I will not buy again or recommend Monster Transmissions to anyone. Im not going to bash them online publicly but if your interested in the story, feel free to PM me.
CK5
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Father-daughter 76 annihilator build
- Thread starter Zsnoman
- Start date
y5mgisi
1 ton status
I feel like you should tell the story, in a matter of fact fashion. Then you arent bashing.
Roughly two yeas ago, I purchased a Monster transmission, a built one to handle the demands of how my rig is built. 9 months after a professional shop installed it, driving down the highway there was a bang and no forward gears.
When I got her home, I dropped the pan and took a picture of the metal chunks as that did not void the warranty. Sent the pictures to Monster, they told me that the transmission will be covered under warranty. They wanted me to ship the tranny on my dime but I happened to headed to Florida for a vacation so I was able to drop it off on my way to Orlando. When I did a face to face with the rep I had talked to, she confirmed again that it will be covered under warranty and it should be ready for pick up by the end of the week when I was to head back home. They were suppose to call me when they were done. No phone call...4 days after drop off I had an email stating that after further inspection, the damage was not going to be covered by the warranty. All this after gauranteeing that it would be covered under warranty. I swung by Monster on the way home and had a chat wih the owner. We had a nice discussion on good business ethics vs. shady business practices.
In the end, I did get a full refund but I dont think I would have if I hadnt had that face to face wih the owner. If I hadnt taken vacation in FL, I would have had to pay freight to get the tranny to FL and would have had to deal with all this over the phone. $1200-$1400 for a tranny plus the shipping it back, I would have been out of a lot of money for a big arse headache.
Lesson learned: Find an old guy that has been rebuilding tranny's for at least 20 years that is local to you and pay the $700-$1000 for that old guy to build you a tough ass transmission. Ive been beating the snot out of my current 700r4 for a couple years now with no issues.
If you have the manual valve body you do not need the TV cable. They also sell a constant pressure valve body for the 700 but I have no experience with them and don't anyone that has.
I have an Art Carr shifter that I love. Now they are made by Winters something or other (don't know their full name).
Thanks for options and info, only local guy wants 2500 to rebuild the t350 so much cheaper to just get new 700r4 with added benafits of lower 1st and 4 speeds and no tv with the manual so I had just heard of monster on here so was 1st option looking into, so what is advantage of going to a 4l60 or 80 over a 700r4 for later. Do things when you upgrade to Tbi like cruze work with 5.3 and 700 or because of computer do you have to stay mated together because that is what it sounds like when you read some of the sites that are selling used 5.3 setups. Want to stay easy and cheap but might be better to just let her sit until I can change over to 5.3 and 4l60 and only invest once and get it right. Son will graduate from college next year and 1 yr sitting won't kill me I guess. Not sure if my abilities without help will be adaquite to swap so still trying to decide best way.
With a full manual automatic trans you could have the 5.3 computer and wiring harness setup to run without transmission connected. Sorta like you we're running a manual transmission.
I think the advantage to keeping the 4L60 mated to the 5.3 is better efficiency because the computer will control shift points.
Also may affect your ability to have cruise control if you don't use the 4L60, but that's just a guess on my part.
I think the advantage to keeping the 4L60 mated to the 5.3 is better efficiency because the computer will control shift points.
Also may affect your ability to have cruise control if you don't use the 4L60, but that's just a guess on my part.
Tranny
I think I finally saved up enough to try and get this thing running again. Ripped out tranny out of other 1 ton loaner vehicle and have on bench and will start to go after one in jimmy now. Hopefully I can figure out what went wrong with current one or the one out of loaner will work will start tomarrow and if neither works I think I saved enough to just buy one if need be. Kids tuition payed and got a break in being broke for a month or to yeha, time to get this thing on the road agiain
I think I finally saved up enough to try and get this thing running again. Ripped out tranny out of other 1 ton loaner vehicle and have on bench and will start to go after one in jimmy now. Hopefully I can figure out what went wrong with current one or the one out of loaner will work will start tomarrow and if neither works I think I saved enough to just buy one if need be. Kids tuition payed and got a break in being broke for a month or to yeha, time to get this thing on the road agiain
good to hear you're back at it...
Been reading alot of everybody else working on their rigs and dreaming of where I want this thing to end up but have to be patient till get kids through college. One is graduating this year and other is soph so going slow for now. Just want to get it running and have fun with it while daughter home for summer as last summer it was broke and had no funds to play.
