Most frightening movie EVER!

[MOSHO92]

I just saw it today...."Taurus SHO clutch replacement". Produced by Joshua T. from SHONUTperformance.

Wow!!! Thats definitly the biggest and most painful looking job i have ever thought about undertaking.

One (of many) of my biggest fears is trusting a brace, that I will make myself, to protect me from the crushing force of the engine on my ribcage.

I think that if I just take it slow and am patient i should do just fine.

A couple of things i'd like some advice:
1) Preventative maint. parts that i should in invest in
2) A safe and sure way to brace the engine.
3) How use jackstands and a floorjack in place of a nice lift.

Thanks guys and gals...

 

[Machspeed]

Ive always been too much of a sissy to do anytihng liek that. That and i have no wheer to do it really. Good luck! thumb

 

[MOSHO92]

Well, ive done rod bearings, and a valve shim job without too much of a catastrophe...why not try the clutch...

<small>[ August 26, 2003, 12:18 AM: Message edited by: MOSHO92 ]</small>

 

[PAracer]

That's the spirit! Now get out there and crush some rib cages thumb

 

[Blue-By-U]

I'm about to do the same myself. It's taken me months to prepare for this job. I've watched the video countless number of times, gathered all the tools I could possibly need, purchased all the parts and more...now I'm waiting to make the brace. I'm not nervous at all about the clutch replacement itself, just about making the brace. I'm confident once I build a strong and reliable brace this will be a proving experience which I'll find rewarding in the end.

Just lay out all the tools and be prepared to spend 2 days max if it's your first time. Good luck!

 

[SHO_Driver]

Start sweating now if your SHO's seen salt, cause you will spend too much time with seized & busted bolts. rant

 

[MOSHO92]

I live in sunny Central Valley California...the only salt I see goes on my steak.

 

[masho95]

You think it's scary trusting the engine stand? You should see the bolt I use to go through the chain and bolt into the rear head. M10 bolt but I don't remember the length. No washers or anything because I can't find my longer M10 bolt. Haven't had any problems with it. In fact the M8 bolt we used on my friends 89 when we did his clutch, held up just as well. And we had the engine stand holding that thing up for almost a week I think. As far as using the jack stands. Put one behind each rear SFB on the body rails with a block of wood between the body rails and the jackstand. Jack up the car as high as the jack will go and place them under the car as so. Let her down real slow and she's up! You're now free to use the jack later to remove the subframe. Also another set of jack stands helps to remove the subframe.

 

[sdpatt]

MOSHO92:
Wow!!! Thats definitly the biggest and most painful looking job i have ever thought about undertaking.

Those were my thoughts before taking on the clutch and transaxle job. Here's my topic with photos of the engine support that I designed and here is the topic of the story of the clutch and transaxle service job with links to more photos.

I was reluctant to do this job too, but after watching Josh's video, I was confident that I could succeed at the last major service I had yet to perform on the SHO. I am still enjoying the smoothness of the clutch and the shifting when I drive the car, but I am not eagerly anticipating the next time I have to do the job. It will be less intimidating, but it is still a significant effort. If you have done the rod bearings and the valve gapping job, you should be able to conquer the clutch too.

 

[91 Plus]

Why dont you just use a engine picker!I Would much rather use that then the brace?Why does everyone use the brack when they can just use a cherry pickers and be fine?

 

[drivinhard]

cherry picker uses a ram jack to hold the picker arm. You never want to work under anything using a hydraulic jack to hold it.

besides that, have you ever tried to work under a car (with a creeper, etc) with 2 huge picker legs in the way?

A fixed brace is the proper way...

 

[Bank of SHO]

Scott's engine support is SOLID. Due to various delays, My engine has been supported for about two weeks with no wavering at any point. I'm just about ready to reinstall the transmission.

I made minor changes to Scott's plan. I used 2x6s for the rear side supports instead of 2x4s. Just cut them deeper and put the angle in the cut rather than drilling the eye bolt hole at an angle. Also, I couldn't find a suitable bracket, so I used longer chain and bolted it directly. Caveat emptor, just telling you how I did it.

I too was certain that this job would be too daunting the first time I viewed the video. Then I watched it again and again and built up my confidence. Don't let the procedure as a whole overwhelm you. View it as steps that are readily conquered.

 

[91 Plus]

drivinhard:
cherry picker uses a ram jack to hold the picker arm. You never want to work under anything using a hydraulic jack to hold it.

besides that, have you ever tried to work under a car (with a creeper, etc) with 2 huge picker legs in the way?

A fixed brace is the proper way...

OK,I actually did a tranny and clutch job on my sho,and the forks were not in the way at all.It actually made it really easy when we slid the subframe right on it and all the way back!