Has anyone dropped their oil pan without...

[BlkBird]

pulling the motor or dropping the tranny? My truck is parked beside my house in the grass. My garage is full so I could'nt pull it in there to work on it. Ive dropped the y-pipe, dropped the starter, unbolted the oil pan and unbolted the motor mounts. I cant get the motor up high enough to get the pan out. Like I said Im in the grass so I really dont want to drop the tranny(Id probably never get it back up) and dont think a cherry picker would be very easy to manuever in the grass. I cant move my truck(without reassembling everything) so what are my options here? Has anyone ever removed their pan without pulling the motor or dropping the tranny? My manual says it can be done, but Im not seeing how. Any of you service techs reading this? I need help here people!!

[eddieeddieg]

BlkBird:
I had changed my oil pan gasket just this
week and I really don't think that the
pan can be removed without lifting the
engine a least 2 inches. You may be able to
gain 1" by dropping the rack and pinion
(just 2 bolts.) As far as your book saying
it can be done - maybe they're talking about
a 4x4 model.
I know its a pain but another trick you can
try if your dropping the tranny is place a
couple of tie-down straps to the frame
under the tranny to cradle it enough
to move it out of the way - and reinstalling
the tranny is a whole lot easier. Just keep the
straps tight while your unbolting the tranny.
Good Luck
Eddie

[BlkBird]

Thanks for the response, that's not a bad idea if I end up having to drop it. I was thinking today if I just unbolt the tranny from the mount and jack up both the motor and tranny together(with two jacks, one under the front of the motor and the other under the tranny) until the tranny hits the floorpan if that would give me the extra clearance to tilt and slide out the pan. Thats the little bit of hope Im hanging on to until tomorrow night when I can give it another shot.