engine install ideas/suggestions needed

this is for my 92 cherokee 5 speed 4.0 manual tranny with 3 inch lift and 30x9.5 tires.I am swapping a lower mileage 96 engine in. I finished pulling the engine today,and due to the problems I had reaching the tranny bolts I am thinking about dropping the tranny and putting the tranny and engine back in togther. the crossmember for the tranny is already loose because i lowered it to get to the tranny bolts. what I am wondering is,what kind of an angle would I need to have to get the engine and tranny back in the engine compartment together? I had quite an angle on just the engine to get it out so the harmonic balancer would clear the lower crossmember/radiator support. I do have the front of the jeep all taken off. I am doing this job by myself so I will be the only one lowering the engine and trying to get the input shaft of the tranny into the clutch.that is another reason why I am leaning towards pulling the tranny out and putting the engine and tranny in together. I am just wondering about the steep angle i would need to get them both in the engine bay together. thanks for any suggestions/advice given!!

I've only done 'em engine/trans, then deal with the tcase later. With the front clip off it's real workable. I attach the chain to the driver's rear head bolt and the a/c compressor bracket. If you're not using an engine leveler but a length of chain instead, make sure to use a nut and bolt to make a loop for the cherry picker hook. You can move the bolt forward or back to get just the angle you want, and without the chain can slip through the hook and create a really dangerous situation.

Also leave the brackets and mounts bolted to the block, then you just have to line the mounts up with the flat pads, super easy.

JJacobs said:

I've only done 'em engine/trans, then deal with the tcase later. With the front clip off it's real workable. I attach the chain to the driver's rear head bolt and the a/c compressor bracket. If you're not using an engine leveler but a length of chain instead, make sure to use a nut and bolt to make a loop for the cherry picker hook. You can move the bolt forward or back to get just the angle you want, and without the chain can slip through the hook and create a really dangerous situation.

Also leave the brackets and mounts bolted to the block, then you just have to line the mounts up with the flat pads, super easy.

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I don't have a leveler,used a chain to pull the engine,i will try to loop idea. by brackets and mounts you were talking about the motor mounts,correct? thanks,Ben

I pulled an engine on a '54 Willys pickup that had 6" lift and 33" tires. I took the tires off and lowered the front all the way down until it was almost on the brake rotors, held up by jackstands. Then put the engine in with a cherry picker and no engine leveler.

Help out quite a bit.

i just swiched the engine in my 89 xj. pulling he front clip and radiator makes things a ton easier. youll have to drain all you fluids if you pull your tranny and its not really needed. i put two jacks under my tranny one in front and one in back so i could easily adjust the angle to match the engines. you want to make sure you have lots of clearance in the front cause the wiring haness that runs along the fire wall gets i the way and the engine wont go straight down. you can get away with pulling the front clip but just laying the radiator down on the bumper. just put a piece of plywood over the cooling fins.