Dakota Ax15 Transmission Removal 4wd 5spd

In this video my lovely assistant shows up to get her truck worked on. Follow along to see what it is like for a first time mechanic to remove a transmission from a 1998 Dodge Dakota 4wd. Baily is bringing in charity work now, pretty sure he has a side deal for treats and belly rubs but he isn't sharing!

[@WatchWesWork]

I was expecting to see an amateur mechanic struggle to remove a transmission. Instead you got your assistant to handle the job! I kept waiting for you to pick up the whole truck with the bridge crane!

[@bcbloc02]

Probably will have to work on something sometime where lifting the cab off will be the easiest way. I try to avoid those Fords but there are a lot of them around and they are so fond of having to remove half the truck to get access for most anything.

[@vicpatton5286]

Hi Brian I'm sure your help and coaching is much appreciated. This is not a project to dive into without someone experienced like yourself as a guide! I still remember removing a Muncie 4 speed and having it land on my stomach as I pulled it out of the bell housing. Glad I was on a creeper :-)

[@cup_and_cone]

Oh this brings back unpleasant memories... Did a 4L80 transmission two summers ago to replace a rear main seal. No lift, just jack stands, laying on the concrete floor for two days. Fun times.

[@flockofgorillas4485]

4L80 just sucks cause it weighs like 300lbs bone dry. I've done mine with a cast iron np205 attached to it on the floor with a harbor freight trans jack. These smaller ones are way easier. Done a 5spd ranger without a jack even.

[@cup_and_cone]

@@flockofgorillas4485 For sure most manual trans are a good bit lighter to muscle around. All the hydraglydes are heavy PITA working on the ground, especially with fluids still inside and dragging out the converter with it. Scariest part of working without a lift is making sure the damn thing doesn't fall over on your head since you're laying down.

[@nferraro222]

Brian's lucky it's a GenII Dakota. Gen1's with an automatic? You're pulling the starter, exhaust, torsion bars, blocking everything up so you can pull the damned crossmember. Which let's you drop it just enough to get to the hidden transfer case bolts.

[@bcbloc02]

Yes at least on the manual the top 2 tcase bolts can be easily reached thru the floorboard shifter hole.

[@bobhudson6659]

Glad you are taking care of your friend. I am sure she takes care of you as well. Regards from Land Down Under.

[@karlhrdylicka]

Brian is just like Baily when it comes to side deal treats and belly rubs ..

[@byrnejr]

A women that helps fix her truck is a keeper! Nice job guys

[@highpwr]

I had to do one on an old International / Loadmaster trash truck years ago. It wouldn't fit inside the shop, so it had to be done outside with a floor jack that was WAY too small for the job, some wood blocks and a couple of sketchy jack stands. No fun. Your lovely assistant did a much better job on her first attempt than a lot of the apprentices I've had to work with over the years. Fresh out of trade school with diploma in hand - and they still didn't know which way to turn a wrench. ☹

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

very good video...thanks for your time

[@DAKOTANSHELBY]

Brian, same trans as in my '97 TJ Wrangler. Fully rebuilt it a few years ago with all new sycros and more. Watch out for that clutch slave cylinder during removal. Once the Piston is released from assembly removal, it's impossible to reassemble and install. The new Mopar replacement is very expensive. I'll assure you, you'll need to replace it.

[@WilliamTMusil]

Hiya Brian

[@craigmacchiato3728]

Thanks so much for this video , if you have a chance can you tell me what tools are necessary I’m planning to take one out of a yard

[@bcbloc02]

Sockets torx snap ring pliers and a hammer about all I remember

[@nascar20970]

Always start in the interior, take the shifter out first while clean and on the ground.

[@DAKOTANSHELBY]

Brian, all the inner parts are available EXCEPT selective sized snap rings. Nearly impossible to find a source for them. Hopefully yours are reuseable. Also pay close attention to the shifter detents balls and where they are placed in the mid section.

[@philipm7054]

Two post hoist for the shop next?

[@gnatlywings9088]

Well, he's got a huge overhead crane, maybe weld up a lifting jig to get vehicles safely off the ground?

[@bcbloc02]

I don't aim to do much of this kind of work if I can avoid it.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@bcbloc02 Anything bigger than mowers I farm out.

[@sharkrivermachine]

Looks like fun, if I never take another transmission out it will be too soon. Thanks for sharing.

[@Pavinsteelman]

Good morning nice job !

