Hey,
I have a 2004.5 dodge with a smarty jr. and was told that the transmission bands would have to be tightened eventually. Does anyone have any info on signs that they need to be tightened?

 

check the manual its a good reference of when to adjust. I've done mine every 30k so far and all is as good as I will let it.

 

Use the search feature and read up on it.
Bands are not tightened, they are adjusted to predermined specs.

Also if you add power you need to add strength to the trans/ clutch, depending on what you are driving.
Even a 'built ' trans can be over power! It all depends on what level it is built to.

 

The bands should be checked at every transmission service and adjusted if necessary.

 

It's a fairly easy procedure. I don't have the link to the write-up handy but a search should turn it up.

Get yourself a good INCH-pound wrench.

 

In over 35 years of owning Dodge products I have not had the need to adjust the bands at every service and have never lost a transmission. I've had many rebuilders tell me to not touch them as adjusting them at every service just wears them out faster so leave them alone unless it starts to slip or it reaches 100K. But then if you want to make your trans rebuilder happy adjust away.

 

I held off on commenting, but I agree. I have never adjusted bands and never lost a tranny. I took my last truck to a garage and asked them to change the fluid and adjust the bands. They asked me if there was anything wrong with the tranny, and when I said no they advised me not to touch the bands.

 

X2.....leave them alone.

 

I had my tranny built by this barely know guy named Dave Goerend. When Dave had my tranny apart he showed me the importance of keeping the bands adjusted. With 75,000 miles of not adjusting mine, it was burnt bad..

Sorry guys but if Dave says adjust them, I'm gonna

 

OK guys, I gotta know- how on earth will adjusting your bands wear them out quicker? Do you feel the same way about your valve lash and your tire pressures?

The fact is, the way a band is designed with a long thin lining acting on the circumference of the drum, that lining only has to wear away a small bit for the circumference to change a large amount. The band's apply piston has a finite amount of stroke, and if that piston applies right to the end of its travel, but can't move far enough to take all the slack out of that band, that's when there will be a slippage problem causing a worn out band. If the band is set right, the piston can fully lock the band to the drum so no slippage will occur after full engagement.

Additionally, I have seen some bands on relatively new Dodge transmissions set at the factory at the very loose end of the tolerance spectrum. I would consider the transmission's first service to be the most important band adjustment.

 

I would bet those folks that experience faster wearing of the bands are not using a good inch-pound torque wrench. I have seen it suggested on here in other threads that you could the the equivalent foot-pound wrench setting of 72 inch-pounds, but fact is a typical foot-pound wrench is just not going to be as accurate at the very low end of the range as an inch-wrench designed to cover the range. I used a lot of test equipment in my former career and found not using the PROPER test equipment caused problems. Just my two cents...

 

Most people adjust the band to either adjust the shift points or to alleviate slipping. Adjusting the band will do nothing for these issues and may cause additional problems........leave the bans alone. I went 220,000 miles on my stock tranny with no band adjustment.

 

Doesnt the band stop the drum from turning? If thats so, I can see where the drums slips on the band when its not suppose to causing wear and heat

 

And most likely causing the drum to be worn......adjusting the band just exacerbates this drum damage.

 

This statement is false... A PROPERLY adjusted band will not cause damage to the drum or the band.

Adjusting the bands is prevenative maintenance to get the bands' clamping ability back to factory spec due to minor wear of the friction material through normal use. All you are doing is putting it back to the way it should have come from the factory.

Bands do wear over time, but if you are not torturing your tranny they may stay well enough adjusted for the life of the truck.

If you adjust your band because of slippage it is already too late. The drum slipping due to the bands inability to properly clamp the drum will destroy the band and the drum in short order.

It is up to the individual as to whether they want this adjustment done. If done incorrectly you will damage your tranny.