Topic: Clutch replacement woes

[SloRacrMI]

OK clutch replacement gurus.  I have most of my car disassembled for this clutch which honestly hasn't been to bad up to this point..... it's just a lot of parts.  I am at the point where the DDM guys mention going at the top bolts of the trans housing through the shifter area? 

"You can rig up a long set of extensions and go in from the shifter area.  Two long (12", or so extensions should get it. [or one 24"]) You'll need a universal joint at the socket end too. Since you will be at an angle. This can be done after you have the diff and torque arm out. The engine and trans will tilt down some by using a floor/trans jack." 

Where in the hell are they getting sockets and extensions into the dirty side of the car from the interior?  Under the shifter there is a rubber boot around the shifter that is snap riveted on to the body.  Am I drilling these out?

If anyone has guidance I would really appreciate it.  I have been reading threads for the last couple weeks trying to get every detail I could but was super bummed when I didn't find a how-to with any pictures.

[Steelmesh]

When I first started swapping the trans in this platform I rigged up all my extensions and taped a USB camera to some welding rod which I used to guide the socket into the top transmission bolts. I came at it from under the car at the output shaft of the transmission.

However! If you pull the windshield cowl off under the wipers, you should have full access to these bolts, give it a try.  My car is slightly modified but I think you should have room to snake in there.  Things seem easy to me because I've done a transmission so many times in this car, but I remove the front wheelhouse and wheel, so that I can stand in the engine bay straddling the brake rotor/control arms.  Since I'm always messing with the transmission, I leave the top passenger engine-trans bolt out completely I don't use it, and there are 9 engine-trans bolts already it's pretty over kill (Toyota JZ bolt pattern).

There is one bolt above the starter, it is possible to use extensions from under the intake manifold (thank you whoever suggested this), I've done this before it works however I don't have my A/C compressor installed so that could have made it possible.  Maybe you can sneak in from under the car.  Again, I've done it alot, removing the 2.4 LE5 intake manifold isn't too difficult and makes it real easy to get at.  Otherwise you may need to pull the starter to get at this engine-trans bolt, but that top starter bolt isn't exactly easy either.  I haven't decided to leave out the engine-trans bolt behind the starter, so for now I have literally welded threaded rod onto it so I can remove it without dealing with snaking extensions, I welded on a permanent extension.

That bolt above the starter:


Bolts for reference:

[SloRacrMI]

Thanks for the tips!  Got everything out and the new clutch installed but now I am wrangling with the torque arm.  Its a beast and trying to get it to play nice under the car on jackstands is not the most fun activity. 

[Steelmesh]

Thanks for the tips!  Got everything out and the new clutch installed but now I am wrangling with the torque arm.  Its a beast and trying to get it to play nice under the car on jackstands is not the most fun activity.

The torque arm is technically superior, but I have the original design without a torque arm and just need to pull that one front diff mount bolt and tilt it down to pull the driveshaft.  I think by this time I would have modified the torque arm if I had one, cutting it to make it a two-piece arm that can be bolted back together, but I am next level with my kappa project; where pulling / servicing the drivetrain is part of the game as I figure out the car.