need trans advice

[smithwr]

Well im new around here and i need some advice. I have a 83 jimmy with a bad 700r4. Ive looked all over the web and basically my head has turned to jello reading all the different opinions, so I figured I would come to the best last!

My jimmy has 33inch tires and 3" of lift. I just bought it knowing it had a bad transmission. I dont ever do any trail riding, as we have no public land around me. And basically i want my jimmy to be a dependable truck to take deer hunting, around town, to the lake, ect. I dont need any hard core mods, i just need a dependable setup with the lift and tires i have on there now.

So fire away, give your opinions like you were talking to a complete idiot, as i have no 4x4 exp. what should i run, gears, upgrades for big tires, transfercase, cooler, ect.ect.ect thanks guys in advance

 

[smithwr]

28 views and noone has any idea about what to get in a dependable transmission?

 

[Burbdood 74]

I'll give it a shot. If you don't need OD, a TH350 or a TH400 is a great choice for an automatic tranny. My 88 Suburban for example has a swapped in TH350. It'd be nice to have OD, but I'm not heart broken over not having it either.

If you have a reputable trans shop in your area, you might wanna ask them how much it's gonna be to rebuild your 700R4. But be aware that a lot of shops say they can do it right, but it's just talk. Sometimes you get what you pay for so if a shop says they can do it for $200, run far, far away. Don't be afraid to ask around about different shops either. Word of mouth is a gold mine if you're good and death if you screw people over.

The older 700's were crap, but they improved them over time so even if a shop does an exchange type of deal or you find one used for sale, try to get a newer one, like one from a 88 to 91 rig. Just do yourself one favor and get yourself the biggest trans cooler you can find. Summit Racing, (for example), sells them by GVW, (gross vehicle weight). So if you get a trans cooler rated for 16,000GVW or higher, you'll have plenty of cooling which makes for a happy tranny.

 

[Wasatch K5]

Well, why not get another 700R4.

The 700R4 gets a bad rap due to problems with early transmissions.

GM made a bunch of improvements to the 700R4, especially in 1988, if my memory is correct. You want to take advantage of the improvements, because when the 700R4 was introduced there were several weak areas.

So, don't rebuild your transmission (one of those upgrades was the transmission case itself) but get a 1988 or later 700R4. The later case is referred to as a "rainbow" case due to a rainbow shape in the side of the casting.

33 inch tires are fine. Personally, I'd want 3.73 or 4.10 gears, but being in Texas I'd lean toward the 3.73's.

 

[78GMCJIMMY]

What are you screaming about?28 views and no replies=Have a little patience!it is Sunday ya' know Mr.3 posts!Jeepers