transmission Adjustments?

[ACerf]

I am sure this question has come up before, but here goes again.

I noticed in the owners manual that it calls for draining the transmission, changing the filter and adjusting the bands. I have had the this done twice, but I have yet to have anyone tell me that they have adjusted the bands, or that there were any to adjust! The truck has 76K on her and I have not noticed any unusal transmission functions. But I am getting ready to have the service done again and wanted to know if I should mention about adjusting the bands??

 

[JJPage]

Who has done the service work in the past? Regardless, I would want to know everything they did, and would not be shy about making them go into detail about the service they performed, and also match the work to the invoice so you have a record.



This is "your truck", and you paid a premium price for it. Do not be apprehensive about asking any questions, if the folks doing the work are not receptive to your inquiries, find someone else.



Hope that helps. Jess

 

[ACerf]

Actually the last person who did the work has runs a transmission shop. He told me that there really wasn't any adjustment. If that is the case why is DC saying to adjust the bands. Even the dealer I asked was more interested in doing a transmission flush for $200. 00, and did not say anything about the bands.

 

[ScottLewis]

I'm not sure what transmission you have. However the manuals for both my '06 and the '98 (48RE and 47RE) show band adjusments. On both, the front band(kickdown) adjuster is external while the rear band (low and reverse) adjuster is inside the pan.

I too had a transmission shop tell me that only the front band was adjustable.

I don't go there anymore.





Dan

 

[DPKetchum]

Well I've worked with good trans guys and know one now. They all have said that the adjustment has a range and and is usually never found out of said range. I asked this question in 95 and about every other year since or every rebulider that I've ever meet or hired. Got the same answer from all. Thats its normaly never fooled with other then major overhaul. That THEY never adjusted theirs. That by chance it was out enough to be noticeabl adjustment trans then had other issues and needed to be pulled apart.

 

[ScottLewis]

DPKetchum.

I have no doubt you are correct and that they seldom need adjustment. I would have no problem with a tech telling me that they didn't need adjustment.



I do however, feel that being told there isn't any adjuster when I know for a fact there is one is an indicator that the tech either doesn't know his stuff or is too lazy to do what's asked of him. It's not unlike having a Dodge lube tech tell me there isn't a grease fitting on my '06 front driveshaft after paying for a lube job.



I checked the adjustments on my '98 when I changed fluid and filter. It's a pretty quick and easy process while you have the pan pulled and are underneath anyway.



Dan

 

[ACerf]

Thanks for the help guys! I did some more research on the subject and I guess danavilla is correct there are two adjustments. However it appears that if you need to make adjustments you are having transmission troubles, as DPKetchem said. I guess the ECM does some adjustments as the transmission goes about doing its job.

Have any of you guys ever have the transmission Flush done. I understand that they use the pump in the transmission to recycle the fluid thru the system. Rather than using an external pump. Being from old school I am not sure I really like the flush idea. Whats your thoughts on the subject?

 

[ColemanR]

Sorry to disagree here but I adjust mine every service some times its more out of adjustment than others I service my trans every 15000miles aprox. I drop the pan change filter ajust bands refill fliuds back on the road in 1 hr. If you do the trans flush sure you get new fliud but what about the filter just a matter of time till the filter gets pluged than your trans is toast. Just my . 02cents worth. Once that truck is out of warrenty they could care less I need mine to last as long as posible and Im shooting for 400k Randy

 

[DPKetchum]

Do a SEARCH on trans flush or proper term is FLIUD EXCHANGE. Lots of disscussions in it. MOST line techs are not trans familier other then minor service. I do consider ban adjust minor but 99% of them are never touched in real world service. 99% of then ones I saw torn down nothing was wrong with the ban. Torque convertor failure was number one,then seals and clutch's.

 

[tgrfan2]

Well I've worked with good trans guys and know one now. They all have said that the adjustment has a range and and is usually never found out of said range. I asked this question in 95 and about every other year since or every rebulider that I've ever meet or hired. Got the same answer from all. Thats its normaly never fooled with other then major overhaul. That THEY never adjusted theirs. That by chance it was out enough to be noticeabl adjustment trans then had other issues and needed to be pulled apart.

That is pretty much what my rebuilder told me when he did the DTT. I asked if I needed to bring it back to him for the first service to adjust the bands. He said that was fine for peace of mind, but I really didn't need too. The transmission lasted 185K the first time with no band adjustments and he said I probably changed the fluid (every 15-20K) more often than I needed to also.

 

[DPKetchum]

Do a FLUSH( Fliud exchange evey 15 to 30k )and filter every other time and it will increase the heck out of the trans life. Use a full synthetic fliud. Seen that using Mopar fliud drop the rebuild/down time on 64 and 47s in fleet use tremensouly.

 

[V10nacuda]

BAND ADJUSTMENT is good maintenance Just keeps the clearance between the drums & bands to a reasonable distance which saves wear & tear on the actuating hardware. I adjusted the bands on my 47RE in the V10 about 20-25K & they were out of adjustment every time.

Also these transmissions are based on the 727TF any oldtime racer will tell you to keep them adjusted for longevity!



FLUID EXCHANGE: If you do it since new It's probably not a bad idea to keep it up. But at 76k the complete flush might dislodge some old grit or glaze & do some harm. My friend who does transmission has see quite a few come in not long after the flush with problems.



MY 02

V10

 

[Dieselnerd]

When I had my transmission rebuilt by Dave Goerend he told me that the bands do not need to be adjusted for normal maintenance. If you adjust it wrong and get them slightly too tight the transmission will feel the same as you drive but one band will still be slightly engaged when the next band engages and this causes excess band wear. He also said that if they are a little loose, it doesn't matter at all and it won't hurt a thing. Dave actually went out of his way to point this out to me.



In my book when it comes to automatics, if Dave Goerend says it, believe it!!

 

[DPKetchum]

Fliud exchange won't dislodge any thing the filter won't stop. Its good at ANY mileage to get total new fliud in that trans. Handled service on many that had high miles on them that never had had it done with nothing but good results UNLESS it was on its way south to start with. Even some of thoses hung on longer then I would have thought.

 

[p-Bar]

and really all's you are doing is flushing out the converter.

 

[DPKetchum]

And lines,cooler tank,o/d unit etc.

 

[KSHall]

Does the converter have a drain plug in it? If not how do you get the fluid out of it?

 

[Matt400]

This thread kinda reminds me of valve adjustments... not needed till 100K says Cummins but how good do you feel running around with them out?

I don't know if a machine sets the bands same as a machine does for the valves but its piece of mind to make sure they are right in the beginning.



I would imagine the performance transmission builders say to leave the bands alone because they don't want you messing with their hand built settings as they "know" its right when it leaves their shop.



Repeated adjustments may not be so necessary but having it right in the beginning is a pretty good idea in my book.