First time I did one, I had the same problem. Shoved the new TC under the car so it was in roughly the right place. Got the jack under there too and with two of us, one each side, a couple of assorted scissor jacks, blocks of wood, and a big lever, managed to lift the TC onto the jack so it could then be lifted into place. Like you, I ignored most of the instructions in RAVE and left the gearbox cable, the exhaust and the crossmember in place.