Pallet Jack for Installing H55f/Split Transfer Case? (1 Viewer)

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4Cruisers

4Cruisers

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Just got back from the local equipment rental shop - they have a long, skinny pallet jack that I can rent for $45, Friday noon until Monday morning. I've used my engine hoist through the front passenger door and it's worked OK, but there's too much risk of cracking the windshield or damaging the dash. Seems like the pallet jack would work as it's low profile and has a very long reach. Would use some blocking to get the transmission/transfer case oriented properly. Has anyone done this? Anything I should be aware of?
 
I just used one to take the Trans./Transfer out. Mine had 4' forks and it will reach under them from the side. It did me NO good though
I finally pulled it off, it's too high unless your truck is way up on jack stands. The problem is it only lifts 4"-6", can't remember how much exactly. I put a 2" square, .187" wall tube inside my hoist tube that was 6' long and pulled it that way.

Putting a H55 in as well! good Luck!
 
Probably more than you want to spend (you could sell it after), but makes it much easier. Plus, the mount tilts. I added a bit to the mount to make more stable.

800 lb. Low Lift Transmission Jack
 
I got one of the Harbor Freight tranny jacks (shown above by Spike Strip) a few years ago and have used it a lot. I struggled over the years installing Land Cruiser trannys and transfers (and especially the NV4500 and Orion), alone and with help using the typical strap and hoist methods or just muscling them into place. I made a simple cradle for the transfer case that bolts to the Harbor Freight jack and I can install the Orion in 30 minutes by myself now. I hate buying Chinese crap, but this has saved me a ton of effort. If you look for sale prices, you can get it for about $125 or so.
 
I bought one of those linked above -- Didn't work with my jack as there was no room to anchor the saddle pin. Flopped all over the place and was dangerous. If your jack will work with it, it's a nice tool.
 
The problem with pallet jacks is that they typically don't have a high reach unless its a high lift pallet jack.

The jack has to be able to reach ALL the way up to the tranny and secure it with adjustable angled bracing (like that cool adapter that @gregnash linked) but then it has to lower ALL the way down to the ground to be able to get the transmission out from under the truck. If you've got a way to lift the side of the truck up far enough to be able to roll the dropped tranny out, then you could McGyver it.

I used the 2000 lb HF transmission jack that has an even higher lift than the one @Spike Strip linked to (the 800 lb model wasn't available a few years ago) and it felt like it was the ideal jack to use. In fact it was so cool that I really enjoyed doing the whole job.

You really need an adjustable bracket that secures the transmission to the jack. You need to be able to slightly tweek angles and tilt as the tranny is getting inserted.

If you were in CA you could come by and borrow mine for free - but your avatar shows a lot of snow which doesn't look too promising.
 
OSS said:
If you were in CA you could come by and borrow mine for free - but your avatar shows a lot of snow which doesn't look too promising.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the offer, but I'm in New Mexico. The photo's deceiving, it was taken at my house in Las Vegas, NV quite a few years ago - yep, it does snow there from time to time.
 
I'll have to check and see how high the pallet jack reaches, probably not much come to think of it. I might just go ahead and use my engine hoist as usual. Or run down to Harbor Freight Tools in Santa Fe and buy a transmission jack.

Thanks for all the input.
 
I just yesterday made this. Took a buggered transmission mount that had separated, took the bracket off, it welded it to
a 3/16" plate that then bolted to the transmission jack base plate. This can be removed easily. The bolts that normally
hold the bracket to the transmission can be used, make sure you offset the bracket from the bolts that mount the plate to the
jack plate or they will interfere. I just removed my trans/t case from my truck. If I was going to do it again, I'd add a 1" spacer
under the angled mounting plate, just to give a bit more room for attaching bolts.
Works great! Good part, no need to use the chain!

IMG_4065.JPG
 
gregnash said:
If you have a 3ton floor jack already, why not get one of these?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO8E1N8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I115W448WH1WM3&colid=HJUAHAJJXRBT
Click to expand...

Problem I see with this is the base is not as wide as a transmission Jack. Floor Jacks are designed to lift part of a larger object that is stable. Lifting a transmission requires more balancing what is being lifted. I have one 450 pound scissor jack from Harbor Freight. Great for installing a bumper or removing a gas tank. Wouldn't dare use it for a transmission and transfer case. Few years back picked up the 2,000 pounds Harbor Freight transmission Jack used cheap. Best tool for the job. Pallet jack would probably require building up the under the transmission. Then raising the vehicle higher while you move the transmission in place. Then lower the vehicle so the limited amount the pallet jack lifts is enough. Would still require shimming the transmission to get the correct angles. Only thing a pallet jack has got going is a wide stable base.
 
IMG_3996.jpg


I built a wooden cradle out of some scrap and bolted to a lo profile floor jack from Costco. Worked like a charm
 
pallet jack ain't got the lift balls...my vote is get a buddy and just stick the trans, then bolt the tcase on after...short of that, the homebrew trans mount welded to a floor jack attachment seems like the winner...
 
I picked up a "baby scissor lift" from Harbor Freight the last time I did some transmission work.

450 lb. Low Lift Transmission Jack

Pros:
Small footprint.
Easy to move around. All castors swivel, whereas the front wheels of some jacks are fixed in place.
Cheaper than other options they had.
Reached high enough.

Cons:
Cranking a transmission up from the ground is tough when you are lying on your back. (you use a 1/2 ratchet to raise/lower it).
The ratchet strap latch is large and sometimes impossible to release when it's pinned against the floorpan. You end up taking the bolt out of the end of the strap.
I wish it would go lower to the ground to clear the body/frame when you are getting the trans out from under the truck.

I've used floor jacks and ATV jacks, and this scissor style from HF worked just a well.

image_23989.jpg
 
Run that jack with a small impact gun and you are golden
 
Decided to head to Santa Fe this morning to pick up one of these:

Transmission Jack.jpg


Went to the HFT website this morning and found a 20% off coupon valid today through Sunday. I've got at least three projects coming up for this, Sunday's installation of the H55f/split transfer case for my '86 FJ60 project, installation of an HJ47 H41 and BJ45 drum parking brake split transfer case in my '71 FJ40, and a clutch/rear main seal replacement on my '84 FJ60 (still on the original clutch at >182,000 miles).

I think this jack will come in handy for loading/unloading heavy items into the bed of my Silverado pickups. It also looks to be low-profile so I can park it under my workbench.

Appreciate all of the tips, suggestions, and cautions.
 
Last edited:
^^That is the exact model of jack that I mounted the plate I made to. Those 4 square brackets probably work well with
a auto trans, but I took them off.
I have a question from some of the above comments, don't some of you jack the truck up onto jack stands?
I actually had to lower my 60 about 6" so the above floor/trans jack could lift the assembly high enough.
I'm also looking at a removable bracket to put a bottle jack on offset to the side for supporting the transfer case.
Its really heavy and makes that adjustors work very hard.
 
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