removing tranny from '97 626... trouble with a step

[olllllo]

We have a 97 Mazda 626 and in the least shocking news of the day, have gone through another auto tranny.

I decided this time instead of spending 1800 bucks to have it fixed, I would pull it myself and take it to be rebuilt. I am going step by step through Chilton (hmm or Haynes... can't remember at the moment), and I have come to a step that says remove lower control arms from steering knuckles, with no other details. At the knuckle, there is a roughly 1" diameter pin that sticks up from the control arms through a hole on the knuckle and a horizontal bold goes through to tighten around the pin much like how a battery post/connector mounts. I have loosened that up enough to get movement in the pin but can't get the LCA to drop enough to totally free it. Is there something else I need to remove? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance. I really appreciate any insight.

~Dave

 

[Beater]

Not sure about the model, but general advice; Is the sway bar attached to the control arm still? Might be holding it up. If the pinch bolt is out of the knuckle and the ball joint stud is moving, there's nothing else there to hold it so I'd look for whatever is binding the control arm - sway bar is one thought. Also could be that you're being "nice" to it and just not hauling on the control arm. I seem to remember some FWD's with pretty stiff control arm bushings.
J.

 

[chwk]

hey dave...you know they dont take much off in the way of savings for pulling and installing your own tranny...

You might be better off just changing the clutch packs inside yourself...I have done it and its not as bad as it sounds...or buy a used tranny that still runs...or ride your BMX instead of driving man LOL

Tranny shops only change those parts that are worn/broke...if your fluid smells burnt, and is now a blackish/brownish color instead of a bright pink/red...it is 100% clutch packs inside your tranny...

when i did mine i had a tranny rebuilder right there with me, my dads friend
so that helped alot, but it wasnt that bad...just take each peice out 1 by 1 and stack it up in order it is removed and put it back in that same way...except the worn clutch discs inside, replace with new ones, it really is not that hard... a good trick the rebuild dude showed me is to hang the tranny up on some sort of pin sticking from your wall or work table...and set it up so that as you put the new parts into it...you are dropping the peices into the tranny....instead of trying to do it on its side...thats a bad thing to do
that way you get a complete rebuild and for a couple hundred instead of thousands$$$$$$
mine ran as long as I owned it after that...and was perfect...and it was the first time i ever did it...I would not have to think twice if I needed a tranny rebuilt again to do it myself...just think if it dosnt work buy a wrecking yard ytranny that works still...your still ahead of the game...

one thing i know too many people do...is drive around town in OD...when its only for highway above 50 for long stretches...to save gas and keep the revs down...its not meant for around town...that causes the tranny to engage and disengage constantly which wears out the clutch packs inside...

hope this helps...BTW I drive a standard now and love it

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

You have to take that horizontal bolt completely out. Then use a prybar to spread the pinch area apart alittle more.

 

[olllllo]

Thanks for the input guys.