Blew up the transmission....

[ibelonginprison]

Well, it's not like this was unexpected. ha But the 4L60e in Big Ugly popped when pulling the boat out of a steep ramp on Sunday.

I asked, and the Tahoe said "NOPE!"

So, looks like I'm adding "have transmission built stronger" to my Winter Mod list. *shrug*

The good news is, I picked up my father in law's F250 last night and so I'm at least good for a few more lake days before the cold hits here in the south.

[WakingMeHappy]

Ouch!

[Falko]

I always go to 4 low on the ramps to relieve some of the pressure on the tranny.

Good luck. You going full rebuild or a reman unit?

[REW]

How many miles? Service history...not trying to be a jerk but I have 188K on a Suburban....should I plan/schedule a rebuild. Really cant afford to be without a car at this. point.

[oldjeep]

Luckily the rebuild kit runs about $150, add a new torque convertor and you are set to go.

[toddthelineman]

That's an intimidating diy

[oldjeep]

That's an intimidating diy

Any monkey can rebuild an automatic. In many ways it is easier than doing a manual trans. Get yourself an ATSG manual for the trans and keep stuff clean and organized.

Edited October 13, 2014 by oldjeep

[Pistol Pete]

The ironic thing is, the F250 tranny isn't much stronger.

[toddthelineman]

Any monkey can rebuild an automatic. In many ways it is easier than doing a manual trans. Get yourself an ATSG manual for the trans and keep stuff clean and organized.

I've heard that, but there's no way I'd do it on my own. It's hard to get help sometimes.

[Pistol Pete]

I wouldn't do it and I am a monkey.

[Fman]

I always go to 4 low on the ramps to relieve some of the pressure on the tranny.

Good luck. You going full rebuild or a reman unit?

Ditto, takes a lot of stress off transmission and torque converter with gear reduction of transfer case.

[TURNITRED]

I popped my 48RE on my truck last year. Got a fully built Tranny good up to 800hp. So i should be good.

[oldjeep]

I wouldn't do it and I am a monkey.

I've done TH400, C6, AW4, 30RH, 32RH and a 700R4 none of them are particularly difficult and don't really require any special tools (that you can't make yourself). haven't had any that haven't worked - although the C6 has never been tested, still sitting in my eternal 53 Ford project truck.

Edited October 13, 2014 by oldjeep

[Pistol Pete]

Only auto trans. I had to re-build was when I was more hung over than I can ever remember and it didn't work.

[ibelonginprison]

1. I didn't mean to post in the ballast section, iPad mistake... sorry about that.

2. Yeahhhh, I don't touch two things. Differentials and transmissions. Lol but luckily there's a guy here locally that is a transmission genius and reasonable on the side.

I thought about a 4l80e swap, but it's a lot of trouble, and I can have a 60 built to handle the little bit of towing I need.

Putting it in 4 shouldn't take the stress off the tranny, all the power still comes out the back of the tranny, it only splits once its in the transfer case... but it takes stress off the rear axle.

Thankfully I have a 14 bolt swapped in, so the rear axle is pretty solid.

Lets be honest, BigUgly is a 20 year old woods truck. It was only a matter of time.

[Falko]

The stress on the rear diff remains the same. The stress on the tranny reduces as the mechanical advantage is between the tranny and load.

Granted you are pulling the same amount of weight just not as quickly as the gearing is reduced.

[Fman]

Just curious, how many miles were on your transmission that just blew?

[Nitrousbird]

A stock rebuild should be fine for towing.

The 4L60E in my '02 Avalanche has 160k on it now and working perfectly. I can tell you it hasn't had a fluid change since my ownership (bought at the end of '05 with 67k on the clock). Heat kills a transmission; I installed a big tranny cooler as soon as I got the truck and have never looked back.

I've towed to the max tow rating (and perhaps slightly above), up and down hills/mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. I've had it down the drag strip a few times, have pulled posts and other things out of the ground and use it as a truck. Not a work truck's life but not an easy life either.

[ibelonginprison]

Just curious, how many miles were on your transmission that just blew?

