03 ram 1500 5.7 hemi 4x4

can anyone one tell me what's the trick to dropping the trans past the rear torsion bar mount and the exhaust got it all ready to come out and its caged in. No way to remove exhaust without hacking it up. Do i need to split the transfer case from the trans? Have never split the two. Is it difficult to split? If the rear torsion bar was a half inch further back everything would drop right out. They have to do this on purpose.

Can't see 03 being way different from older independent front end trucks from GM or Dodge. Pulled a bunch out when working at chev and a trans shop. Was many times easiest to drain fluids, pull shafts etc and remove 5 or 6 bolts/nuts and pop case out of there first. That also made it easier to access the trans to eng bolts too. Many could be loosened, slid back a few inches, and nose tipped down to drop forward away from torsion bar cross member. You WILL probably drip some oil on your face or arms. I was doing alum case removal by hand alone then, would not try lately.

Remove the transfer case first, then the trans. will come right out.

I was able to pull the transfer case and transmission as one on my 2nd Gen, but it would have been easier if I would have seperated them: It's not a big job, just a few bolts and out it comes.

When I put it back in I seperated them and it went way better.

Hope that helps you.

thanks ,,,, i will separate them ....

On my 06 I removed the transfer case first. But was a bi!ch to bolt back up trying to support and align it up by myself while laying on the floor.