Cruise-o-matic pan gasket removal help!

[kaliona]

According to Fordification's trans ID in the tech section, I have a medium case cruise-o-matic transmission. I'm changing the gasket and filter but had a HECK of a time getting to the forward bolts of the pan. They are almost directly over a crossmember and I was able to remove them with a 1/4" drive rachet by sliding my hands over and around the crossmember and turning the bolts maybe an eighth of a turn at a time. They were already loose which I'm sure made them easier to remove. But I don't know how I'm going to be able to reinstall them and be able to get any leverage to torque them down. Is this the only way to get to them? I couldn't even use a u-joint socket adapter because the bolts are too far over the crossmember.

[BobbyFord]

They don't need much torque. Use an extension and a 1/4" drive flex socket. A regular socket with a flex adapter will be too long.