Drain the transmission, pull the driveshaft, disconnect the cooler lines, remove the shifter linkage, unplug the speed sensor if it's on the transmission, pop off the access plate and starter, remove the torque converter nuts, pull the crossmember, an atv/motorcycle jack works great for popping the transmission down. take out the bell bolts and give her a shake. Should pop right out. You will get fluid coming out of the torque converter when you pull it out.
Lube the outer shaft of the new convertor (there is a paste like transmission fluid you can buy). When you put the new convertor in. Make sure it's seated all the way. You very likely have to lift up on it a bit and spin in to like up the shafts. Don't jam it into the input seal be Gentle until it's all the way in (insert **** joke here..)
Put it all back together. I usually take emery cloth and a bit of oil to the driveshaft yoke that goes into the tail housing so that when you reinstall the driveshaft your not jamming the rusty part into the output seal.
That's not truck specific. But basically that's how most of them come out. When I worked at the transmission shop we always disconnected the battery as well prior to starting.
When you fill it with fluid. Add most but not all when off. Then Fire it up and keep an eye on the level using the dipstick and slowly add more until your at the full line. Once it's up to temperature check it again and top it off as required. Doesn't hurt to put your foot on the brake and cycle through the shifter without moving the truck just to force the fluid around.
Take if for about a 5-10min drive. Recheck the fluid level. Top it off slowly because if you over fill it, it's a ***** to take some out.
Have fun!
You also have to remove most of the exhaust, shown below
which also requires disconnecting all four of the O2 sensors from the wiring harness.
You also need to remove/un-plug the line pressure sensor and you have to remove the dipstick tube.
(top bolt is easiest to access from the rear with several socket extensions once you drop the tail a few inches.)
To loosen/install the TC bolts its easiest to have one guy line up the bolts
while the other manually turns the crank a quarter turn at a time with a breaker bar or long socket wrench.
It can be done without a lift..... I pulled my 6Sod manual with the t-case still attached laying on the floor with just a regular floor Jack with the help of a friend..... 2wd should be petty east.
x2
Between our two Rams my buddy and I have done 6 trans swaps
...all on our backs, front tires on ramps. Engage Parking BRAKE! and block rear tire.
Both were 4x4's, so two drive shafts and a transfer case = 6 hour job.
(we removed the transfer case manually from the trans tail to make it easier/lighter to balance the trans on the jack.)
When using a floor jack its best to place a short 2"x10" block of wood between the jack and the trans pan.
Too much pressure near the center of the trans pan from a standard floor jack will dent it enough to slow the flow from the sump pickup at the bottom of the pan.
