Damn.......Didn't make it to the Tranny shop!!!
 

Hi all, i knew my tranny was acting up especialy my torque converter! It was making all kinds of metal grinding,clonking and rubbin!!! Well to all folks out there with that problem...i can tell you that you won't go too far with that situation, from the first signs and noises from the TC and to the side of the road :dang: i drove about 100 km's then the TC failed completely with oil drippin underneath plus the horrible sound of destruction with the burned smell!!! At the end, i could barely move the truck. Good thing the towing was free cause i was a pretty long way from the tranny shop!!! :jump: So in 2 days, i will have my truck back with a brand new TC and tranny!:jump: but minus $$$$$$$$ in my wallet:argh: So here is my question: With the brand new tranny, at what range of time and km's should i change the tranny oil/filter and adjust the bands? I just want to make really sure cause the tranny shop can give me those info's but...........remember those guys rebuilts tranny for living so.......:humm: Also i am really glad i did that "KDP" fix this winter while the truck was parked and away. Thank you all.:c:

Do it 20k or once a year ... Which ever is first.. :tu:

I do it every 25K, and I don't mess with the bands.

Not adjusting the bands is the #1 cause of transmission failures in my shop!!! We see it all the time.

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Yeah .. Agree'd .... thats the main reason for pulling the pan in the first place .. :tu:

Thanks guys for the tips. Just got a call today from the tranny shop! Looks like i will have to pull even more "moula $$$" from the wallet:argh: As suspected, the flex plate was destroyed completely and so as the starter ring gear! So a brand new FLexplate and a new starter is required! (But honestly, i have my doubts about the starter???) The ring gear isn't supposed to go out on the flexplate only when activated??? I didn't even try to start the truck after the Torque Converter total destruction! Anyhow, i should have the Ram back for this week-end. (Hopefully) :c:

Well, I've had four trannys fail in this truck, and not one of them went because the bands weren't adjusted. The one that made it the longest was a bone stock unit that went over 100K without band adjustments, driving thousands of miles a month and towing 2-5 ton trailers several times a week for hundreds of miles. That one shifted just like new right up to the day the TC came apart.

That's great but don't indicate to another individual that it's OK not to adjust them. That's a costly mistake. Besides the fact that the manufacturer recommends it, any transmission builder will tell you it is absolutely required.

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Actually, I've had more than one transmission builder tell me it's a complete waste of time unless it isn't shifting properly, and even then, most of the time the problem is something else. The risk of damaging it by screwing it up far exceeds the risk associated with leaving it alone. Drop the pan and change the fluid and filter according to where you fall on the maintenance schedule, and don't fix what isn't broken.

how many dealerships tell you to adjust your transmission every other oil change? thats silly. if you have a dedicated puller or strip truck i understand. it is an adjustment that should probably be recheched after a couple cycles like head studs but not over and over again. thos bands arnt really made to wear. they work until they dont. i think you can eak out a few more miles from a tired transmission with a few adjustments.

I'm pretty sure the dealers tell you that because they charge $175 for it.

I didn't give a mileage. I didn't say every other oil change. Every 50-100k (light use daily driven) would suffice. They are wear items, and the concern is that as wear increases so does the holding ability, when holding ability is reduced slippage and wear increase as does heat. In 50k it will be out of spec, adjusting it takes maybe 15 more minutes with a typical transmission service.
This is a 47re we sent our builder a while back. He sent us this picture to illustrate the importance of band adjustment. This transmission is at the 100k mark, not that other components weren't required. But a band adjustment would have certainly prevented the extreme level of wear seen.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/03/desuzu9e.jpg
I'm not trying to start a pissing match but I feel confident in my statement that not adjusting bands is the #1 cause of failure in these transmissions (internal, torque converter may as well have been scrapped prior to factory installation in my opinion lol)
I also feel that it's one of the most underperformed maintenence on these trucks! Nothing will be said to change my opinion.
Maybe I should also add that I'm particularly speaking to built trucks or trucks that tow heavy/plow snow. A factory daily driver likely will never be out of adjustment prior to other failures.
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im not trying to egg one on either, however it would be hard for you to argue that the flex band wear in the picture is anywhere close to normal. i WHOLE heartidy agree that if set-up inproperly from the get go that something like this can happen but not if properly assembled. in most worn transmissions you see discorloration and flaking of the friction material on this band, which is the typical overheating and wear. the probable moron that owned the tranny above had something WAY out of wack or decided the go pedal would make the tranny work right if he pushed on it harder.

one more note. the direct clutches and OD clutches are also wear items. however they must be installed correctly internally. the bands in these transmission MUST be adjusted after the assemblies are put together. that is why there is an external adjustment. Simply because it cant be put together without it.

