Just had my truck in the dealership for a tranny replacement (remanufactured) due to catastrophic failure while towing...All done under warranty. I know that the tranny has failed already ...so my dilemma is do I build up the remanufactured tranny or just go for a fully built aftermarket tranny and use the dealer tranny as a spare. I tow a 10k bumper pull toyhauler. I'm already set on swapping the ring and pinion to 4.10's but I have 305/70/17 nitto grappler load range e tires should I go 4.56??? thanks for any and all responses..Alex

 

My suggestion is to upgrade the new tranny they just put in. You're only slightly modified so I don't see any reason to buy a fully built tranny. I would suggest a tourque converter and a shift kit. Curious though, what gears do you have in your truck? why swap to 4.10's? I have 3.73's (granted mine is a g56) but there's plenty of power and my toy hauler weighs in about 13K lbs loaded, never have a problem towing even steep grades.

 

J....I've got the 3.73 gearing...when I weighed in at the scales with all the toys minus water I was at 18.6k gvwr. I wonder if I just had a bad tranny because I hear that some have tons of power and no problems with the tranny then there's guys like me that are mildly tuned and the tranny goes out. I think I'm going tondo the upgrade foe now.....thanks for the reply....Alex

 

I would fix the tranny forst, then see if you need to do the gearing. If yourtranny is slipping, you will loose alot of towing ability. My 2002 was only slightly modified and the tranny went. I did an ats triple disk tq and a shift kit and problem solved. That of course is why i went with a manual trans in this truck. Auto's are too much money for me.

 

Do a converter and valvebody first. A good converter makes a night and day difference. Leave those gears alone, you should have plenty of power to pull that trailer. I have used a bully dog in my truck and it added little to no low end power. It came on strong in the upper rpms. I run a tst now and it has tons of low end power. Change your programmer before messing with gears. I pulled a dump trailer with 14k of stone in it and had no problems pulling hills in OD. I have more mods, but I never had to use all the power I have. I have 4.10 with 315's which is the same as 3.73 with 265 tires.

 

X2 on upgrading converter and valve body. Best thing I did to my truck.

Tobin

 

well its going into the tranny shop for an upgrade to the torque converter, valve body, deeper fluid pan, and flex plate....Also with my 33" tires i'm going to 4.10's....hope this will pull a house and stay reliable. Reason i'm so concerned was I got stranded going up a 6% grade with my family inside and the toyhauler and toys in tow...Thanks guys for the replies....Alex

 

Whose parts are you gonna have put in and what company is doing the work?

 

Hi Studio5o can you send me an email/pm on your opinions on how the 4.10s work over the 3.73.I didnt see a pm listing for you.Thanks

 

Imler diesel out of Sacramento is doing the tranny work and using all bd parts and a maghytech deep trans pan.....west coast diffs is doing the gears and puttin in a maghytec rear diff cover......I'll post up how everything works in the next few weeks when all the work is done.....let me see about getting my pm's online.....Alex

 

BD for the tranny parts and Maghytech for the diff cover and deep tranny pan.

Trucks just got back from getting regeared ....rpms a tad high on freeway speeds..not really had her opened up yet ..shop advised to keep it slow for the first 500 miles for proper break-in.

Truck back in the shop for tranny upgrades now....got a trip in mid september and will report back on how she tows

 

Truck is back from both shops now and the 4.10's and tranny upgrades are installed. Had an issue with a pinion seal at the front yoke but after two trips back to the shop and a new front yoke no more leaks (crossed fingers). As stated earlier rpms up at cruising speed but expected due to gear change...the tranny has hard shift through one of the gears which I hope is due to the new parts...hopefully it works itself out in a week or back to the shop to get it worked out. So Far so good the real test will be in the fall when we pull the toyhauler up through the sierras to get to sand mountain ....small trip to washington in the near future with my enclosed trailer will be a pre-run to sand mountain to get the bugs worked out.....

 

Some aftermarket transmissions have hard shifts. Let your builder know of your concern, but it may be normal. I would just note it and not be to concerned with it. Some just like to let you know for sure they are shifting! Good luck.

 

I agree that a fully built tranny might be a little overkill for the power you have currently

 

Gonna try driving for a week and see if things break-in and also I'll call the shop on monday to get their opinion. I'm a lil paranoid now bout thie whole tranny thing....took us 23 hrs. to get home with my buddy towing his 5ver over the passes and then leap frogging my trailer as we limped home. I'd rather have it overbuilt and reliable then have to be stuck out on the road again....if this happens again hate to say it but i'm going chevy next time .