Morning everyone,
I need some help from you guys.
Yesterday I drove about 700 miles to pick up a 30' six horse trailer. The truck did great pulling the trailer and it literally wasn't until I unhooked and was getting back on the highway that the tranny started slipping so bad that I couldn't get above 25 mph.
No grinding ... just slipping. I have never adjusted any bands on this tranny either.
Now ... the problem is that there are absolutely no shops that I would trust to work on my truck down here in Key West, especially the dealer. I have installed trannys in cars before (small block chevy's and Dodges etc ...) but never anything on this truck.

I have the shop and lifts available, and am fairly mechanically proficient and have a good ALLDATA computer program to help me along the way ... is this something I could fix myself ?? Are there specialty tools that I would need to buy ?

I would love to totally upgrade the tranny, but unfortunately now isn't the best time for me to do it. I just need to get it back on the road within the month and able to pull this trailer loaded with my household goods to Missouri.

Any words of wisdom from those of you who have been there - done that would be greatly appreciated.

PISTOL

 

Here are instructions for adjusting the bands.
http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/transmi...T_band_adj.htm

An INCH pound torque wrench is required, and a square drive socket (not positive of the size).

Does the fluid smell burnt?

I'd change it anyway, since you need to drop the pan to adjust one of the bands.

Ed

1999
Front Band
47RE - tighten band adj. screw to 72 inch pounds, back off 1 7/8 turns

Rear Band
47RE - tighten band adj. screw to 72 inch pounds, back off 3 turns
The 47RH rear band requires a 1/4" hex driver, the front band requires a T-30 Torx driver, the filter is held in place by two screws which require a T-20 Torx driver

 

The front portion is almost identical to a 727, you would need a tool to compress the drums to get the lock ring out to replace the cluthces. The manual says that you need a couple of tools to rebuild the overdrive, but the only one that you have to have or make is the one to compress that huge spring (800lbs of pressure!!!)

 

Thanks for the input guys ... I'll be making some phone calls today.

Ed, Thanks for the link. I had seen that one before but forgot about it. I'll try that first. Fluid didn't smell real bad but I will look at it closer when I drain it.

John ... check your pm

Mcmopar ... I have a pretty good size C-clamp at work, (maybe 12" opening) do you think that would do the trick ?

After reading some of the other "slipping tranny" posts, it looks like most of us choose to replace the entire tranny instead of rebuilding them. Close in price but might be more beneficial to get the whole enchilada since they carry a warranty ???

PISTOL

 

Also if you go the "whole enchalada" route, it's less likely that an old factory part could fail and you'd be pulling it again.

 

Would you recommend a new torque converter also ?? I see where most of them sell the rebuilt tranny w/o the converter.

PISTOL

 

I'd do the converter also.

 

You can also check with Suncoast there in Fort Walton Beach Florida. They do good work and have good prices. They did my tranny and 4" exhaust. I went in 9:00AM on a Monday and picked it up 11:00AM Tuesday. http://www.suncoastconverters.com/dodge/tranns.htm
Good Luck

 

The "C" clamp wont work, the ring that needs to be compressed is about 2-3" in diameter with a hole in the middle. I would do a convertor, but with the right parts you can build one as good as these "pro's" build. For a lot less. But in defense of the PRO's you just R&R and have a warranty, or pay them to do the whole thing!! I have driven an ATS truck, that tranny is AWSOME!!

 

Did a lot of calling around and decided that I will use the extended warranty that I have been paying on for the past couple years and get a new one from the factory.

I really didn't want to keep the stocker in there but I can't seem to talk the guy in the dealership into picking up the tab for a DTT, ATS or the like for my $100.00 deductible .

My next question for you all is ... will they just try to repair the tranny or is it more likely that they will just replace it ?? I think I can trust my local dealership to swap out the unit as a whole but I'm not too sure I want them digging around inside.

Since I was towing at the time, are they going to try to say that is why it failed and that it was my fault ?? I can't see how towing an empty horse trailer could kill this monster but I have heard some of the horror stories.

Thank all of you for all the links, advice and offers to help.
PISTOL

 

PistolWhipt:

I wouldn't think that the dealer could fault you for towing, as long as you were within your GCWR. Keep us posted on how you make out.

DeWain

 

I would disagree with the statement, " you can build one as good as the pro's".
There are things that they know and do that hasn't been put on these sites yet!!
Their experience is what you get with their name on your trans!!
I've done several VB's in my time and recently built a 618 for a friend who bought the DTT VB and other things, and his shifts are better than mine!

 

Guess it depends on how long you have been modifying these trannies to know where to drill a little here or not there!!

 

I thought that I would bring this back up to let you all know what I found out.

The day before I was to take BERT in to the dealer, I decided to change the fluid and filter and to adjust the tranny bands (never did that before). Took it for a test drive and she did was back in action with the exception of the 1st to 2nd gear shift point was off. I guess that things had gotten so loose in there that after I took the load off of the tranny, it started slipping. I highly recommend adjusting the bands if you haven't done it in the last 24,000 miles or so.

I decided to take it to the dealer anyway for nothing more than piece of mind. They looked at it and found that my output shaft sensor was bad. They said that would also cause it to slip ( )
I don't know about that but it does shift correctly now and I seem to have more power to the ground and a little better mileage.

They also replaced my a/c condenser and man .... I have coooooool air in the cab now !!!

I had my truck back in 2 days, everything was covered under the extended service contract and I only had to pay $50.00 for my deductable. Niiiiice

PISTOL

 

Thanks for letting us know the fix. I think I'm gonna have the dealer adjust the bands in my tranny here soon. That way, if they mess up, they fix it.