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Three blown trannys and i need some help

It can be done, but does require a couple of tools to ensure they are set up right. Not the least of which is a press to press the bearings on. Check around, here on the site, as well as with other shops to find someone who can do it for less money, or some of those on the site can help you to get them setup and tell you specifically what you would need for tools.
 
I stay out of discussions about proper gears, but some of the others on this site have dealt with them and are most likely making a good suggestion for the gears.

One thing to do, is if you go with a rebuilt unit from a local shop, or from another shop, make sure the TV cable is properly adjusted, or the transmission won't last long.
 
how do i ensure the tv cable is in proper adjustment? i just got it looked at cause the new tranny was shifting hard goin out of first. the problem is fixed now and she shifts smoothe now. but is their a way of know the tv cable is in proper workin order?
 
Ya im not sure on all those specs and checks you put out thier but you are right its worth lookin into a new shop but its just hard to know who too trust, my local off road shop charges an arm and everything else so its tough huntin for a good one.
 
Since you are running stock axles I wouldn't reccomend dumping the cash into them to have them re-geared at least the rear. Swap in a 14BFF rear and convert the front to 8 lug or if you can find a Dana 60 get that:wink1:

Setting up gears requires a press as mentioned and a dial indicator with a magnetic base. You can pick one up at Harbor Freight that is not too bad. You will also probably need some 3/4" drive tools to crush the crush sleeve as 1/2" drive stuff won't take it. I have set up gears in a 14 Bolt once which is the easiest axle out there and it still took me a lot of time and patience and asking questions.

I don't reccomend trying it without even knowing whats involved. Search around here and Pirate 4x4 and read up on installing gears. Its not hard its just tedious and needs to be very precise.

Where are you in Washington?
 
Setting up gears for the first time requires plenty of patience and the following tools:

A dial indicator with some kind of base (usually magnetic)
A torque wrench that reads in. lbs.
A set of calipers that reads to the .001"

You can read about gear setup here but if you haven't done it before (or you aren't getting help from someone who's done it before) it will take you a very long time or you will setup the gears incorrectly.
 
so what do ya mean by swapping the rear to 14bff? is that a whole new differential? or is it an Axel assembly? and how much or how hard is it too get a dana 60 for my front. i hear about them all the time! also what are lockers and do i have them running stock gear in my k5,and if i dont should i get them and probably detroit's the way too go? sorry if im buggin ya with all the QA i just discovered that rather then haggling with a bunch of mechanics who think im an easy target the web is the most amazing resource for info!
 
just out of curiosity, did the shop happen to mention HOW your trannies failed? or possible causes? as was mentioned the 700r4's weak points are well known, and there are many parts available to address the problems. you can also build a 700r4 to 4l-65E specs with hardened shafts and 5 pinion planetary gears and such. personally i would like to swap a full manual valvebody 4L80E into my rig at some point.

as someone who was a tech, i think its pretty shady that youre blowing trannies that frequently, and your shop just rebuilds them to spec, without offering a slightly more expensive and beefier rebuild. i agree with the suggestions to find a new shop.
 
totally man i agree, the thing is though it is kinda my fault for runnin stock gears on a 35" tire. but in my own defense no one ever told me either. i know now and it sucks cause now im more inspired to put more money into this thing its like a disease! if i can i wanna keep the 700 for now until i have to change it, i just wanna spec out the rest of my rig to make the whole thing work proper.
 
The 700R4 gets a bad rap because of problems with the early transmissions.

If you do a Google search on the 700R4 there's a ton of information on it. The original 700R4 was an outgrowth of the Turbo 350. There were many problems with it. It wasn't strong enough in many areas. To their credit, GM stuck with it and improved the transmission greatly through the years. The 700R4 then became the 4L60, which is electronically controlled. A lot of 4L60 parts can be used in a 700R4.

The 700R4 has a lock-up torque converter and, depending on the year of the 700R4, would actually lock up in second, third and fourth gears. The later models would only lock up in fourth gear.

In 1987 (I think) GM made a bunch of improvements to the transmission. They redesigned the case (stronger) and a bunch of the internal parts to more robust designs. I've been told it isn't worth rebuilding an earlier version, that you're better off with a later model.

There are a lot of shops that rebuild transmissions. Most aren't very good. A few are really good (and typically considerably more money)!

Hughes Performance in Phoenix has a very good reputation. They sell through Summit racing and others, but they also sell direct to the consumer. Hughes manufactures some of the replacement parts that they use. I would call them direct, and discuss what you want. They can literally build a transmission for your needs. It won't be cheap, but it will be a quality transmission.
 
h0wl0ngcanitbe said:
so what do ya mean by swapping the rear to 14bff? is that a whole new differential? or is it an Axel assembly? and how much or how hard is it too get a dana 60 for my front. i hear about them all the time! also what are lockers and do i have them running stock gear in my k5,and if i dont should i get them and probably detroit's the way too go? sorry if im buggin ya with all the QA i just discovered that rather then haggling with a bunch of mechanics who think im an easy target the web is the most amazing resource for info!
Click to expand...

