I currently do not have any problems with my trans and would like to up grade the VB and TC to hopfully ad some life and allow me to run the smarty jr at higher settings without problems, is this a waste at 90k? what should I look for in determining if I should do this or not, I have a smarty jr and currently only run it on 1, any info or help would be great.
Thanks

 

You need a master rebuild kit. No sense doing it halfway, do it right 1 time.

 

I had mine done at around 38,000 miles. No issues at all. If the tranny has been serviced at good intervals and you have never had alot of slug on the magnet in the pan, I would go for it. You may make it 40,000 or 100,000 more miles. You never know.

I would get a upgraded flexplate and if towing heavy consider a billet input shaft.

 

I rebuilt mine at 105k due to loosing the diretc clutch pack. The only thing that showed wear was the direct clutches. Everything else was fine. As long as you have no obvious problems now it is a good bet you won't have with the upgrades.

 

I completely disagree, you are in their do it right. Heck a rebuild kit is like $450. No sense in chancing blowing friction material thru your converter the first time you romp on it.

Cleanliness is godliness when it comes to transmissions.

 

He is talking about doing a VB and TC. That is a far cry from "in there".

A rebuild kit is $450 and its another $2600 for the rest of the parts and somebody to put it together correctly

or

you will blow friction material all thru the trans the first time you romp on it.

Obviously, a rebuild with all the good parts is optimum. Addressing the OE short comings is more cost effective on the bulk of the trucks.

All depends on how big a hole is getting burnt in the wallet.

 

Amen to that. If you can afford it, might is well get a Goerend complete tranny, Flexplate, and TC. That's just expensive as all.

 

Come on guys at 90k he's got to at least go thru it and check it out.

 

Why? my stock tranny didn't get rebuilt until 220,000 miles.......why waste the money to break into the tranny?

 

You are not wasting money. I have had 3 -48s built all with low miles, and all had issues, burnt frictions and things that needed to be addressed. Why band aid your trans? If you are going to pull it anyway take the time to check it all out.

 

So don't band aid it and spent 3-6 thousand on a rebuild.......that is not what he is looking for. No use tearing apart the tranny unless you are doing a major rebuild.......my tranny had towed heavy for 91,000 of the 220,000 miles I put on it. Never had the tranny touched......you are wasting money is you can't tear the tranny down yourself.

 

It's no where near 3-6k. I didn't say he needed Billett parts etc, again a rebuild kit is 450 it has added frictions new steels and seals all of which will help a stock trans.
I am not going to beat a dead horse I have my opinion and it's been stated.

To the op make sure to get the right converter stall, and I would recommend a single disc. If you go triple I would recommend a Billett input and flex, even at low power levels triples lock up hard and can break things. Good luck.

 

I would listen to Rye on this. When I did mine Goerend recommended a rebuild kit at 30-35k if you had been doing any towing. I only had 20k on mine so he said it shouldn't be needed at that point. At 90k I would definately do the rebuild like Rye said. Or call Goerend or some other major tranny builders to see what they say. Goerend will not steer you wrong, he will only recommend what is needed according to what you are doing with your truck.

 

I can see both sides of this argument.
The big money in a trans rebuild is the TC. Or maybe the labor. Either way, the TC costs about $1,000 - $1,400, labor maybe the same, then comes the VB. Expect to pay $400 - $700 for a good VB.
Do you need a $800 billet input? I put one in because I was already in pretty deep.

So you're pulling the trans out to replace the TC, it isn't that much more to break the case and change clutches and bands. Worst case would be maybe an extra $700. I think that's what Rye is talking about.

You can get a rebuilt trans for around $4,000. Now you have to think about getting a TC, VB and work done for $3,000 or getting a warranted Goerend or other for $4,000.

Now I'll tell you what I would do. I'd drop the trans, put in a Goerend TC (lifetime warranty and a direct savings if you ever replace the trans) put in a Transgo shift kit for $80 and a billet servo and strut for what, $70 or so? Check the bands for wear and if they are questionable now's the time to upgrade, but then the clutches are right there too... It's a judgement call at that point. First I'd commit to the TC and Transgo, the servo and strut. You'd have a heck of a trans for under $1500 and labor.

 

Thanks for all of the input, I do know that I would rather keep running it the way it is and wait untill I have a problem before I would spend the money on a full rebuild, there is no point in rebuilding a trans with no problems, I was just looking for a little help if I turn the junior up past 1, maybe just VB now to add some extra pressure and do the TC when I do a full rebuild, and I do plan on inspecting as much as I can when I drop the TC, I have always maintained this trans every 15k max and sooner if I have been towing and it has always been clean, hope to keep it that way.
Thanks again for all of the input.