HELP!!! 48RE band adjustment went bad!

[KyleKlein]

So I changed my transmission fluid this morning on my 2007 5. 9 with 33,000 miles. Transmission and transfer case fluid change went smooth. Then I went to adjust the front band and did everything the factory service sheet(printed from an entry from this site). Backed the locking nut back 4 turns, then started to crank down on the adjustment screw with my torque wrench to 72 ft pds. Well the screw was getting tight so I pressed just a little more for break over and heard a pop. Well I thought the pop was the the torque wrench when I felt the tension screw had lost its tension and I was able to scew it in as far as flush so I just backed it out to where it was and tightened the lock nut. Now the truck has very poor shifting and I am scared s***less that I broke the band... . does anybody have any experience with this and can I fix it today or do I need to take it to the dealership. . ??Thanks guys

 

[E7mack96]

it was 72 inch pounds, not ft lbs... .

 

[E7mack96]

and it sounds like you broke the front band... teardown and rebuild i think... (ps. this 60 second rule to add to a reply bites)

 

[fox]

Most likely you broke the strut not the band.

A rebuild may not be required.

 

[KyleKlein]

Well that sucks. Im pretty sure my torque wrench is in ft lbs ill double check. How much do you think Im lookin at to fix it and should I park it immediatly?

 

[KyleKlein]

Yeah... foot lbs... I royally F'ed up today



Fox: can I get to the strut through the pan? and would I need a new one?

 

[fox]

Yeah... foot lbs... I royally F'ed up today



Fox: can I get to the strut through the pan?YES! and would I need a new one?

YES!



Yes to both.

 

[E7mack96]

i do hope it is simply the strut... but definately p/u a 1/4 drive inch lbs torque wrench. the equivalent reading in ft/lbs is 6 ft lbs... most 3/8 drives barely will do 10 ft lbs much less 6 ft/lbs reliably but it would be better than nothing.

 

[KyleKlein]

Well probably a dumb question but this is my only form of transportation right now, should I park it immediatly or can a creap it around?



I got my local dealer's diesel tech's # he is supposed to call me around 5:30, I went to school with him and he should help me out.

 

[E7mack96]

i wouldn't drive it... maybe someone else will chime in. . you'll probably only have top speed of 15 mph or so.

 

[KyleKlein]

Well I had to drive it home from the shop. It performed normally except I had to help it shift from 1-2 and 2-3 by running the rpms up and letting off but when I was in 3 and 4 it was normal.

 

[E7mack96]

ok, i just read the service manual, that front band is only used for 2nd gear... so i guess if you get it up to where it'll shift into third, it'll be ok til u get it fixed.



from the manual:

SECOND GEAR POWERFLOW

In DRIVE-SECOND (Fig. 7), the same elements

are applied as in MANUAL-SECOND. Therefore, the

power flow will be the same, and both gears will be

discussed as one in the same. In DRIVE-SECOND,

the transmission has proceeded from first gear to its

shift point, and is shifting from first gear to second.

The second gear shift is obtained by keeping the rear

clutch applied and applying the front (kickdown)

band. The front band holds the front clutch retainer

that is locked to the sun gear driving shell. With the

rear clutch still applied, the input is still on the front

annulus gear turning it clockwise at engine speed.

Now that the front band is holding the sun gear stationary,

the annulus rotation causes the front planets

to rotate in a clockwise direction. The front carrier is

then also made to rotate in a clockwise direction but

at a reduced speed. This will transmit the torque to

the output shaft, which is directly connected to the

front planet carrier. The rear planetary annulus gear

will also be turning because it is directly splined to

the output shaft. All power flow has occurred in the

front planetary gear set during the drive-second

stage of operation, and now the over-running clutch,

in the rear of the transmission, is disengaged and

freewheeling on its hub.

 

[TCDiesel]

You will need to drop the Pan and remove the VB,do a visual if band is undamaged then check the strut. Also you may have just broken the Pin in the lever. DON'T drive it anymore until you can determine the damage.

 

[KyleKlein]

Thanks E7mack96 and TWest! I need a clean pan now I just put 240 dollars worth of royal purple in there that I intend to reuse. .

 

[gjones813]

Holy Crap!! I would definitiely save that fluid. and I would not drive it at all.

 

[KyleKlein]

Haha, well talked to my tech, said it would be hard to bust the band before the cast iron anchor gives. . he was right I dropped the pan, went and bought a brand new clean drane pan for my fluid and sure enough the anchor was split right up the middle in the bottom. Tech told me it would be 15 bucks or so to replace myself and that hes seen the same thing before with people doing the dodge service procedure of 72 in pds and backing out. He said to do it with the pan off and to bottom the screw down by hand and to back out a little over a 1/4 inch from the diaphram or just enough to slide the tif of your finger through and tighten the lock nut. I owe this guy a beer!

 

[JGrammatico]

wow! i was thinking about adjusting my bands but your story scared the crap out of me. i am glad it worked out for you in the end. not to hijack the post but i thought royal purple was not ok in the dodge trannys?

 

[E7mack96]

I am glad you got by with an easy fix. Now I know that band itself is stout.

 

[KyleKlein]

JGrammatico- This is my 2nd truck to run Royal purple in. The first was 3 years ago and at that time RP was not approved by Chrysler but I talked to an RP rep on the phone and he said off the record that it would meet and exceed the needs of ATF+4. This round the back of the bottle lists ATF+4 so somewhere down the it had been approved im guessing. Either way it performed superior to the Mopar IMO would withstand the South Texas heat better and had alot less foaming with smoother shifts (didn't mess with the bands on the 05... haha).

 

[JLandry]

... talked to an RP rep on the phone and he said off the record that it would meet and exceed the needs of ATF+4. This round the back of the bottle lists ATF+4 so somewhere down the it had been approved im guessing.

For what it's worth, while Royal Purple may claim to meet ATF+4 requirements, it still doesn't appear on Chrysler's list of approved and licensed brands:



Licensed ATF+4® Brand Names



In any case, why pay more for Royal Purple when WalMart's house brand is appoved and licensed? Let me guess... Royal Purple costs more so it must be better.