Transmission removal: 98 chevy venture...help?

ok, i've taken the tranny out of these vehicles by taking the engine out first and then the tranny. I have another venture I have to replace the tranny and I do not want to remove the engine this time. I went to the junk yard and examined the k-frame (sub-frame) to see if I could unbolt the struts and remove the axles and then lower the entire frame to pull the tranny out. has anyone done this before? The tranny doesn't come out from the side and it's either take the engine out or figure out how to pull it down underneath. I would also not like to have to remove the rack.....can the tranny come down like this? IF you have removed one from under neath I would be very interested in hearing what you did. thanks