[@vagecumap5616]

Not easy to see on camera but the input shaft looked fine to me. My money is on worn synchro rings. Does the young lady rest her hand on the gear stick?

[@bcbloc02]

Former owner must have, she hasn't had the truck long.

[@vagecumap5616]

@@bcbloc02 At least it isn't a front wheel drive box. They always seem worse to fix

[@twisstedjack5181]

This video dosen't cover the 4.7L and the design change for the 00-04.

[@shawnhuk]

Amazing how long trucks last down there with NO SNOW.... 😕

[@bcbloc02]

We still get plenty of snow and salty days here. You have to get down below Tennesse to avoid the salt.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@bcbloc02 We get the salt too. If it ain't grains they spray it on. They do that in Tennessee too. When I was hauling concrete there I poured the setup for liquifying the salt in a DOT shed. Maybe Ducktown or Turtletown OR maybe Copper hill. Been a long time.

[@jseserafingalindalcala6270]

Is does transmission it is the same one for a Jeep Wrangler 94 AX-15

[@jtthill5475]

Well done Brian. Make the lady earn her repair. Girl friend or not, there are dues to pay. She is a cutie though, so don't be too tough on her. LOL Thanks for sharing.

[@bigbird2100]

Great video Brian spending quality time with your sister under a vehicle pulling the transmission and supervised by bailey 👍

[@bcbloc02]

She is no kin to me.

[@bigbird2100]

@@bcbloc02 beg your pardon she's your assistant 🙄

[@highpwr]

@@bcbloc02 ... yet. 😏

[@thedge7]

Easy mistake, it is Kentucky after all...

[@iznbrgwhite421]

I'm looking to do a 2000 Dakota slt quad cab 4x4 auto to standard trans swap. Ik it'll be a lot of work but any recommendations? Doing the entire truck (rebuilding ) and obviously customizing it to my taste.

[@bcbloc02]

I would suggest get a donor manual truck complete to rob all the parts from. I don't know as much about the Dakota as the full size rams of that era but I know in the fullsize they have a lot of different parts between manual and auto including different transfer cases so getting a complete donor will likely be the cheapest way to get all the parts you need to do a swap that will be like factory.

[@dauber1828]

You can tell that the truck didn't come from NY it's clean underneath

[@johng8473]

What FUN. Brian independent women are more fun. Just don't P*** them off. Glad to hear it's back on the road. Love your videos. Hi to Baily.

[@mattheritage9252]

How long did it take to remove and replace?

[@karlhrdylicka]

Shouldn't be too long before someone who is in the repair trade and done a few of these g/boxes will keep an eye on what Brian is doing and offer some helpful advise as what to look for and replace , also getting parts the right way round on re assembly. My Guess at this stage is that rubber type stuff that's broken up has got jammed in something ..

[@bcbloc02]

Well technically it is back on the road so probably a bit late for advice. lol My videos tend to lag the regular world due to editing times and the day it takes to upload one over my internet.

[@karlhrdylicka]

@@bcbloc02 Thanks for the update Brian . waiting on part 2 now just to satisfy my curiosity . Congrats on getting it repaired , rather you than me laying on that hard floor .

[@number40Fan]

All of this work and the likely cause of it popping out of gear was the plastic bushing you found under the shifter lever. Without that bushing, it won't allow the shifter fork to pull the selector fully into gear, where the detent will help hold it. On the bright side, the transmission did need to come out with that throw out bearing as rough as it is.

[@bcbloc02]

I found nothing broken in the shifter. It was al tight and fit good. Perhaps it had failed previously and somebody didn’t fish the broken bits out.

[@Aplushandymanservice]

Trying figure out what is the best transmission for first generation Dakota 4x4 318

[@bcbloc02]

These are not bad units. I think I prefer them to the NV3500. They were not factory available but the parts should exist to put a nv4500 in like was behind the Cummins if you really want a beefy one.

[@outsidescrewball]

Yikes...my thoughts are to say “bless you” as I have had too many days of those “on my back” R&R....but “no sweat” for Superman....

[@july8xx]

My guess it will be the forth speed synchronizer, don’t forget to use a dummy shaft in the cluster gear to hold the needle bearings in place. (dummy shaft =the same length as the cluster gear)

[@MrVailtown]

That neat so far. Quite a devilish laugh when she lost that socket. Then the cliff hanger ending. 😇🙊🙈🙉

[@davidfraser4830]

Thats a big job. Its much better to watch than to do haha. Thanks Brian

[@TgWags69]

Here I thought you were going to show a proper job!!! Where's the cardboard to lay on lol....good job :)

[@markfoster6110]

Oh what fun !!!

