The following is an email I sent to Mike Mercury. I would be please to hear from anyone that can offer adivce on the completion of this job.

Mike, I have a few questions if you don't mind.
First, I am at the point in the Mike Norris how to article on the carrier swap when it is time to "loosen the hub that holds the driveshaft in place."
1)Unlike the picture the Hex head has not been co-operative in presenting itself head on. It is turned toward passenger side at about a 45 degree angle from the opening. I haven't tried real hard to get anything on the hex as i decided this was a good stopping point It is apparent that this is going to be a hassle. How do you get the fastener front a center?

2)I have recieved my poly bushing from zip and plan to install as part of this mod. The directions indicate that I should separate the ball joint in the upper a arm prior to dropping the transaxle craddle. The question is, since I am going to have to remove the upper a arm to install the bushing is it advisable to leave the ball joint intact and just remove the upper a arm from the mounts and pull those out with the rest of the transaxle craddle? I am hoping to avoid the ball joint separation as I have no experence in separating them or mating them together again.

3)As you move from one side to the other removing the upper shock bolts which "allow the suspension to drop and remove the pressure from the spring" do you need to keep the assembly that has just been released supported by a jack or something to keep it from rotating down too far? Can I just lower the jack and move to the other side?

4)I have also purchased a new set of Bilstein shocks and intend to replace stock during this Mod. In the picture of the transaxle craddle removed it looks like those shocks are sticking up pretty high. Would there be any issue removing the lower shock bolts and old shocks prior to lowering the craddle? Looks like this would make it easier to drag the damn thing out from under the car. Clearance might be an issue.

5)"Mike pops the axleshafts out of the differential with a bar...." On this one just tell me it's going to be alright. I'll take any words of wisdom you might have.

6)"we put two screws into them snugly to hold the driveshaft in place once the tube was removed from the hub." Any idea what size screw I need?
7)"Next, disconnect the transmission-cooler lines." Spillage? Pressurized? What should I expect here?

8)"Drain the differential before lowering the transaxle." No need to do this as I am not changing the gears?

9)"We filled the new Super Yank 3500 C/5 converter with fluid and installed it onto the input shaft." What type of fluid and how much?

10)I am currently on Rhino ramps(front tires) and Jackstands with pucks on rear tires. When I am not working on the car I take a little pressure off the jack stands with my floor jack under the cross member.
should I been concerned about a ten day window under these conditions?

No need to answer all at once (hmm that sounded presumptuous) as I am doing this job over several days. I will also post on the forum to see what nuggets of wisdom I can get from the group.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

 

1. You do not need to remove the drive shaft or torque tube.
They can be lowered enough to remove the transmission.

2. The ball joint seperation is a simple processs. They reassembly
is even simpler.

3. Place a jack in the center of the cradle and support it as you
remove the upper shock bolts from each side.

4. Clearance is not an issue.

5. It's going to be alright. Light prybar action is the correct method.

6. Disregard... see #1.

7. Not pressurized. Minimal fluid from lines.

8. No.

9. Transmission fluid of your choice. I used Redline. Pour into shaft
shaft several times allowing it to flow into the converter. Make
sure you correctly seat the converter into the transmission.

10. No.

 

Here is link that covers the removal/installation very well.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ghlight=ST3500