I GOT IT. Transmission installed

A continuation of MY TRANNY WON'T GO IN "BLUES".

I finally hit pay dirt with my manual transmission install on my 04 Taco.
I honestly believe the center shaft on the transmission would not seat in place. It may have been close, but cocked to one side. I actually broke one of the lower mounts, but had a replacement from the donor truck.
Things I learned about this procedure.
Use a trans jack to take some weight off.
You must tighten in a criss-cross pattern, going from opposite corners, and tighten slowly. When you start to get some resistance, its time to tighten at another place. Back and forth, back and forth.
You must turn either the engine or the tranny while trying to get it to go in place so the splines line up.
I wound up laying on my side from behind the tranny and putting one foot on the back, pushing towards the engine, while my helper shook the tranny side to side ,and up and down.
All of this is to help with the final slipping in place of everything after it is close. The last inch or 2 is a bear. Very close work aria.
I never did take the bell off. It's a good idea, but I watched a youtube vid where he brakes off 3 of the 9 bell bolts. Yikes!
Ultimately, I won't know for sure until I get it running and check the operation, but the fork is moving in and out. I feel pretty positive this time.
Thanks to everyone who pitched in ideas. We have some smart people on this forum!

 

That is where experience comes in you get a feel for how much you can get away with before breaking things!!

Awaiting test drive!

Awesome Job hanging in there!

 

I think you make a good point in turning the engine in addition or instead of the trans. Seems I never gained much in turning the trans. on these.

 

Congrats!

 

Good job man! Always nice to get a big project done.

 

If you have not followed the whole Saga This has been quite the ordeal .

I do not know many people who would not have quit long before this.

Great example of sticking with something.

 

I have quit many times. Sometimes on the same day, but I always come back to it because it is such a great ride!

Read about the story from the beginning here https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/04-coil-spring-bucket-graft.745614/#post-26553633

 

This got broke on round 2. I was lucky it didn't break the transmission casting.
Round 1 Toyota
Round 2 Toyota
Round 3 ME by a TKO

I had another just like it off the donor truck, thank goodness!

Oh yea. One other good tip.
Loosen this brace up, to where it bolts to the engine. You will gain a few much needed millimeters when you are trying to get those bottom bolts to start on the transmission. Then you can go back and tighten everything.

 

Not completely done yet by any means. But the hard stuff is out of the way. The rest should be easy. All down hill from here!

 

It's just a mass of metal. And you didn't let it beat you. Sometimes it's good to take a break and just walk away for a minute, hour, day. Those last couple inches were indeed the input shaft trying to find the pilot bearing hole. That's where it is critical to have the clutch disc perfectly centered. And if you are working from the ground a jack is nice. You can modify a floor jack with some scrap wood to cradle the trans and let it do the heavy lifting. Let us know how the maiden voyage turns out. Cheers