[@ericm8811]

Hey Bcbloc02! How does the truck owner keep the bed paint so pristine with all the tractor parts and other heavy machine components she transports? Ride ride ride!

[@bcbloc02]

Same way she keeps her seats clean from me, cardboard and blankets. LOL

[@lewiemcneely9143]

You need to explain to Baily that if he don't want the couch to be very cold this winter he better split the profits/bennies on this deal. I get my lovely assistant to help me too but I'm just yard and maintenance and I KNOW where my bread AND butter come from. Thanks,. Pal and GBWYall!

[@dan92677]

I thank all three of you for an interesting project. You do many interesting ones !! Good luck and have fun !!

[@bcbloc02]

Our pleasure!

[@10swatkins]

I noticed at the start of this film that you were infringing on Bailey's Job title... Did he approve or make you an assistant supervisor? :) I had a two post lift in my shop for years and finally moved it out after shop space became tight.. I feel for you laying on the ground and doing the work.....

[@amishmilitant4618]

You either need to buy and put in a hoist or make one that picks the vehicle up with your bridge crane.

[@davekelly1485]

We build shops for a reason. The best ones are not attached to the house.

[@turbocobra]

I am curious if the supervisor pre-approved you tapping upward on the case like that ???

[@johnmacdonald6201]

Brian, that little gearbox project will more than likely be a whole heap of work, she is very lucky that she has someone like yourself to give her a hand, not an easy job for a 1st time mechanic that's for sure.

[@jimurrata6785]

You have a new cameraman... er, "person" That's cute. Nothing I like more than a girl who's willing to get dirty in order to fix something. 🔧💎

[@charliebryson1285]

Brian is this your girl friend if it is glad to see her in a video, even thought she said she didn't like to be, Just wondering

[@bcbloc02]

Yes it is my illusive girlfriend. She said she would be on camera to get her truck fixed. lol

[@georgeswindoll9138]

@@bcbloc02 I'm happy for both of you, glad to see you are not alone, take good care of each other!!!!!!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@bcbloc02 You scoundrel you!

[@bobfuller9759]

Brian You can't put it on stands for her!! your mean!

[@codyrogers6436]

Equality 😬

[@dmadere1]

Lol, looks like your doing most of the work!

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

It would have been a lot harder if it came from your Kenworth.

[@reggiefaggart196]

Grandpa always said, if you can't fix it with a hammer, better call a electrician. L.o.l.

[@JJ-jv1gu]

WOW, I like her she looks fun I wanna meet her friends :)

[@chrischapel9165]

Does Bailey know of your relationship with the truck owner andddd most likely no cash is going to be exchanged...? I know he likes to keep you moving but,i think he likes the cheese to roll in...Has the president contacted Bailey for help on getting America back to work?

[@bcbloc02]

Baily never stopped work. He is a freedom lover not a slave. Besides he knows the government has shown it can’t solve any problems without making them worse so why would this be any different??

[@robertlee9395]

I had a 5 speed Dakota. Bought it new. I gave it away after I made my last payment. What a piece of junk!

[@bcbloc02]

What made it junk? There sure are a bunch of them still running around this area for them to have been junk.

[@ShainAndrews]

I had a couple friends with that generation Dakota. Seemed like good rides to me. Both had the 5.9 and would scoot down the road pretty good.

[@pierresgarage2687]

This kinda job is hard on freshly painted nails.... 😱😉 Looks like a roomy truck, it can ride 2 comfortable inside and 2 not so comfortable under, I've quit rolling under vehicules or entering low narrow places, since my joints aren't very flexible any more I need help to get from under those places... 😂🥵🤢 This truck probably never seen salty roads in winter, I had a 99 Ram that was really eaten up by that salty cancer, it's worth the repair if all else is doing good... Baily should supervise more closely, don't wait until it's all back in before he finds something you did wrong.... 😱🤣

[@bcbloc02]

I had the throw out bearing slide off when I lifted the trans in the first time. He wasn't there to catch it fortunately I noticed before I put all the bolts in but still had to lift it out and back in twice!!

[@nashguy207]

Man that Bailey he's a slave driver

[@bcbloc02]

No doubt!

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

very good video...thanks for your time