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Thread: Good Trans Jack for ZF S5D 320Z?

  1. #1
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    Good Trans Jack for ZF S5D 320Z?

    I'm prepping for a clutch, flywheel, and shift pin job and am looking for transmission jack recommendations.
    I've bench pressed more than my share of manual transmissions, but the older I get the better I was, and it is time for hydraulic assistance.
    In the past, I've also fabricated a replacement cradle for a regular floor jack that worked reasonably well with heavy-ass 'merican big block automatics, but this time around I'm contemplating some sort of Harbor Freight-ish one-time-use trans jack that I'll sell once the job is done.

  2. #2
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    Believe it or not, I use the harbor freight scissors jack, even with a lift. I did bun a hole in the center of the saddle to clear the fluid drain plug. Works great with both ZF and Getrags.


    /.randy

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    Believe it or not, I use the harbor freight scissors jack, even with a lift. I did bun a hole in the center of the saddle to clear the fluid drain plug. Works great with both ZF and Getrags.
    Really? Hmmm. As far as the car itself, no real lift, but I'm EZ-Jacked and loving it; I thought I would be better off with a real trans jack with clamps / straps, angle adjustment, etc.

  4. #4
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    This jack has limited tilting and a strap that I don't use. With the car up level, the max tilt is about perfect for this job.

    https://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb...ack-61232.html

    Understand that even with a lift I still flat-back these things. WAY too many years on me to hunch over under a lift. I got the lift more as a jack. I can have an S54 car with all of it's plastic underbelly pans on stands in two minutes rather than two hours of dragging a jack back and forth nudging each end up bits at a time.
    Last edited by rf900rkw; 04-01-2020 at 08:56 AM.


    /.randy

  5. #5
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    I'm not sure where you're located , but you can have my HF Trans lift, its the one that Randy posted. Id be happy to ship it to you for just the cost of shipping. Or I'm located right outside of Boston MA, I know at HF its probably as inexpensive just to buy it, but im tired of tripping over the thing.

    I'm not sure how small you are but, I found an easy technique on the ground is put the bell housing on your knees, and then then use your tip toes to line up the shaft and then just press up the output side until its level and it should go right on.

    I spent a-lot of time and frustration trying to use that jack and trying to fool around with it from the side and never got it lined up right (probably my inexperience)

    Edit: I meant that I'm small enough to pull the clutch on with the car 6 ton jackstands and have the bell housing propped up on my knees with and not be too uncomfortable or awkward to work. I didn't look it up or anything but I don't think the trans was more than 80 pounds.
    Last edited by yinzerinmass; 04-01-2020 at 09:16 AM.

  6. #6
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    yinzerinmass; Thank you very much for the generous offer, but I live in flyover country; it's not worth your effort to box up the jack, and the shipping cost to deliver it out here to Kan's Ass would probably be as much if not more than the $99 HF price. There's a HF a few miles from me.

    I kinda prefer a scissor-type trans jack over a hydraulic version since the the height can be adjusted with greater precision; until I peeked at Randy's HF link, I had no idea they still made scissor trans jacks. Back-in-the-day, a friend of mine had a 1950's vintage version that I used a couple of times, which was quite luxurious compared to my normal cast iron case 4-speed Toploader bench press routine.

    For some reason I thought the ZF S5D 320Z was heavier. Apparently it's only 86 lbs. or so, but I think I'll still go with a jack since I am highly injury averse these days.
    Last edited by CB750; 04-01-2020 at 01:54 PM.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    This jack has limited tilting and a strap that I don't use. With the car up level, the max tilt is about perfect for this job.

    https://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb...ack-61232.html

    Understand that even with a lift I still flat-back these things. WAY too many years on me to hunch over under a lift. I got the lift more as a jack. I can have an S54 car with all of it's plastic underbelly pans on stands in two minutes rather than two hours of dragging a jack back and forth nudging each end up bits at a time.
    I love how within your sea of knowledge you never miss a chance to rib on the amount of plastic cladding under the S54 cars lol

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  8. #8
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    Don't take this wrong, but I've found that S54 owners as a group tend to be a picky lot and frown on having jack cleat holes poked in the undertray when trying to reach the front subframe directly. Getting the cars up cleanly to transmission removing height was always a PITA to do, but I didn't really complain until after the last medical changes make getting down to peer under and back up very difficult.