Tranny
So tore into tranny that local transmission guy said had to be rebuilt and he wanted 2500. Found that shifter cam had moved to side and wasn't on spring loaded selector and plunger that selects gear with a s hook connected was disconnected. Lots of metal debris in pan with some big chunks. Cleaned and hooked everything back up and put fluid in and it works but still definately going to need a new tranny in immwdiate future. Might leave as is until madi next week can drive while on break and then plan on fixing. So here is question for those of you smarter then me. If I want to end up with new 5.3 fuel ejected set up can I buy a 4l60 no e manual shift unit now and put behind engine will it work for time being so then I can attack axles and gears and keep lower budget and running for next yr or so?
So tore into tranny that local transmission guy said had to be rebuilt and he wanted 2500. Found that shifter cam had moved to side and wasn't on spring loaded selector and plunger that selects gear with a s hook connected was disconnected. Lots of metal debris in pan with some big chunks. Cleaned and hooked everything back up and put fluid in and it works but still definately going to need a new tranny in immwdiate future. Might leave as is until madi next week can drive while on break and then plan on fixing. So here is question for those of you smarter then me. If I want to end up with new 5.3 fuel ejected set up can I buy a 4l60 no e manual shift unit now and put behind engine will it work for time being so then I can attack axles and gears and keep lower budget and running for next yr or so?
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Dont you have a th350? I would thing a full race prepped th350 could be had for less than $2500!!!
you can get a NEW electric operated one and a controller for it for LESS than that 2500 for sure... alot less. and then you'll have the computer controlled one that will work with the motor an ecm when you DO get a 5.3 and you can sell the controller. Having the E controlled one work in conjunction with the 5.3's ECM is the better way to go. the controllers are not that much if i remember right and allow you to set shift points and such
Tranny
I really thought about what I use rig for and really don't think cruise is a big deal in future and from what nor cal Chris said if I go with 4 speed with lower first gear and then gear low with axles it will probably do everything I would want in future as rock crawling isn't really as important as all around good 4x with most terrain I use truck for.
I really thought about what I use rig for and really don't think cruise is a big deal in future and from what nor cal Chris said if I go with 4 speed with lower first gear and then gear low with axles it will probably do everything I would want in future as rock crawling isn't really as important as all around good 4x with most terrain I use truck for.
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Tci wants to know what transfer case and I was under the impression that when I changed axles and went to a different transfer case to use hubs and go selectable that it wasn't an issue to change in future when changed axles is this not true?
No, 203.
If you are switching to a TH700R4 (good choice), I would recommend going with an NP208 (or better yet, and NP241 if you can find one).
Martin
Martin
y5mgisi
1 ton status
About 4l60e vs 700r4, yes the 4l60e will work now and later BUT for it to work now, you will need a stand alone Trans controller. I think tci also sells those? So maybe best to just do 700 and make it work with the 5.3 later.
Transfer cases
The other parts truck in my driveway has the part time transfer case I believe 208 if mine is 203. Are they not interchangeable because trying to plan ahead so when axles go in and using hubs don't have to switch trannys or adapter again. Trying to do it once and right first time as I have learned thru years to ask tons of questions. As far as needing a e tranny I don't believe it will be a issue just don't ever see really needing cruze and all I think I'll be happy with just manually shifting the 700 and it's cheaper.
The other parts truck in my driveway has the part time transfer case I believe 208 if mine is 203. Are they not interchangeable because trying to plan ahead so when axles go in and using hubs don't have to switch trannys or adapter again. Trying to do it once and right first time as I have learned thru years to ask tons of questions. As far as needing a e tranny I don't believe it will be a issue just don't ever see really needing cruze and all I think I'll be happy with just manually shifting the 700 and it's cheaper.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
What does cruise have to do with either trans? With an LS motor, Cruise is easily obtained no matter what route you go!
As far as t-case stuff, basically any t case will bolt up to any same trans. In other words, if you have a th350-203 and a th350-208, you can just bolt one in place of the other. In regards to th350 to 700r4, anything bolted behind either should bolt up to the other. The problem really only comes with the newer electronic trans and when you put th400 in the mix because then the patterns change and the spline counts change.
As far as t-case stuff, basically any t case will bolt up to any same trans. In other words, if you have a th350-203 and a th350-208, you can just bolt one in place of the other. In regards to th350 to 700r4, anything bolted behind either should bolt up to the other. The problem really only comes with the newer electronic trans and when you put th400 in the mix because then the patterns change and the spline counts change.
