How to Remove a 1999 Ford F150 Transmission

Pulling a transmission out of any vehicle is a big job. However, one of the easier vehicles to work on is the Ford F150. While you will need some muscle power and a helper, the job can be completed by anyone with basic automotive repair knowledge and a good set of tools in one afternoon. Make sure you have a clear parking area to perform the work as, once the transmission is out, the truck will not be going anywhere under its own power until you reinstall the transmission.

Things You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Wheel chocks
• Floor jack
• Jack stands (4)
• Drain pan
• Masking tape
• Shop rags
• 2"x4" approximately 1-foot long
• Socket set with 36-inch extension
• Pry bar (optional)
• Haynes Manual (optional)

Instructions

1. Put your safety glasses on, depress the parking brake pedal and chock the front wheels.

2. Use the floor jack to raise the front end until you can position the jack stands under the frame at both front corners. Once the jack stands are in place, lower the F150 onto them. Jack up the rear end and place the other two jack stands under the rear axle where the leaf springs contact the axle tubes. Lower the rear of the truck onto the jack stands. Make sure you have the truck high enough to move the transmission out from underneath it.

3. Unbolt the driveshaft with the socket set and move it to the side. It is best to wrap some masking tape around the U-joints if you are going to have the driveshaft out for any amount of time. This prevents the U-joints from coming out of the driveshaft flange.

4. Disconnect the transmission cooler lines and wrap rags around the ends to keep unwanted dirt from getting into them.

5. Disconnect the wiring harness from the transmission by unplugging the connector. Disconnect the transmission dipstick tube from the side of the transmission with the socket set. Once the tube is disconnected, move it up and out of the way.

6. Support the transmission on the floor jack by placing the jack underneath the transmission pan. Make sure to place a 2"x4" in between the jack head and the pan to prevent the jack head from damaging the pan.

7. Unbolt the transmission mount with the socket set and move it out of the way.

8. Unbolt the transmission bell housing from the engine with the socket set. You will need the extension to reach the bolts at the top of the bell housing.

9. Pull back carefully on the transmission, with a helper on the opposite side of the unit, until the torque convertor clears the back of the engine. In some cases you may need a pry bar to separate the transmission and engine. If so, be extremely careful with the pry bar so that you do not damage the bell housing, torque convertor, flywheel or engine.

10. Lower the transmission with the floor jack then slide it out from under the truck.

Tips & Warnings

• Whenever you undertake a big repair job on your vehicle, it is best to have a repair manual specific to your vehicle on hand throughout the procedure. Even if you have removed many transmissions, there is always the chance of running into something unexpected, and a manual can be invaluable in that instance. The Chilton Manual is written in technical language while the Haynes Manual uses more lay terms, hence the recommendation of the Haynes over the Chilton.

References

• haynes.com: Ford Pick-ups, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator Repair Manual