installing k member, motor and trans at once

When my 440 took a crap we took it to my buddies shop and dropped k member and all out the bottom on his lift. The reason we did it this way is because i suffered a bad back injury that pretty left my right leg in bad shape so i was in no condition to lay on the ground or bend over the fenders. Well we waited on parts and ran out of time and he packed up shop and moved out of state. Now im left to try to get this all back together in my garage. The k member still has all the suspension on it. Im not sure the best way to go about it. Should i get the k member back in then go down through the top like ive always done? Or do i put it all together and shove it all under the car at once? im not crazy about the idea of my front end being 5 feet in the air on top of buying the brackets that attatch to the bumper bracket mounts to lift it up. What have you guys done? Which way is the way to go? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks...Joe

I've seen guys take some 4 inch square channel iron and put 6 inch diameter wheels on the bottom and weld L brackets on top of them to bolt to the front sub frame in the bumper mounting holes to move the cars around to get them over the motor and trannies
God luck, another option is to use a cherry picker to pickup the front of the car and move it around with the picker to get it over the motor and tranny

we already have wheels under the front to roll it around. . and yeah the cherry picker deal was how we were going to lift it up. but man that seems sketchy

Photo of 528 engine and 833 transmission going into '71 charger. There are skates on the rear wheels for fine tuning position. I've witnessed this done many times and no problems. One of my favorite pics of the car. My wife helped me! Another set of eyes really helps

I did it a few years back.

After doing my sport satellite . . . and seeing how you already have it all out . . .mount everything on k member and lower car onto it . . .sooo much easier ! I built the cradle so I could roll car around, and then turn it 90 degrees and rebolt it onto car and have it sticking out front to pick up with the engine hoist . . .

The easiest way to do it, just lower the car down onto the K frame. My buddy does it this way by himself all the time. Once you have a few parts put together, like a bracket to bolt to the front frame and a cart or something to put the K frame on you will never do it from the top again.

see the idea of this looks totally sketchy to me. How long did it take you?

What is that set up you have your cherry picker attached to?

thats what everyone keeps telling me! Thanks for the advice!

I got the cart and bracket from US Car Tool many years ago. Just sold them on Facebook Marketplace a few months ago.

Where in Illinois are you? I have everything to do this handy if your are close enough to me. 62812

Job probably took no longer than 1 hour, but I am slow and deliberate.

i am in northwest illinois......rock falls ....damn says 5 hours and 12 minutes away! well crap

There are various ways to do this but it all depends on what tools you have and how high of space you have to work with. I have a bridge crane in my shop so I pick up the car and lower it over the engine. Then I pull the engine up into the car and then I lift the K frame into place. If I had other tools I would do it a different way. For instance I've done the same thing with a two post lift but you have to do it a little differently. If you have a cherry picker you have to do it slightly differently.

Its only sketchy if you weld like this. This is pathetic dude.

On 3 different cars I have used the same tools...

I have a piece of 2x2 box tubing that sets under the frame rails just below where the radiator bolts in...

It has a chain attached that runs up to my cherry picker...

I have never removed grills...bumpers...hood or anything to change engines...just the radiator...

The dolly I use sets on the oil pan rail of the engine...I set the engine down on the dolly with the dolly close to the rear of the engine...

Then I put the transmission...starter...headers...trans mount and everything else on...

I put the K frame and steering box on and then install the lower control arms and strut rods...

Once everything I want is bolted on I lift the car up and wheel the dolly into place...

I keep my back tires on the ground because the dolly I use is short but some others do lift the back tires...

Lower the car down slowly until the transmission crossmember will bolt in with the 4 bolts...

I leave the transmission mount loose on the trans and on the crossmember until after I have installed the 4 bolts for the K frame...

Lower the car on down until the 4 K frame bolts can be installed...

Once they're tight I raise the car back up and put it on jack stands to finish everything underneath...

The whole process from the time you lift the car until everything is setting on the stands is about a half an hour...

The below pics are an install on Dads 72 Duster...

Pics from the install on my 69 Dart...

Wow ! Thanks thats some great info! I feel alot better about it now!

So the 2x2 piece of tubing under the frame rail? Did it scratch up the upper rafiator support or does it clear everything ok? i like that idea and its nice and cheap

My jig.....Wheel dollies, some scrap steel and a jack stand.

Going back in.

I keep the tubing about 2-3 inches from the radiator support at the bottom...

I lower the crane arm down so it is about 2" above the radiator support so when you lift it it is mainly straight up...

I've used this deal on 4 different cars A and B and a friends E Body with LA...B and RB engines...

No issues...

If you notice how tall Kerns cart is that makes his car need to be higher...

If mine was that tall I would need to have the back wheels a foot or so in the air...

If you build a cart to do this if you make the cart about 1" higher than the stock height of whatever you want to set the cart on you won't need to raise the rear wheels...

Downside is you have to be small enough to get in and secure the trans crossmember first which for a big guy would be difficult the way I do it...

This way is probably more "work"...

But everything is much easier to make it nice without scratching anything up...

The upside is any suspension parts that need replaced can all be done at the same time...

Hey . . . that was start of my "welding" . . . looks worse than it is . . .lol . . .figured someone was going to comment . . . but we all have to start somewhere . . .

Daaaaammn. And I thought I was old fashioned with my flip phone. That watch is 90's gold!

Yep, a two post lift really makes it easy. The taller the fixture the better so you have room to get underneath the car and spin the bolts home.

That watch is 80s tech!
I liked it for the calculator feature before we all carried "smart" phones with calculators in them.
My late Father bought me one for Christmas 1994. He died in 1995. Sort of out of habit and as a homage, I continue to wear it. I've owned several since, replacing them as the display gets too scratched to read.

thanks guys this is all great information! i feel a lot better about doinf it this way now. I have my buddys u.s. car tool cart that the motor trans anf k member all goes together on. We used his lift to take it out

that is a beautiful car!

https://youtu.be/8HHQqGnU5DQ

Several members posted their cars. If they are Mopar, they are all beautiful!