Removing and re-installing TR-6060

[TheBrightSide]

So, I'm in the process of dropping my factory TR-6060 on my SS, so that I can replace the clutch slave cylinder. The only parts I'm worried about mainly, are the driveshaft Torx bolts/nuts and the bell housing bolts, which connect the trans to the engine itself. I also can't recall if the Torx T-60 bolts that connect the driveshaft ends to the rear diff and engine crank on the rear (not the bolts that hold the dampers on the diff and crank) are torque to-yield and are non-reusable.

Here is the topic thread where I happened to find some info on torque specs for the driveshaft bolts, but am not 100% sure:
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264556

Post #8
Drive shaft to coupler bolts - 67 ft/lbs
Coupler to trans flange - 72 ft/lbs
Coupler to diff flange - 85 ft/lbs


On that note, I was wondering how it was possible to torque the bell housing bolts (x6?) to proper specifications? I saw a Phastek clutch replacement video, where they simply used like a 2' foot, 1/2" inch drive impact gun extension, and then gave some "ugga dugga's" to snug down the bolts... I'm assuming I can't just use a torque wrench, as the huge extension would throw off the torque amount, not to mention it would be hard to get the proper leverage and angle to tighten the bolts.

Also, for the wiring harness on top of the trans, which has the wiring to the reverse lockout solenoid, skip shift CAGS, and the trans fluid temp sensor; do I simply pop out whatever plastic(?) clip is on the top of it, holding the wire harness in place? I also figured that I could remove the metal tab holding the driver side, downstream O2 sensor connector on the trans, in a similar fashion. I think the same Phastek clutch replacement video I watched, had them disconnect the O2 sensors. Is there anything else I should disconnect or keep clear out of the way, when removing and reinstalling the TR-6060 trans?

[mr_honez]

I reused all of the bolts on the driveshaft during my RS to SS conversion. Have never seen where you couldn't. I just snugged down the bolts on the top of the bell housing with a 4 ft. extension and swivel socket, knowing that the torque would be wrong but it would be good enough. Be aware you are going in to an aluminum block. As far as the clips go just pop them off and remember how the harness lays across the trans. Take lots of pics before you do it ands you'll be fine. Everything goes back fairly easily that way. The hardest part for me was getting the trans lined up perfectly to stab in but I got it in eventually

[fz4k98]

I use a torque wrench with 4 ft of extension and a swivel to install the bellhousing bolts. I understand that the amount of twist on the extension changes the torque value, but using a torque wrench will ensure you do not overtorque any bolt while ensuring consistency.

This has worked 4 times for me over the years of reinstalling my transmission.

[TheBrightSide]

Originally Posted by fz4k98

I use a torque wrench with 4 ft of extension and a swivel to install the bellhousing bolts. I understand that the amount of twist on the extension changes the torque value, but using a torque wrench will ensure you do not overtorque any bolt while ensuring consistency.

This has worked 4 times for me over the years of reinstalling my transmission.

Gotcha. I’m gonna be working off of the ground, with 6-ton jack stands all around the car. I usually lift the car using the side frame rails, and then just place jack stands along them. I have a tough rubber jack pad, so it doesn’t damage the frame rails, but I did mess them up in the past, to where the outer metal warps.

Either way, I typically max out my 3-ton jack stands, when doing like an engine oil change or transmission fluid change. It should be high enough, to where I bought a floor trans jack, and I’ll be using 2 ratchet straps (not sure what length) to hold the trans on the trans jack. Did you end up tightening the main 4 bell housing bolts to the engine, to a specific torque amount?

[TheBrightSide]

Originally Posted by mr_honez

I reused all of the bolts on the driveshaft during my RS to SS conversion. Have never seen where you couldn't. I just snugged down the bolts on the top of the bell housing with a 4 ft. extension and swivel socket, knowing that the torque would be wrong but it would be good enough. Be aware you are going in to an aluminum block. As far as the clips go just pop them off and remember how the harness lays across the trans. Take lots of pics before you do it ands you'll be fine. Everything goes back fairly easily that way. The hardest part for me was getting the trans lined up perfectly to stab in but I got it in eventually

Gotcha. I was planning to do the same thing in the Phastek video, where the guy used a combo wrench on the back of the nut, and then an impact gun (1/2” inch drive) with a T-60 Torx hex socket bit. Hopefully it’ll be tight enough, and

I’ll make sure to use blue Loc-tite on all of the nuts and bolts. Should I use Loc-tite on the 6 main bell housing bolts, that connect the trans to the engine? I plan to use blue Loc-tite threadlocker, on like the 2 middle driveshaft carriage(?) bushing mount. If there’s anything else I should mind, when re-installing any of these important bolts/nuts, let me know!

