by jonnieh3
Well I did the fluid and filter change this morning, this is how I did it and it seemd to work fine for me,
I did this on the driveway with the front on ramps and the rear on the ground, the angle of my driveway keeps the vehicle level. It should be as level as possible for this.
Drop the skid plates, remove the transmission cooling line on the left (drivers)side of the bottom of the radiator,
There is a plastic retainer ring you slide back with a screwdriver, then you need to remove this tiny wire spring clip that holds the aluminum tube in the radiator. DO NOT LOOSE IT!. swing the tube down out of the clip and pull it back out of the radiator. Fluid will start to run out be ready.
Put a peice of tubing on the removed tube and secure it so it is aimed into a 5 gallon bucket. If you can have someone start the engine while you watch the fluid pump out, as soon as you see it sputtering shut the engine off. you should have about 5-6 quarts in the bucket.
Now you can drop the pan, there will be about a quart left in the pan, less messy than just droping the full pan.
Drop the pan, clean it and the magnet and get the gasket ready to go back on.
Pull the filter down as you wiggle it side to side. look up where the filter tube goes up into the transmission and replace the seal in there (if it came with your filter and gasket). a little tough to get out and I found a socket that was exact size of the new seal and I tapped the new one in with the socket and extension.
Replace the filter and reinstall the pan. be sure to torque these properly as to tight will deform the pan and it will leak.
Now add 5 quarts of trans fluid and have someone start the engine and you need to have 3-4 quarts ready and open to start pouring in the fill tube as soon as the engine starts, have someone watch the fluid pumping into the bucket in 4-8 seconds you will see clean fluid comming out,
Shut off the enging as soon as you see clean fluid,
Reinstall the cooling line into the radiator, be sure to get that little evil clip back in properly and slide in plastic retainer clip back on and your done under the vehicle.
Fill the transmission with the engine off until you see the proper level on the dip stick.
start the engine and with your foot on the brake shift to D and then back to R waiting about 30 seconds in each, do this a few times and recheck you fluid level.
Get it up to the cold level while the oil is still cool, engine running and in park.

Take it for a easy test drive and when it is up to operating tempature recheck the level of the fluid while the vehicle is running in park and on a level surface.
I had 12 quarts on hand and wound up using about 11 (depends on how much you let it pump when the clean fluid starts comming out)
Dont forget to put the skids back on,