I adjust mine every spring and fall along with a complete service. I've done this on every Mopar automatic I've owned. It's good insurance. Don't use anything but Mopar fluid.
Adjusting transmission bands - necessary?
I know band adjustment has a maintenance schedule, so while I've been doing some other tranny work, I've been thinking about whether I should adjust them. I know how to do it, but I'm just thinking that with the tranny shifting good and firm, should I just leave them alone. The rear band adjustment which is in the pan is of no concern because the rear band is only used in reverse and the "1" position. The front band, which can be adjusted from the outside(though isn't exactly easy to get a torque wrench on), is used for second gear, so there's a chance it could improve things if it's out of spec right now. I'm leaning towards leaving well enough alone. It shifts firmly without any slippage in any gears.
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And how much does that mopar fluid run you? I'm using Valvoline ATF +4 Full-synth and I think it's great. A +4 is a +4, IMO. Being full-synth doesnt hurt either.ZJMAN said:I adjust mine every spring and fall along with a complete service. I've done this on every Mopar automatic I've owned. It's good insurance. Don't use anything but Mopar fluid.
The Mopar fluid is no more expensive than other fluids and less than most big name synthetics. It solves a lot of shifting problems. IMO.
Where do you get it? Is it synthetic?ZJMAN said:The Mopar fluid is no more expensive than other fluids and less than most big name synthetics. It solves a lot of shifting problems. IMO.
Oh and I was going to go ahead and adjust the front band this afternoon...according to the FSM you use a 5/16 socket on the adjusting screw. Well my adjusting screw has a square head, not hex, and the only socket I could get to fit on it(barely) was a 12-point 11/32 socket. However, there simply isn't room to get even the smallest torque wrench in there because of how the adjusting screw is angled and behind fluid lines and the manual lever. Plus, I have no idea what kind of wrench I'd fit in there to tighten the locking nut while holding the screw in position. Any advice since you've done this a lot?
Believe it or not I'm getting Real Mopar brand Tranny fluid and #90 oil filters for our engines at Wal-Mart. Now my family and I are a bit ticked off at them for abandoning American products and workers, so I try to stay out of there when I can. But there is probably no easier place to buy Mopar +4 ATF at a good price than there. And at least that is the same fluid whether I got it at the big blue box or at the Mopar dealer, so I don't feel quite so guilty.
On the idea of the bands, I'd be very careful. I've known quite a few old Mopar heads who have missed the mark on the adjustment and regreted it as they burnt out their trannys. Mostly older 727's and 904's, so perhaps they were already destined to be re-built after years of hard service behind tough old Mopar small and big blocks. But I've always been a bit shy of it as long as the thing is being well behaved. But good clean fluid and filters are always a good idea....
I know that there are some really good pro mechanics out here on this board. So I throw this question out to all of you: Above and beyond what the factory service manual says about how to proceed with the band adjustments, are there any insider tricks or pointers that us shadetree guys should be aware of or could find useful??? Thanks much....
On the idea of the bands, I'd be very careful. I've known quite a few old Mopar heads who have missed the mark on the adjustment and regreted it as they burnt out their trannys. Mostly older 727's and 904's, so perhaps they were already destined to be re-built after years of hard service behind tough old Mopar small and big blocks. But I've always been a bit shy of it as long as the thing is being well behaved. But good clean fluid and filters are always a good idea....
I know that there are some really good pro mechanics out here on this board. So I throw this question out to all of you: Above and beyond what the factory service manual says about how to proceed with the band adjustments, are there any insider tricks or pointers that us shadetree guys should be aware of or could find useful??? Thanks much....
Interesting, I don't remember seeing any Mopar fluids last time i was in Wally World's automotive section, but i'll definately check it out.
As far as the bands go, I think I'm just going to leave it alone since my shifting is completely normal and on the firm side. However, I've been thinking...the reason you have to adjust the bands over time is that they wear down and need to be tightened, right? Well, if you're having some slippage in and out of second gear, then tightening the front band will help out...so why not just SLIGHTLY tighten the front band's adjusting screw...say half a turn...and then test drive to see if it helped. I can definately get a wrench on the screw with an elbow as long as I dont' have to worry about accurate torque. I don't see what would be wrong with this method, as long as you do very small changes and then test drive after each. There's no way I'm going to pay a shop to turn a screw....I fix jets for a living for christs sake.
As far as the bands go, I think I'm just going to leave it alone since my shifting is completely normal and on the firm side. However, I've been thinking...the reason you have to adjust the bands over time is that they wear down and need to be tightened, right? Well, if you're having some slippage in and out of second gear, then tightening the front band will help out...so why not just SLIGHTLY tighten the front band's adjusting screw...say half a turn...and then test drive to see if it helped. I can definately get a wrench on the screw with an elbow as long as I dont' have to worry about accurate torque. I don't see what would be wrong with this method, as long as you do very small changes and then test drive after each. There's no way I'm going to pay a shop to turn a screw....I fix jets for a living for christs sake.
I buy most of my parts from my dealer. I have been buying vehicles from them for 25 years or so. I buy the trans fluid by the case at jobber price, same goes for the oil filters etc. We presently have 2 XJs, a ZJ, a Dodge mini van and a'65 Dodge convertible. Vehicle to vehicle, many of the filters are the same as are the fluids etc.
The band adjustment shafts (bolts) on any Torquflite based Mopar trans are square not hex headed. A 5/16 (if memory is working) square socket is necessary to get the torque set correctly. I always set the bands on my 46RE at 2.5 turns backed off for the front and 2 for the rear. This is slightly tighter than the shop manual spec. The other models I have always run about 1/2 a turn tighter than spec. Of course the XJ AW4 requires no adjustment. Again all of this is IMO and from experience with lots of miles.
The band adjustment shafts (bolts) on any Torquflite based Mopar trans are square not hex headed. A 5/16 (if memory is working) square socket is necessary to get the torque set correctly. I always set the bands on my 46RE at 2.5 turns backed off for the front and 2 for the rear. This is slightly tighter than the shop manual spec. The other models I have always run about 1/2 a turn tighter than spec. Of course the XJ AW4 requires no adjustment. Again all of this is IMO and from experience with lots of miles.
You couldn't get me to buy most of my parts / fluids at the dealer if you offered me 99% off. :???:
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