Trouble with transmission swap today

Swapping transmission - have a new jy aw4

having trouble with 1 of the top tranny to engine E12s. Slightly rounded because a regular socket was tried first. I am trying to hammer on the E12 socket so that I will be able to use the ratchet to break it loose.

also - how to disconnect the shift linkage that is attached to the AW4 / floor pan? if I could get that disco'd I could lower the trans/tc assembly further and get to the crappy E12 that won't break free. Right now I am worried about bending the crap out of the rod. Does it just pop out or is there a trick here.

Or is this all easier if I try to remove the TC first and then work on the trans?

The park drive etc pops of the side of the shift lever and the e12s are a bitch if there frozen excuse my language lol but try a lot of heat and let the rear of the motor drop dwn as much as u can I had my whole head in when I did mines good luckkkk

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Thanks

Got the linkage out of the trans bracket hole by removing the 2 x 10 mm screws on the body bracket side I couldn't see under the mud. moved plenty. they were completely invisible before cleaning it out.

With that (and every other connection) free, we lowered the XJ so trans/TC was resting on a workmate table (I am using a friend's hoist) removed the crossmember, then lift the vehicle and block it solid so I had good access. Used 5 extensions and a small sledge to hammer the E12 socket onto the deformed bolt and it came out fine. Actually, I was surprised that every bolt nut and screw were fine. The rest of the underbody is rusted to sh*t from northern winters.

Pulled the table back a couple of inches and then lifted the jeep up and away.

Then we swapped the transfer case to the new transmission on the table, got everything ready and lowered the jeep over it. All the holes lined up spot on on the first try and we got it all back together. Lines and connectors all snapped back in nice.

Just need to get the exhaust back on and it's good to go.

The Torque converter splines were totally chewed. lots of metal tinsel in there. Think I should flush the cooler lines before letting it mix with the new junkyard AW4.

I guess that's why it stopped moving. I'm just amazed that it would still move cold at all for the first 10 minutes.

One thing I found useful was the idea from someone that a long piece of steel angle across the lower control arms with a small square of plywood under the oil pan works great to hold the engine when it's on the hoist and the tranny is out.

I also found that the driver side E12 is much easier to see and access by coming at it from the passenger side at the back of the transfer case - assuming like me you are using about 3 feet of extensions. lots more room to see and swing the ratchet from that side.

Thanks for everything on here I read this week that helped me use a $75 jy tranny turn my tonne and a half ton piece of scrap metal back into my DD.