Changing Tranny Filter and cleaning magnet - hard?

I finally got the transmission pan gasket and filter. I printed off the diagrams from subaruparts.com, and it looks really complicated inside there. Is there anything I need to know when dropping the pan and changing the filter? (ex: thirty little parts dropping to the floor when I take the pan off) Thanks!

[lee]

there's nothing that will just fall out, but the filter won't come out until a pipe is moved - that requires removing a few bolts and watching for things to fall off - but at least the fluid is all out of the way by then. wish I could tell you more, but I don't have diagrams and didn't write down the steps when I did it a few months ago.

[Earthworm]

The tranny drains best when the car is level. My dad found this out the hard way when he drained it while the car was on stands. He got a little oil shower when he went to remove the pan. Glad it wasn't me!

Don't think that changing the internal filter is too dificult. I highly recommend it. After you change the filter take apart the old filter and take a look at all the filings you can't see just by looking in the filter openings!

Also...don't forget to put the magnet back before putting the pan back on!

[svx_commuter]

The pan does not completely drain. Leave a few bolts loose opposite the drain plug and let the plug side drop down further. This will get more of the fluid out of the pan.

Be ready to catch fluid when the pipe comes off. The pipe could be a little tough to pull down. Try and pull both end out at the same time so that it doesn't cock.

The filter/ o-ring can be a little tough coming out also.

John