The 14bff (14 Bolt Full Floater) is a complete axle assembly from a 1-ton truck. The D60 is an expensive axle, also from a 1-ton truck. Both require 8 lug wheels - your 6 lug wheels won't work. It is common CK5 procedure to recommend a swap to these axles to all CK5 noobs whether they need them or not.
 
MaxPF said:
The 14bff (14 Bolt Full Floater) is a complete axle assembly from a 1-ton truck. The D60 is an expensive axle, also from a 1-ton truck. Both require 8 lug wheels - your 6 lug wheels won't work. It is common CK5 procedure to recommend a swap to these axles to all CK5 noobs whether they need them or not.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the sig...
 
why wont my 8 lug wheels work? is their a specific reason why? and how much will it cost to make the change?
 
A stock Blazer would not have 8 lug wheels. Blazers are 6 lug wheels. If you have 8 lugs, then it has probably already had a 14b full float rear. We would need to know what it has in the rear, but if it is a 14 they are much easier to re-gear.
 
The Dana 60 is an excellent axle. Unfortunately, that's pretty well known and they are expensive.

A cheaper, albeit not nearly as good, route would be to utilize the rotors, hubs, calipers, and backing plates from a 3/4 ton Suburban or pickup. Those use 8 lug wheels, but the axle would be a corporate 10 bolt, just like the Blazer. It's not any stronger, but they do use 8 lug wheels.

I'm quite sure the Dana 60 uses bigger universal joints so that means drive shaft modifications as well.

If you decide you want to go that route, sometimes you can find a one ton 4wd truck in bad, or even non-running, condition for cheap. That truck would have both the Dana 60 front and the 14 bolt full floating rear. Of course then you have the hassle of dealing with the rest of the truck....
 
ok cool so im headed in the route of doin the 14bff, and the dana 60. im the kinda guy that likes too do it right. you said somethin about drive shaft mods what does that include? a new drive shaft or just something to mate the two new parts? if i were too get this done locally where you live what do you think it would cost?
 
i do have 6 lug wheels i phrased the question incorrectly, so i would have too get a 14bff? i couldn't regear my stock axle? how much do think it should cost to replace my gear with a 14bff and dana 60 up front?
 
The 14 bolt is the easy one they are everywhere. You can pick them up on craigslist all the time for cheap. The 4.88's are the issue. You will not find any geared to that for "cheap". The Dana 60's online are usually pretty expensive, but there are deals out there.

I am on Whidbey Island so we arent too far apart.
 
I fully understand the concept of "Doing it right", and strongly believe in that concept.

However, the corollary to that is: Deciding on what you want to do with your rig, and building it accordingly.

Seriously, give this some thought.

A Dana 60 will set you back several hundred bucks to start with. But at that point you have to evaluate the condition of the ball joints, the brake rotors (and calipers), and the ring and pinion ratio.

For reference purposes, and to give you a very rough idea of parts prices, (no labor) I replaced both upper and lower ball joints and the brake rotors on a corporate ten-bolt axle. I also changed the ring and pinion gears.

OEM General Motors ball joints (all four of 'em) were about a hundred bucks with tax. New rotors (Raybestos Premium Grade) were also about a hundred bucks plus tax, I bought a used ring and pinion gear set on ebay for about ninety bucks. However, I also bought all new seals, a new pinion nut and a new crush sleeve, so add another 40 bucks for those. I already had all of the special tools to replace the ball joints and seals, as well as the dial indicator and magnetic stand for the ring and pinion.

Now add in the extra cost factor for Dana 60 parts as opposed to corporate 10 bolt parts: $$$.

Without trying to be disrespectful, it sounds like you have the desire, but lack the knowledge and experience to build this yourself.

A lot of this seems intimidating, bit it really isn't all that daunting. There is a great deal of satisfaction / pride when you do it yourself, and as the saying goes: "Rome was built one brick at a time".

A number of years ago I did a complete restoration on an older Ford F-250 4x4. I paid to have a 428 engine built by a "professional". I also paid to have the NP 435 transmission rebuilt by another "professional".

Never again! Both "professionals" did a lousy job and I ended up re-doing their work myself. When you look at the factory service manuals, and you see special tools, all kinds of tight tolerances, it looks really difficult. Your expectation is that the "professionals" adhere to the service manual procedures and tolerances. The reality is, they slap it together, hope it works and charge you up the a** for their "work".

If you do it yourself, you know exactly what was done, how it was done, what parts were used, etc.

You'll get in over your head a few times, You'll make a few mistakes. It'll take longer than you think. But, you will gain knowledge, and experience.
 
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