultaneously removing the fluid level indicator tube.

['cudapaul]

Short version:

1)Remove crossmember?(loaded torsion bars) OR ... YES

2) Drop exhaust? YES

3) Or do I have to drop both? YES

[Dude01]

Thanks for the replies and help. The procedure chevymaher explained is great and all of that has been done except it is still up in there. The transmission is just sitting on a jack with blocks and fluid pan is barely resting on the crossmember. So to get the trannsmission down to the floor where I can drag it out to have it worked on, Cudapaul says I have to drop the exhaust and the crossmember. That makes perfect sense to me because if that crossmember wasn't holding the transmission up there it would have been out by now. I have the van all blocked and chocked up and front tires Jacked and jack stands so tires are off the ground just enough to take pressure off the torsion bars. Also have crossmembers 4 long bolts all out and 2 torsion tension adjustment bolts underneath C.M. I marked with spraypaint and backed those off all the way too. So just wondering what to do next to get the crossmember out of the way? Should I take it completely off or as someone else suggested to try jacking 1 side of it down lower to get the transmission out. If it has to come all the way off though how do I do that? Surely others have taken out there own tranny from a Safari or Astro and maybe there's a simple trick or time saver here I'm just completely missing. Even if it's not by the book or a little risky I'm willing to try just about anything to get that tranny out of there now. Thanks again for the help in advance.

[WoodButcher]

Support the trans on the jack and drop the crossmember, it isn't heavy, just loosen all the bolts first and then revove them to drop it on your belly. If you don't have a trans jack make a bracket for the floor jack and strap it on.

[trapper20]

I think you need to take it all the way off. It will probably be a pain because of the salt. Here is what I had to do:

Heat the torsion keys with a torch (preferably acetylene) for a good while; I heated mine 2-3 min each. Thread a large pipe through the suspension from the front so it comes against the crossmember but sticks out the front a couple feet, then pound on it with a large sledge until it slides off the torsion bars.

[ohgeo]

If you have already removed the adjusters on the torsion bar levers, and removed the tabs above the keys then all you need to do is slide the crossmember back to remove the bars. I had to use a sledghammer, beating against the crossmember. I had one torsion bar come out at the crossmember, and one came out at the lower suspension arm. They are pretty stuck in there due to corrosion. Anyway, that worked for me. Just removed my transmission this afternoon and going to start the rebuild tomorrow.

[Dude01]

Thank you very much for the answers! I took a break from it since Saturday afternoon. So just getting back on it today.

I have removed the adjuster bolts after spraypainting their exact locations when screwd in.
Next,attempting to remove the adjusters on the torsion bar levers and then,remove the tabs above the keys.
I have a 5-6 pound short handle sledge hammer to try to tap it off with after as well and will report back in here how it goes.
Thanks again, It's Extremely appreciated.

[Dude01]

So making progress here,slow but sure I'd say. Got both adjusters out of crossmember by just using a C-clamp to push the end of the torsion bar lever up off of them and both came out very easily. Everything seems to be even looser now as well.
Couple things Im not quite sure of though,is what and where are these Tabs above the keys,how do I remove them? And are the keys the 6 sided torsion bar ends that slide into the crossmember slots?
I do feel 2 indents or holes on top of the crossmember where the torsion bars ends slide through. Is that the tabs on top?
One thing I can tell for sure is that someone has been here before on this Safari. So hoping things will come out easier because am told this is another recently replaced transmission.

P.S. I noticed the front of the torsion bars where they slide into the front suspension (lower A-arms?) are very heavily dowsed with grease and oil and think this is where the last member replied is where his came out on one side. So just wondering is there anything preventing this one from doing that too,or something holding it in where it slides in up front? I'm hoping not because I'll be greatful for where ever it decides to unplug from. lol
Thanks again for your help and will stand by.

[Dude01]

Got it out!! My neighbor just came by and gave me a hand. When looking it over noticed the 2 front torsion bars where they insert into the lower suspension Arms up front,were both really greasy from seeping axle seals. I had a long 5 foot 20 pound pry bar that I gave the passenger side a tap with. It slid right out on the 2nd tap,and wulluh,the crossmember on that side dropped almost all the way to the floor!!!
I then put another piece of cardboard on the crossmember and slid the tranmission down it to the floor. Only had to jack the van up a few more inches off the jackstands to slide it out. It was that simple.
Thanks again for the tips and advice you gave and have to say,Very grateful for this Forum and the experience and know how you have in here! Thanks again,and please feel free to add any more tips or advice for the way back in,or anything else you have as maybe someone else will need the same answers I couldn't find Anywhere else but here.
Here's a pic of that torsion bar end grease and all just before tapping it out,which allowed me to FINALLY get that transmission out from underneath this van.

[WoodButcher]

Any time I'm underneath the van I clean as much grease and gunk as I can then wipe with an oily rag. If you can keep things clean it helps when you need to find a leak. If your bud is not a wrench it will give him something to do and make your donation to the cause much easier.
Good luck!

[Dude01]

Thanks and I agree 100%. Been using Gunk and Simple Green for many years and find they both work much better when I put some cardboard or news paper down first then scrape off as much grease and buildup as possible.(usually with a wooden paint stick) Then when you spray it down it gets rid of the rest a lot faster,and very true,any leaks are so much easier to see where they're coming from when cleaned.
The only problem with asking the Bud though is that he is actually a she and not a wrench either. Lost her voice,then her job of over 20 years from a neck surgery she had to have. So wanting to help,and see her get back on her feet again,I offered to do the work for free to lighten things up a bit for her.

Got the tranny and the torque converter all loaded up in my car now. So tomorrow im taking it in to one the tranny shops I talked to so they can take out the pump and replace all of the O-rings gaskets etc. Im not sure if anyone else had a leak in that area besides the front seal that goes around the splines and shaft,but this is a first for me? Replacing that front seal has always done the trick anyway. I'll have him check that too,but it looks good to me and I even used the recommended retainer clip over the seal that snaps over it,as an extra security precaution. The retainer clip holds it in even better and tighter.

Heres a couple more pics, First one is After sliding out torsion bar,and the Empty torsion Bar Socket on the front passenger lower suspension piece.
2nd pic is the tranny and torque converter loaded up in my car ready to bring to the shop. lol

[gruber001]

I just re &re'd transmission on 96 safari awd and yes I had to remove the cross over pipe to get it out .
grube