[TheBrightSide]

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399701

Looks like the main 6 trans bell housing bolts to the rear of the engine, are supposed to be about **37 ft/lb** of torque. I guess a few “ugga dugga’s” might be sufficient then… Hopefully I don’t over-tighten them and break or strip something, as I sparingly use an impact gun or electric ratchet.

[mr_honez]

Originally Posted by TheBrightSide

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399701

Looks like the main 6 trans bell housing bolts to the rear of the engine, are supposed to be about **37 ft/lb** of torque. I guess a few “ugga dugga’s” might be sufficient then… Hopefully I don’t over-tighten them and break or strip something, as I sparingly use an impact gun or electric ratchet.

Just tighten the top bolts down good and you'll be fine. Like I said earlier remember you are tightening them in to aluminum. You can torque the rest to spec.

[TheBrightSide]

Originally Posted by mr_honez

Just tighten the top bolts down good and you'll be fine. Like I said earlier remember you are tightening them in to aluminum. You can torque the rest to spec.

What’s the easiest way? Just use the extensions with a 1/2” inch drive ratchet or something, to start off the bell housing bolts? I figured it would be a bad idea to try to start the threads of those bolts with the impact gun (1/2” in drive). I’m scared of potentially over-tightening into aluminum, but I definitely wanna get it a bit tighter than 37 ft/lb.

[mr_honez]

Originally Posted by TheBrightSide

What’s the easiest way? Just use the extensions with a 1/2” inch drive ratchet or something, to start off the bell housing bolts? I figured it would be a bad idea to try to start the threads of those bolts with the impact gun (1/2” in drive). I’m scared of potentially over-tightening into aluminum, but I definitely wanna get it a bit tighter than 37 ft/lb.

You don't need to start with those bolts first, those can be last. Get a long extension and a 15mm swivel socket with a good torque wrench, set it to 45 ft.lbs and tighten them. I would not impact those, at least for tightening.

[TheBrightSide]

Sorry for thread grave-digging… I’m stuck getting my 2010 SS’s TR-6060 bell housing/transmission out. Right before I started the job, I loosened the four 10 mm bolts that held the shifter housing to the center console area of the frame. This had a certain amount of play up and down, that I guess I can use as a reference point to guide me, since everything else was still installed and not yet removed from the car.

I’m using a motorcycle/trans jack, but did not loosen the front subframe/cradle, so I was kind of skeptical lowering the trans a good amount. After removing the four 15 mm bolts on the transmission mount crossmember, the engine ended up tipping back, and me and my friend watched the engine bay to use as a reference point, to see how far we could lower and angle the trans before it started getting more “sketchy”. I had to use a good 3-3.5’ feet of 1/2” inch drive extensions, in order to remove a good 6 out of the 8 total bell housing bolts.

As I finally got all the trans bell housing bolts loosened and removed at an angle, I jacked the trans back up and started using a medium-sized pry bar with the small, slotted cutout on the bottom front end of the trans and rear end engine mating area/surface. I was able to pry the trans out a good inch or so, finally revealing the two dowel pins on both sides of the engine/trans (can’t tell what the dowels are in or not in…). I’m now stuck at this point, and could use tips to help me… Do I really need to loosen both of the motor mounts on the sides of the engine block, as well as remove or loosen the bolts to the front subframe..?

[TheBrightSide]

So, an update on my car, which I was dumb and accidentally threaded in the topmost center bell housing bolt and forgot... I also got extremely lazy and left the car for a few weeks on jack stands now....

I finally have everything ready to put back together. I originally used a motorcycle jack to remove the trans, which proved to be too short, so I stacked some wooden 2x4's on top and made a small platform.

I didn't have anything to support the front of the transmission/bell housing at the time, so it was kind of tricky to play with the motorcycle jack on the rear of the trans, to get the trans out and down. I eventually had to lower it and had a friend completely hold the end on the rear, while I proceeded to take out the motorcycle jack and place it onto a wooden dolly.

Ended up having to turn the trans on it's side to get it out originally, since we didn't left the car much higher, since we were kinda scared with the height it was already at... Now, the trans is finally back in under the car, and I'm attempting to reinstall it in the same way, with the addition of my floor jack up front, on the flat bottom of the bell housing, where the bottom vents are. Hopefully, I can get the trans to get to the right angle and mate to the engine