CI GS

I'm in the process of installing a two post, mid rise (~45") lift in my garage and I intend to use it to lift my car so I can drop the rear end and transmission, as I have a converter as well as a new Z06 diff on the way that I want to install over the holidays.
However, I'm starting to wonder how well-balanced the car will be on the lift using the 4 lift points on the underside of the rocker panels, since those points are so close together and towards the middle of the car? My worry is that when I drop the rear end and transmission out of the car, all of the weight will then be in the front and I fear that the car might do a nose-dive off the lift!
So, has anyone on here used a two-post, four point lift, using the under-rocker lift points, to remove their rear end and transmission? If so, how stable was the car when you took the transmission/rear end assembly out? I don't want to sound paranoid, but I certainly don't want to see my GS nose-dive into my garage floor, especially with me under it!!
I'm thinking that if necessary, I may have to get some kind of construction jack, or something of that nature, to prop the front end?

Big ol 68

Get a big *** cargo strap and tie the back end of the vette to the back posts. That's what we did when we did the same thing to my buddies trans am.

timd38

Sounds like a good idea, but how about a tripod jack under the front of the car.

Lots of choices, but this is the one I have.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...FSYSMwodIVoAOg

CI GS

Thanks man. That's exactly what I'm looking at. The only problem is that I'll have to get it shipped overseas by boat (since overseas UPS/FedEx shipment is cost prohibitive on large items like that) which would ordinarily take about a week and half, but with the holdidays next week, I won't be able to get it until early January. I may just have to wait until next year to do the converter/diff change.

CI GS

Thanks! I never thought of using cargo straps to hold the rear end down. I may just have to figure out how to use those if I can't find a jack or brace to put under the nose of the car.

MARSC6

Using those lifting points to support the car with jack stands while doing a clutch swap there was no balance issue. Don't forget the engine has to be supported because it will tilt back into the firewall.

CI GS

Okay. Thanks, that's good to know. I think I'm still going brace the front or strap the rear anyhow though, just because I'm a bit paranoid.

I read a thread on here that you disconnect the torque tube from the transmission and the driveshaft/flex plate from the converter and drop the diff/trans assembly out and let the torque tube rest on the tunnel plate, which will hold the engine up so that the intake doesn't hit on the firewall?
I wish I could find a step by step tutorial with pictures, but the only one I found on here the pictures were no longer available.

MARSC6

You may not be able to tilt the diff and trans down enough to get out with the tunnel plate still in. In my case I was changing a clutch so I pulled the TT still connected to the rear/trans assembly since everything had to come out anyway.

CI GS

I'm a bit worried about that, but I'm pretty sure that I read on here somewhere that someone had done it with an A6. If it looks like a problem I will just block the engine at the right angle and drop the TT.
In that case, I think I would need a couple of those screw jacks that timd38 posted the link to. One to prop the front of the car and the other for the engine, so that I can slowly screw it down to get the engine at the right angle.

HOXXOH

Most shops I've seen don't bother with additional front support when removing the rear assembly. However, that doesn't mean it's totally safe either.

An easy alternate method would be to load up a couple hundred pounds in the hatch to provide compensating balance.

The last converter swap I did on jackstands, I left the tunnel plate in place. It was a tossup whether it was easier than the previous swap.

If Christopher (subfloor) checks in, you'll get more info. He has the swap process on jackstands down in the 5 hour range.

victorf

I used my homemade stands for the rear end removal using the four shipping slot points. After stands were put under the rear shipping slots, car was basically supported by that alone. Front end was barely touching the front supports. Literally, I could raise up the front end using one finger. So I switched to support under the front tire patch. With additional jack stands under the front sets of shipping slots, these were options, really not necessary in my case. After removal of rear cross member and differential, weight bias switched to front end, front end was solidly planted onto front stands.

I did not have to remove tunnel plate but did support trans to prevent unmonitored engine movements.

CI GS

Thanks guys. This is all useful info.
I didn't realize that the rear lifting points were about the centre of balance on the C6, but that makes sense, otherwise any shop that uses a lift would have to use additional support to pull the transmission and diff out.
Maybe, I'm just overthinking this thing, as usual..
victorf, those are some pretty impressive homemade stands that you have there!

victorf

Overthinking is good - better be safe than sorry!

Good luck with your project.

timd38

victorf, It is 22 degrees out and getting colder. I plan to put a 6060 trans in this winter. Would you like to experience a Wisconsin winter?

You get all the beer and brats you can drink and eat, once it is done!

CI GS

Hey put some of that cold weather in a box and send it this way. It was unseasonably cold here today too, at 79 degrees!

victorf

You Really gonna do it yourself, or are you just baiting me? Anytime food and drink sound tempting!

But......

We have been experiencing below 70's at nite, along with strong wind, most of us are already feeling the wind chill and bunkering down!

CI GS

I feel your pain, my island brother! if this weather keeps up, I may even have to shut off the A/C in the garage!!

CI GS

So I've got the lift installed now and put the car up on it this weekend to check everything out. I lifted it about a foot off the ground at first and shook it pretty good before jacking it up all the way. It feels pretty solid, so I think I'm ready to start pulling the drivetrain to change the converter and differential.
After reading through the GM shop manual though, it sounds like they would have me pull everything except the frickin engine, and I would need at least two transmission jacks (I only have one and I'm not going to buy another one).
I did a search on here for a write up on pulling the drivetrain, but the only one I found was one which is very detailed, but the pictures were no longer accessible and it was related to an M6 car.
I thought I read somewhere on here that someone (I think it was subfloor) had a thread or instructions on pulling the A6 drivetrain.
I also recall someone saying that the torque tube doesn't have to come out. Does anyone have a link to anything like that?

MARSC6

No reason to remove the torque tube. It was mentioned earlier in this thread that the swap can even be done with the tunnel plate in place.

CI GS

Subfloor graciously emailed me his install instruction with a bunch of HD photos. His procedure is far more straightforward than the GM manual.
Thanks again Sub. You're the man!