2003 Dodge Caravan List Things Remove Replace Transmission

Visit the dealer and get a copy of the service manual. It will list all the steps, any special tools that are needed, and will give the torque values for the bolts and nuts. There's way too many pages of stuff to retype. There's also a real lot of problems do-it-yourselfers can cause if you aren't aware of the things to look out for. For example, you'll be removing the two half shafts. It is critical you never allow any vehicle weight to be on the wheel bearings while the axle nuts aren't tightened. The torque value for those nuts is very important too and very high. Either of those mistakes will cause the bearings to instantly become noisy and make a humming noise.

Cleanliness is much more important with these transmissions than with the older models. To prevent problems, you're supposed to use a special pump and cleaning chemical to flush the transmission cooler.

I never tried removing a transmission without having the vehicle on a hoist. What I would do first is visit one of the pick-your-own-parts salvage yards and pull a transmission out there to see what's involved. The vehicles are usually well-supported about a foot off the ground.