There's the plate that goes between the entire bell housing and the block, which is about 10ga. Nothing like that picture in the first post.

 

my 94 5 speed had one that looks about like that. but my old 96 auto doesn't. just the thin one.

 

the only thing I can think of as to how it broke is that my tranny is about to give out and maybe it locked up while the starter was trying to turn the engine over... I didn't have much of a reverse gear if I just put the tranny in reverse and idled it it would move... but if I pushed down on the skinny pedal it would just sit there like it was slipping...

The spacer goes from the starter mount area up and only halfway down the driver side... its not a full ring just like 3/4 round.

 

mine is 96 and there is one its pretty thick. probably same as yours and can be a pain to get off but just takes even hits and patience. is it really cold where you are? weak metal maybe but still shouldnt really break. if you hadnt posted pictures i might have doubted you honestly.

 

if you didn't post pictures a would've said you're bell housing broke.

 

I found a junk yard that has 5-6 of them sitting on a shelf... he said they all look identical to each other... he marked what they came out of and he has from the 94 year up to late 99 (which is the one he is selling me for $50).... I will post up pictures when I get that sucker off... its been below 32 degrees here so havent had the desire to climb under the truck... specially seeing I have two other vehicles to drive...

 

well i don't suggest using a floor jack to drop the tranny, unless you want to catch it...

 

I took a piece of 3/4" sheathing and two short pieces of a 4x4 to make a C shape cradle for my trans. I placed that on top of my motorcycle jack and used two straps to hold the trans and cradle to the motorcycle jack platform. Left the transfer case on and dropped it myself. Getting it back in by myself wasn't bad either with this setup.

 

I think I will rent a tranny jack to do the work... I have had surgery on both my shoulders and have no strength to catch a auto with transfer case!

 

get the kind that's was designed for a transmission from the get go. not a modified floor jack.