    /.randy

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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    I love how within your sea of knowledge you never miss a chance to rib on the amount of plastic cladding under the S54 cars lol
    How was this helpful? (sigh)
    I assume you understand what an online forum "Moderator" is supposed to do; frankly, you're doing it wrong.

  10. #10
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    My job is to "moderate" the forum. This Z3 section is a group of respectful and helpful people, in the years I have been a moderator here I have deleted maybe 2 spam posts, censored a couple posts with severe foul language and moved a few posts from this section to the for sale section. Thats basically the extent of what Ive done as a mod. This isnt like other sections that need a lot of active moderation. Doing those things are my "job" and for the record, I was asked to do it, I didnt ask to become a mod. If being a mod meant the forum is a "no fun zone" then I wouldnt have been interested in doing it. Im still allowed to have some fun and make some jokes. And your question had already been answered. Ive removed tons of these 320Z's without anything but a normal jack so I dont have much input on what trans jack is best; so I didnt reply until those with knowledge on the topic gave you an answer. I just support it with a normal jack until its ready to come down, then I lower the jack and get under the car and slide the trans out.

    So I made a little joke about how Randy talks about that s54 cladding a lot because Ive seen him mention it a few times recently. God forbid!

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
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    I personally appreciate the respectful sense of humor and moderate bantering found in this forum. I’m an engineer that has been working closely with mechanics and welders for 35 years and similar bantering between us makes going to work fun.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    My job is to "moderate" the forum.
    Here's a friendly suggestion...try sticking to that as a goal.

    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    So I made a little joke about how Randy talks about that s54 cladding a lot because Ive seen him mention it a few times recently. God forbid!
    It has been rumored that I have a great sense of humor, some might say I'm hilarious.

    However, it has been my casual observation that for some reason you feel the need to prod "Great Dismal Swamp" Randy at every opportunity.
    I'm pretty sure that a forum search of your posts would support my observation.
    Maybe he enjoys the banter, I dunno.

    Rather than create a "time to make some popcorn" situation, please submit any further comments you might have to PM.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by CB750 View Post
    Here's a friendly suggestion...try sticking to that as a goal.



    It has been rumored that I have a great sense of humor, some might say I'm hilarious.

    However, it has been my casual observation that for some reason you feel the need to prod "Great Dismal Swamp" Randy at every opportunity.
    I'm pretty sure that a forum search of your posts would support my observation.
    Maybe he enjoys the banter, I dunno.

    Rather than create a "time to make some popcorn" situation, please submit any further comments you might have to PM.
    You can never believe rumors
    Tony
    "You can't sign away negligence."

  14. #14
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    I prod him back too, Sometime I even prod him back first. That's what happens when you've been around this forum (and others) for over a decade. I've been in other forums that decorum and Robert's rules and political correctness are required. I leave. Partly because it won't be any fun. Partly because it will be just a matter of time before my snarky butt gets kicked out.


    Great Dismal Swamp is actually a place. Even Wikipedia knows about it. Most from this area list their location as Virginia Beach, even when they are in a neighboring city. Nope, I'm not a surfer...


    /.randy

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    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    Great Dismal Swamp is actually a place.
    I know 2 things about The Great Dismal Swamp: 1 it has a huge population of black bears and 2 some of those bears don't like people entering their swamp. I learned #1 on the internet after learning #2 in person on a mountain bike.
    Last edited by pine1000; 04-03-2020 at 10:08 AM. Reason: edit

  16. #16
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    Not that Iwould ever push things even farther off topic, but... Yep, we are seeing more bears again, as the traffic/humans has thinned. About 5 years ago they sanctioned a bear hunt to "thin the herd". We rooted for the bears. Final score, Hunters 0, Bears 0, Swamp 2. They had to send search and rescue in twice to retrieve lost hunters.


    /.randy

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    This is the best thing I’ve heard all day. Thanks (I’ve seen tourist chasing buffalo & elk in Yellowstone) It’s nature weeding out the gene pool.

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