Rebuilding 700r4, any special tools or tips?

[GreaseDog]

I've built one, but it was back in '99, and it was a school training aid that never got fluid put to it, so I have no clue if I was successful or not. looking at trans options for an upcoming project, and think that a 700 its going to be the route to go. I know inspection and cleanliness are everything in the trans world. Am I going to need any special tools to complete a rebuild? What are some of the key areas of failure to watch out for? Any upgrades other than the normal servo, sunshell, planetaries, etc I should look into?

 

[GreaseDog]

I should probably also add that right after the 700, I built a th350 for myself and was successful in doing so. Put about 500 mi on it, sold it to a guy on ck5, and he put it in a truck that he drove for a while, then sold to someone else who had no problems with it.

 

[HotRodPC]

I don't think you'd need to worry much about the planetaries. Just be sure to look them over good, but they aren't a common failure. For certain do an upgrade to the 3-4 clutch pack. Whether it be the Z-Pak or the Alto commercial pack is up to you. You have a clutch spring compressor??? How about the tool for the back of the case piston for the low/reverse clutch pack? You can improvise here too with a home made tool made with some all thread. Ring Resizer might be nice to have too. If not, it takes much longer, but you can always use old cut up radiator hose and hose clamps as a ghetto ring resizer in the input shaft.

 

[austinado16]

I'd suggest visiting the Raptor site, or bowtieoverdrives.com and read up on what they put into their rebuilds. There are a ton of upgrades, and IMO, you want them all, including the full-width 4th band. There are also a couple of apply pistons that are upgraded for the 4L60E and they're steel, instead of the cast aluminum versions used in the 700R4. The alloy versions have been known to be porous and weep/leak fluid & pressure. The later steel version solves this.

I'd also suggest the big cast alluminum B&M trans pan that holds 3.5 extra quarts, and step up to the largests stacked plate style trans fluid cooler you can fit in front of the a/c condenser/radiator. The TruCool and B&M Super Cooler are both the same, just reboxed. They're made by "LONG" and probably the best in the industry. Get the low pressure drop (LPD) version and it should only be mounted with the fittings facing horizontal, or facing up. Never with the fittings facing down, as this creates a huge air pocket inside the cooler, and renders the cooler useless. Learned that the hard way.

Lastly, when done, go through the TV cable set up steps that you find on bowtieoverdrives.com, including building a pressure test gauge with about 8' of hose (or more) so that you can have it in the engine compartment with you while you make adjustments. If the TV cable isn't right on the money, the transmission will be burned up in just a few thousand miles.

 

[HotRodPC]

Yep, there are lots of upgrades, but I personally don't think all are needed. Like you can sleeve the input shaft too. Many are told you need you 5 pinion planets so they end up getting a cheap chineese knock off from ebay and that 5 pinion chineese knock off it weaker than the GM 4 pinion. If you feel the need for the 5 pinion, go GM or don't do it at all. Another misconception, more is better right? You have a choice of 7, 10, or 13 Vane pump rotor. 7 is to weak, 10 is just right, and 13 puts to much strain on the rotor and also having more vanes makes the rotor weaker and more likely to break since you have more voids to make room for vanes, which means less meat between the vanes. So if yours is a 7 or 13, change it to a 10. You should get all new Vanes anyway. You can spend a fortune on upgrades for a 700r4, but still, just like any chain...... the weakest link. Of course you mentioned the the sunshell already. That and the Vette Servo is a must.

 

[crazy4offroad]

HR is there any 4L60e parts that can go in the 700R4 as upgrade parts? I saw there was 26 and 29 element sprags but I think those have more to do with a year break than an upgrade.

 

[GreaseDog]

My trans specialty tool collection includes:






oh wait, I have nothing.

 

[crazy4offroad]

If you have a welder and some steel you can fabricate what you need. I made a forward/direct drum spring compressor and made a 1st/reverse drum spring compressor with just angle iron, bar stock and allthread.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Also you may want to find an old coffee table or end table that you can drill about a 2" hole in to stand the trans upright for assembly too. Something tall enough to put a bucket or pan under to catch any fluid that still might be draining.

 

[HotRodPC]

My trans specialty tool collection includes:






oh wait, I have nothing.

Well Dave.. Sounds like you have a good excuse to spend about $2000 on tools. A complete bushing drive kit alone is about $700, a clutch spring compressor is $150-$200, ring resizers are about $100, Rear piston tool is about $50, and we've just begun. I don't even a bushing driver set. I use only China sockets that people throw away and make bushing drivers out of them with a Chineese 1/2 drive extension that I hammer on the ratchet end of it. Slide hammers, I use all thread and pry bars or hole drilled thru a chunk of steel. Be creative. For a one time trans build, I'm sure you're mechanical enough to figure it out. The 700r4 does have 1 deep drum that will be a bit of a challenge but it can be done. The best tip I can provide for a seal tool, you're supposed to use a lip seal too that you can either make, or buy but they are usually good for one or 2 transmisisons and get so bent up then it's for a new one. I use this tool from an art supply store. I have 2 of them, and that only to have a spare or have 2 out on the bench for convenience. If I drop one on the floor and under the workbench and didn't know it, I'm not spending 2 hours looking for it, I know it'll show up so I grab the other, but these 2 have lasted me over 20 years are still fine for lip seals.

This is the tool I don't like that can be bought.

 

[GreaseDog]

Well DAVE?! WYF DID I EVER DO TO YOU?! LOL

 

[HotRodPC]

Well DAVE?! WYF DID I EVER DO TO YOU?! LOL

hahaha, Nothing. Jus Kiddin. The poor guy goes out and buys every tool and book under the sun that he'll never use. I'm sure you got this. As you pull it apart, you'll have to build a few tools.

 

[89Suburban]

You gonna take pics and do a build thread GD?

 

[GreaseDog]

Got one in the works involving a square and parts from several gmt400s thrown in a pot and mixed all up.... Throwing in some 70s f250 just for good measure.

But yes, i suppose I might could talk her into allowing me to post a build thread once this gets off the ground.

Possibly a 4wd to 2wd conversion on a 90 k5 jimmy in the cards too.