Any comments ?

1) I appreciate there are a few (starting with the driver) variables, but at what mileage range do you typically have to rebuild a stock 47RH ?

2) What are typical early symptoms - slipping, slow to engage, missing gears..... ?

One truck I may look at is a 95 2wd 3500.

Rgds,

 

Well, the one I thru in My 92 was still stock at like 185k and it needs to be rebuilt. Its slipping pretty good unless the converter is locked up. Just plan on rebuilding it so you can throw some pwr to it.

 

Seen many of them go well over 100k miles, even with towing often. Keeping stock power levels and never letting the fluid level get low are two big factors in a long life.

 

I had the 47RH in my '95 2500 rebuilt at 107,000 miles. In retrospect I could probably have gone another 50,000 miles. At the time I really wanted to get the ATS rebuild. When they cut my TC open at ATS, and we inspected the TC clutch, it wasn't burned or very badly worn. The TC had been slipping just a little, upon lockup, when I had the pedal down, but if I'd babied it, I'm sure I could have gone a ways longer. I've got 254,000 miles on my truck now, with narry a single problem, and certainly no slipping nor missed gears. Before I got my trans rebuilt, the only symptom I noted was a little slipping when going into lockup under a heavy load. At those times I'd just back off the throttle a little, and it would stop slipping. But with the ATS there isn't any slipping! I'm very glad I got it.

 

heat is what usually destroys automatic transmissions....the best thing is to install a good auxiliary trans cooler, it will double its life with proper maintenance

 

From what I've noted by watching my trans temp gauge, my trans gets hottest while stop and go driving in the city in the summer. Even at those times I seldom see temps above 145 degrees. I do have the stock transmission cooler. About once or twice a year I see a temp of 200 degrees in extreme heat and extreme stop and go driving. But as soon as I get into lockup I can cool it down if I can keep the speed above 35 mph for a couple of miles.

 

Temperature is the killer.
A couple of diesel tranny gurus have told me the cooling system on these trannys is excellent and doesn't need any improvement other than a bigger pan for more ATF capacity.

 

heat and poor maintenance- change the fluid following the intervals!
Old fluid is bad, and introducing new fluid in a tranny that has not had fluid changed in 5, 7, 10 years is really bad.

So, change the fluid and filter regularly (read the om), adjust the bands, and keep the fluid cool for longest life.

 

Thnx for the 411 guys - appreciated.

I'm doing the math on 12V's.... this helps with the homework..... I'll budget to redo the auto trani for anything with 100K+ miles.

 

Ditto what Infidel says about the cooler. Mine does have a larger cast alum. pan on it.