so like the title says, i need some tips/tricks on this. i've got most of the bolts out, the top two bolts (the ones directly on the top of the trans, 1/2 in head) are kinda fighting me. is there a way to get these two bolts out without taking the trans off the mounts and such?

it's an 87 comanche 4.0l, 4wd, metric ton, 5spd.

 

Remove the crossmember so the tranny and TC can be lowered way down with the jack you have under there.
Use about 3' of extensions with one of those funky external torx sockets. The Craftsman one that fits is called an e12 size. I bought a set of them for $40 but you might be able to only buy the e12 separate.
Mike

 

woot, thanks mike!

in any case, i do have the e-sockets.

why i'm doing this:

my dad decided to replace his oil pump. well, old man couldn't get the pan out after dropping the pump (and the shock bolts and the steering dampers and the front sway), so he jacked up the trans by the bellhousing. it got the pan out but cracked the bell. there is now a small leak from the cracked area, pulling off the cover will allow me to see (well, feel) if the leak extends from a seal or if the crack has spread to the transmission on the interior.

he did NOT remove the cover to do his pan gasket, which to be honest, i hope is the issue and the gasket is ever-so-slightly pinched.

the truck has 285,000 miles on it, it is retiring in the spring to get restored, so this is not necessarily the greatest time for this to happen.

 

this thread helped me and my buddy are swapping his engine and just tonight we ran into those bolts and couldnt figure out what to do so we gave up for today and i just called him and told him what we had to do