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I purchased a shift kit from Summit Racing. It arrived 3 days later just in time for the weekend. The shift kit came with a video as well as detailed instructions.; I watched the video twice before the install and reviewed the instructions along with the video. Everything went fairly smooth, my helper and I started at 10:00am and finished at 5:00 pm. We and took it for a test-drive and low and behold, it did not shift correctly. It would shift from 1st - 2nd at 2000 rpm and immediately would shift from 2nd -3rd and cause the motor to bog. When manually shifting, 1st - 2nd was good and 2nd - 3rd would cause the RPMs to jump from 3000-4000 due to slipping. I let the truck set for 2 hours and dropped the pan and took the valve body apart. I looked at the instructions and video again, just to verify I had done everything correctly. I found a ball that was not installed and I retightened the bands according to factory specs. Instead of Transgo's specs. This took care of most of the slipping I contacted Transgo on Monday and the tech support notified me that I had purchased an old revision of the kit and that it was missing parts. He stated that I should not hot dog the truck due to potential damage and that he would mail me the missing parts along with new instructions. A week later and again just in time for the weekend the parts arrived just in time. I removed the valve body and began the installation. This is where I began to worry. The new instructions no longer call for you to drill the valve body. Too late for me. The new instructions also call for you to drill a hole in the separator plate .035 - .040. How do you drill a hole .035 - .040 when the previous instructions tell you to drill it from .093 - .160? They sent me a bushing to pound into its place and re-drill. It worked out just fine. Since I was concerned about the drilled channel , I called the tech support and questioned them and they stated that I would get a firmer shift from 2-3, which is really something I wanted. Another new section was installing a spacer into an accumulator. This was a pain, took at least 20 minutes to remove and take apart only to find out I was missing the spacer. which neded to be installed. After some moderate cursing, we decided to reinstall and take our chances. My helper and I put everything back together while I soldered a new resistor to the computer's wire harness and went off for a test drive. Still the truck did not shift correctly but the shifts were firmer. I called Transgo again and questioned the shifts. The first suggestion from him was to check the TV cable. Sure enough, I installed it upside down and it had been like that from the beginning. After taking the spring off and expanding it so it would fit the right way, the truck drove and drives very nice. Everything has just the right feel. Under full throttle, it's amazing how hard and quick it shifts from 2nd - 3rd and from 3rd to overdrive.; In certain ways I am glad I ran into problems because I have learned a great deal about the transmission. I regret waiting until 30,000 miles to change the transmission fluid because I could see powdered metal in the pan, granted it's more than likely aluminum but more surprisingly, everything was coated with its residue. While having the valve body apart, I cleaned every component.
Bottom line , the kit is well worth the $100, I recommend purchasing it direct from Transgo simply for the fact you will get the latest revision and all the parts the first time. Also if you have a day to kill and don't feel to challenged, give it a try yourself. I have included both sets of directions on this web site for informative purposes. I hope it does not upset anyone, I feel if more people knew what little is involved in performing the install, then more people will be willing to buy the kit and bring thier Ram to life. I wish I could have viewed the information long ago; it would have made the difference from purchasing now to prior. Playing, drilling, modifying the transmission sounds worse than it is. I have even driven it with the TV valve backward, a ball missing, bands not adjusted right, and finally with the TV cable upside down. What else could you do wrong? That's why I have had the valve body in and out and apart 5 times. Follow the included directions and watch how the parts are removed and installed and good luck. |
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I also wanted to put a warning out for those who may have problems with their shift indicator not lining up with gear shifter.; In other words, when you put your truck in drive, you have to move the handle and indicator past drive and then you move the handle show it show the indicator is in the D position. (It's not just D this does it in but all gears) Anyhow if you take it to a competent dealer (few and far between) they may or may not find the problem. The problem is with the shift lever mounted on the transmission. The lever may not fit the keyed shaft correctly. This lever is located below the TV lever. If you continue to drive and shift, the shaft is actually binding in the transmission although you will not feel the bind. The lever inside the transmission has a bushing either press fit or welded which will mushroom and create burrs. This in turn is wearing the aluminum valve body and they play will continuely get worse.. If the problem is not taken care of right away, too much wear may cause you to need a new valve body. In my case there was a little slop so I ordered a new lever, around $20 and replaced it my self. |
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