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Message: [QUOTE="Dave_Nevada, post: 1497941, member: 29749"] Pulling and disassembly of the transmission Definitely detach your exhaust down-pipe. It makes life a 1000% easier when pulling the trans. You don't have much room when the bell-housing moves rearward with the down-pipe in the way. I guarantee, if you don't, you will struggle removing and installing the ZF6 transmission. Once loose, tie it up against the frame. Remember, the ZF6 and the 7.3 were almost shoe horned by Ford into that engine bay. That combo is actually for medium sized utility trucks up to the 26,001 lb class. Caution: the 2wd ZF6 weighs around 240-250 lbs. (estimate). Don't be fooled by its aluminum case, it's pretty heavy. Those of you with the 4x4 setup, factor in the weight of your transfer case. That said, use safety precautions when removing/installing. I took no chances- I used a 3" nylon cargo strap (off my car trailer) to keep the trans from slipping on the jack. I can't imagine what it would do to someone's leg if it were to fall on them. Nonetheless, I was able to remove it by myself with a hydraulic trans jack. I'm 59 years old, so no whining about 'I can't do it". Once out, I removed the trans from the jack with my 2 ton engine hoist by attaching a chain to the top bellhousing holes and the driveshaft flange on the rear. Set the trans on the deck (bellhousing first, tail in the air) I had to make a lever to attach to the driveshaft flange in order to remove the 36mm mainshaft nut, I simply made a pattern out of cardboard marking the holes and drilled accordingly. The angle iron lever is 24" in length so I can hang onto the flange to keep torque from spinning it when I remove the 36mm nut. BTW- if you don't have a 36mm socket, use a 1 7/16 socket (NOT AN IMPACT SOCKET). Typical impact sockets are 2" in diameter and the hole the nut fits in is slightly smaller than that (1.9"+). So you will have to use a thinwall socket. Not an issue, the nut isn't torqued on the flange with Gorilla brute force. I used a 3/4 drive ratchet to loosen the nut. I suppose you could use impact gun too. Once the flange was off, I removed the main shift detent plug, passenger side (1 5/8 socket). Then I removed the (19) 10mm bolts from the rear case. Take the reverse shift switch off, easily broken. ask me how I know that. :) Now here's where it gets interesting. DO NOT USE SCREWDRIVERS or what have you to insert in between the cases to pry them apart. You WILL damage the mating surfaces and now you will be in a world of ****. Instead, use a wood block and a mallet to drive the aluminum case off the intermediate housing by hitting the tabs (ears) on the sides of the rear case. You can't miss those tabs. Be vigorous. It will take some serious mallet hits on the wood stick because you are breaking the gasket seal on the mating surfaces. You're not going to hurt anything. Once the rear case is off, have a look at the debris magnet inside. (in a slot to the rear, Lower center). Much can be diagnosed from looking at it. Look for springs, ball bearings, chips, filings, etc. Set the rear case to the side. We will work on it later. Intermediate housing. Okay, we are at a point where you're going to want to take photographs from several angles. Trust me, do this. The manuals don't begin to describe this transmission enough. I will pick up later, got to get ready for work. [/QUOTE]