Hell if I know. haha It has 190k on the clock, supposedly it was rebuilt a while back. But who knows. I've run over small trees with this thing, done several tornado cleanups with it yanking trees and driving over downed trees, hauling jeeps out of mud (and being hauled out of ruts by jeeps) so it's been used like it should be.

It's a 20 year old chevy beast of a truck. The motor, somehow, is still going strong. (knocks on wood) Doesn't use oil, no ticking or knocking. I mean, it has about as much balls as a Prius in 3rd and 4th gear, but... it's always done what I've asked.

I do have a transmission cooler on it, but I may upgrade to a larger one.

As for 4 low - that makes sense, actually. I didn't think about the gear reduction.

But if you're in 4, then the front drivetrain would pull as well, lessening the stress on the rear axle since the power is split between them. Or... I think. Maybe. It made sense in my head.

Doesn't matter. I blew up two of the 10 bolt rear ends, and dropped the 14 bolt in and haven't had a moments trouble with it sense.

[Falko]

you're right with the torque split between 2wd and 4wd, will lessen the load on the rear. Only issue I've had pulling out in 4LO is the diff lock that seems to occur and trying to make a sharp turn on the pavement isn't good.

Sounds like your truck has been through a good bit, not exactly a garage queen, that's the way they like it.

[nyryan2001]

I've done TH400, C6, AW4, 30RH, 32RH and a 700R4 none of them are particularly difficult and don't really require any special tools (that you can't make yourself). haven't had any that haven't worked - although the C6 has never been tested, still sitting in my eternal 53 Ford project truck.

^^^^ Loves to chime in and show off with how easy stuff is for him, makes him feel like a man.

Could rebuild the space station with a Gerber multitool.

[mainekneeboarder]

Any monkey can rebuild an automatic. In many ways it is easier than doing a manual trans. Get yourself an ATSG manual for the trans and keep stuff clean and organized.

There is a reason not all shops do transmission work and there are shops that only do transmissions, there is special training on them, tranny only certified techs, and schools that have transmission only classes!! They are not really a "back yard" mechanic job! I wouldn't expect just anyone to pull one out and rebuild it.

They all break at some point, U mentioned "muding" with it, most likely it has been hot a time or two and as you said, just had enough. I have had good luck also, my truck has the stock towing cooler on it, it towed over its limit for 4-5 years towing a 26ft enclosed car trailer, 240,000 miles on it now and still good. I'm one of the guys that probably changes tranny fluid too often thou.

[Pistol Pete]

When my ford tranny gave me trouble I put in this cooler.

[ibelonginprison]

There is a reason not all shops do transmission work and there are shops that only do transmissions, there is special training on them, tranny only certified techs, and schools that have transmission only classes!! They are not really a "back yard" mechanic job! I wouldn't expect just anyone to pull one out and rebuild it.

They all break at some point, U mentioned "muding" with it, most likely it has been hot a time or two and as you said, just had enough. I have had good luck also, my truck has the stock towing cooler on it, it towed over its limit for 4-5 years towing a 26ft enclosed car trailer, 240,000 miles on it now and still good. I'm one of the guys that probably changes tranny fluid too often thou.

There's no doubt in my mind that in the last 190k miles it's been overheated, abused, asked to do sh*t that it wasn't intended to do etc.

I'm quite pleased that she hung in this long. lol

And... I have no doubt in my mind that I would royally jack this up if I tried to rebuild a transmission.... motors? Yes. Every year or so.

http://www.monstertransmission.com/assets/images/product-images/4l60e-mega-93-97.jpg

[oldjeep]

^^^^ Loves to chime in and show off with how easy stuff is for him, makes him feel like a man.

Could rebuild the space station with a Gerber multitool.

Nope, just pointing out that it is not a task that someone with modest mechanical skills should be afraid of. Doing it efficiently is how a trans shop makes money, doing it over a few days in your garage is slower, cheaper and very doable. I've taught my teenagers how to do it since half of those transmissions were in their first vehicles.