Agree completely. And no doubt that was one of the worst I'd ever seen! I wouldn't ever expect to see one that bad. And in the majority of the cases the band's are not all that's neglected. In most cases the wear is minimal, however most heavily used and abused trucks will definitely show excessive wear! We charge the same for service with or without the band adjustment, and it's not a complicated process. Why wouldn't you check since your already there?

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agreed. my point is that its not absolutly necessary during a service. expecially when you have a DIY guy in the driveway that doesnt quite know what he is doing. way more harm than good can result.

also while i sit on the couch and ponder. the only way for the band in your picture to have been destroyed like that is that the owner continued to tighten the anchor bolt. as a band wears it gets loose and slipps not go rediculously tight and destroy a drum like the picture shows. i kinda hope you got a few more pennys from this guy just for being a tool. LOL

It's actually worse than that. It was quite the predicament all caused by trying to save a couple hundred bucks. But that doesn't change the fact that bands can wear. And in my opinion the easiest way to extend life of the transmission is to adjust them when servicing a transmission. If you don't have an in lb torque wrench and basic mechanical knowledge take it to a decent shop for sure. And you exactly right. It's not required every service but we service the transmissions at around 25k just for the sake of fluid quality!

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yeah once the bands start seeing metal ... its all over with .... :argh::argh:

Thanks all for those precious comments! I am supposed to go pick-up the Cummins today, but first i just need to go "break my piggy":argh: I will let you know how everything goes.

Hope u bring a big hammer ... And don't need it :c::pca1:

Hi all, got the truck back from the tranny shop and wow! What a difference! I am driving a new truck:yeah: Now, i just read in my owners manual that i should drive in "D" or 2nd in mountains roads or up & down hill roads and avoiding the "Over Drive"? Well i use those roads every day to go in town so should i leave the tranny in "D" and leave the "Over drive" push button on "OFF" while i reach the Highway to go to town and to work? I really want to "Baby" this tranny and take really good care of my "BIG" investment!!! Oh, and one more thing, my rear diff is acting a little funny when i take off slowly on a street corner? It is jerking! Somebody told me to change my Diff oil and that the special additive was gone from long usage? I have a "Limited SLip" Diff. Can i hurt my Diff by driving it any longer? Thanks all.:c:

just some advice
 

Do it at least every 20k.30k at the max, and what would really help out to make your tranny last longer, is to use synthetic tranny fluid:tu:

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Change your tranny fluid at least every 20k. 30k at the max , and preferably you should use synthetic tranny fluid it will really help out:tu:

I never use OD unless I'm driving over 40mph for a long stretch and not climbing anywhere, especially if I have a load or I'm pulling a trailer. I wouldn't use 2nd unless you're in a parking lot or sitting in stop and go traffic from an accident on the highway or something, and want more engine braking. Plowing snow, accelerating with a trailer, etc. Otherwise 2nd isn't much good on public roads. Unless you have 3.55's so you aren't racing the hell out of it everywhere, but inevitably you'll end up having to shift into D and if you're going to shift it manually all the time you may as well get a stick and be done with it. Glad your happy with the truck again. Did you go with stock replacement stuff or did you upgrade it? I know a tighter TC was the single biggest thing I've done to mine to put a smile on my face while driving.

Hi, well, they give me the choice for a "Pro Duty" Tranny but it was just a little over my budget plus the fact that i had to replace the Flexplate and the statrer didn't help my little piggy!!! The only things i do with that truck is a daily driver, haul my boat (18 footer all aluminum double console with a 90 hp and haul my firewood. But the place i went is probably the best tranny shop in my whole area and they told me that the new (Rebuilt) tranny that they put in my truck was much better that the one the truck came with in the first place. Plus they custom built there own Torque converter's so i don't think they order an original TC from Dodge to put back in? Well i guess i will drive my truck in "D" pretty much all the time and i will put it in "OD" on the Highway. Plus i have a 5 km pretty long and steady steep hill to go to my house so i guess my best option would be to put in in 2nd at the bottom of the hill?:c:

Only if it feels like you need an unusual amount or rpm to get going fast enough for the TC to lock. A properly built/running setup shouldn't require you to ever shift it manually under normal driving conditions. What's the speed limit on this hill?
It sounds like they built you a decent unit for what you'll do with it, and that they build their own TC suggests they know where the stock box needs improvement IMO.