I ended up installing some new bolts from the hardware store. I torqued
them down and threw it together. Currently waiting on a new slave cylinder
to put the tranny in. I bought the truck for $850 so if I have a pressure
plate shear off because I bought hardware store bolts, I’ll more than
likely just scrap the whole thing.
If you used grade 8 bolts of the correct length and torqued them correctly you will likely have no problem with anything shearing off.
Just a FYI here @Waschet1. the Rangers cab has a pinch weld at the floor to firewall joint that often leaves about 1/2 inch of sheet metal that interferes with installing the transmission. You can use a heavy ball pein hammer to pound the sheet metal upward and out of the way before attempting to install the transmission and if you didn’t use pilot bolts when removing the transmission I strongly suggest you get 2 to lessen the struggle getting things back together. Take one of the bell housing bolts to the hardware store and buy 2 bolts of identical diameter and thread pitch but 4" long and cut the hex heads off, then grind a slight taper on the end.
I wasn’t sure of the correct grade I should use but they are grade 8, got
lucky I guess. I’m ready to get this nightmare off the cement!
That’s a great idea, thanks for the information. That’ll reduce a few
headaches. I know I aughta fashion up a tranny Jack as well. I took it off
with a little help from my knees but I can’t even fathom putting it on the
same way I took it off. Anything that will make it easier. I appreciate all
this forum has done for me and I thank everybody who took time out of their
day and gave an input. You guys are awesome
Check you local tool rental place, they may have a tranny jack you can rent for a half day for not much $$$.
Your story reminds me of when I re-installed the third member into my truck’s Ford rear axle. That thing is heavy. And slippery. It must have appeared like a clown-circus juggling act to anyone watching, but after a little bit of a wrestling match, I finally got it installed.
I’ll have to look into that, if it isn’t too much I’ll probably do that.
Old vehicles kind of suck!
If you have a helper, dropping a rope through the floor and securing it tightly to the transmission and onto a length of 2x4 on the floor can greatly reduce the possibility of getting hurt when stabbing the input in the clutch. The transmission isn’t extremely heavy but with the bell housing attached it is difficult to manage even with a transmission jack.
The folks here posting their problems with newer vehicles, what with all the high tech gadgetry that tends to fail in impossible to diagnose ways for the diy’er, they might disagree w/you on that one … 
All eras of vehicles have their own unique challenges 