It was more than I wanted..... I have done many transmission fluid changes since my youth working for Chevrolet... it was simple really... speed wrench on the bolts and doing it so the pan would flop down towards the catch basin after belting it with a rubber hammer..... Changing the filter in those days was simple as well... clean up the pan, new gasket, fill it up..... so simple... right? This is what I expected when I decided to change the tranny fluid as a preventative measure on my 1995 C1500 W/T with a 4.3 liter engine..... until I started in looking/researching etc....
I tried to buy a direct OEM replacement filter and found out they had a new one with an adapter etc... OK... I don't like that but will accept that fact and proceed.... got the tranny fluid as well... and that was all good.... Then started reading....and looking.... geez.. the transmission pan is located above the crossmember.... Now if it was a new 1995 truck, simply remove the cross member.... It is NOT new.... but that might be one of my choices... and would grind off the rusted bolts and replace them... Then there were the videos... jack up the engine a bit to get clearance? I don't think so!!!! So I am considering removing the fluid with a brake bleeding vacuum system with a tube down the transmission fluid tube, suck out as much as I can and refill and of course, obviously skipping the transmission filter...... I now understand why transmission service places get a ton of money for this service.....
By the way.... my son has the same truck only a 1994.... and the crossmember is NOT in the way on his truck.... simple to do....
Do I have any other alternatives? Is just leaving the filter in place and replacing the fluid acceptable? Remember, it is a 1995 but only has 80,000 miles on it.... or should I just leave it alone?