Kickdown lever

-
V

volaredon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
3,318
Reaction score
1,848
Location
IL
I thought I'd posted this but now can't find it
This on a 46re in the Durango
I have this trans all blown apart on the bench as we speak.
I have heard lotsa talk about kickdown band lever ratios. How you gotta go "5 0" or how you absolutely don't want that, and more.
I know there are a few different ones out there.
I thought the Lowest was a 3.8 or so?
Well my Durango trans blew that out of the water.
I see on mine it's only marked "2.5". I never knew there was one that low.
How would it effect the shifts if I went with say a 3.8 or even a 4.2 ratio? Would I want to?
This is a 4wd, mostly daily driver, 4wd is rarely used except for winter. But I do tow a camper with it about 4000-4200lb in the warm months about once a month (well twice, once there and once back home haha) about 300-350 miles there and back... If that would play into what would be right for it...
 
5.0 and was considered the Hemi lever.I always ran them till I was getting a valve body from A&A.
They said a 4.2 was the way to go.The shift seems not as harsh as the 5.0 but still a firm shift.
 
Daily driver 3.8 or 4.2
5.0 off road or extreme shifts only.
You will be much happier with it.
Lon
 
bench racing time. with no other changes what will a 3.8 or a 4.2 do for me vs the stock 2.5? What will I notice? Harder shifts? Softer shifts? Better durability? Less?
 
Nothing wrong with the 5.0 lever. It works great. The trick is, you must run the Hemi width band in order for it to work right. People who say they don't work well didn't pair the two together.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Nothing wrong with the 5.0 lever. It works great. The trick is, you must run the Hemi width band in order for it to work right. People who say they don't work well didn't pair the two together.
Click to expand...

i had always run the 5.0 leaver and naver had a trans shift harshly. have a 3,2 in my current trans because thats what i has.
 
abodyjoe said:
i had always run the 5.0 leaver and naver had a trans shift harshly. have a 3,2 in my current trans because thats what i has.
Click to expand...
Heck, that's the WHOLE point of them. To firm up the shift. lol
 
The higher the number the better the holding power and the faster it applies. U have to have more clearance for the 4.2 and 5.0 bands. In yours I would use a 3.2 or a 3.8. Kim
 
Last edited:
RustyRatRod said:
Nothing wrong with the 5.0 lever. It works great. The trick is, you must run the Hemi width band in order for it to work right. People who say they don't work well didn't pair the two together.
Click to expand...
U don’t need the Hemi band but u need the proper clearances. A Hemi band will not fit unless u get the proper width drum and the associated pump. Kim
 
I have seen kickdown levers in the 2.? range. I have a 3.2 kickdown lever I'll never use. If you want it you can have it.
 
oldkimmer said:
U don’t need the Hemi band but u need the proper clearances. A Hemi band will not fit unless u get the proper width drum and the associated pump. Kim
Click to expand...
Well yeah....I was figgerin some things could go unsaid. lol
 
I don't have the hemi band but I bought what is supposed to be a kevlar band.
Got it from feebay, the new band isn't marked on the lining like the one in the pic in the ad was... It ain't marked with anything.

I'm getting frustrated with this whole project.
I wish places like Napa and O'Reilly's carried trans parts on the shelf. I'm tired of going in and asking for 4 things and getting 2.

I was highly recommended to try WIT for trans parts this go round, they aren't impressing me.
I have been to 2 locations now, both have pulled the same crap on me.
The first one I asked about a thrust washers kit. And a snap ring kit. I meant all of each part contained in a 46re there are 9 parts in the washer kit, they gave me 6.
There's about as many snap rings, yet when I get home I found 3 in the bag.
I then went back to the trans to reacquaint myself since it's been 4 months since I tore it down. Took me that long to get up the money for the job.
I saw that besides the parts that I thought they got me (and I specifically asked for,) but didn't, I saw that the original clutch pistons from my trans had some scuffs on the edges /so I better get those while I'm in there.
I knew I was going to the Indy swap and A&A was gonna be there so I thought I'd get the remaining parts from them. They didn't have what I needed with them and nobody was left back at the shop for me to go by there and pick them up from them/ so I looked at WIT site from the Indy swap. I was gonna order what I lacked, but discovered they actually had a location 6 miles from the Indy swap. So I called and asked, again, for the parts I lacked. They set them out, plus a kit for another trans I want to rebuild.
"Well, we only have of the snap rings you want so we'll have to UPS them from the KY warehouse, shipping will cost more than the part."
BUT I do have a snap ring KIT in stock. Which was what I ASKED FOR in the first place....
Still no small snap rings for things like the front clutch pack in there Grrrrrr
Twice now, I specifically asked for ALL of the snap rings in the trans and still don't have them all.
What part of ALL, don't those people understand?
I did get a thrust washer kit as I wanted from the original location, again I specifically asked for and the bill even says that's what I got charged for, and didn't completely get the first time.

Ok so I get to this 2nd WIT and remember when I get there that I forgot to ask for the pistons in the phone and ask he counter person for it. She got on the phone and was talking with someone,
I have the call out numbers of BOTH of them that I was wanting, the one for the rear clutch (high/reverse) and the overdrive apply. I heard the parts girl repeat exactly as I asked about on the phone. Those have to come from the KY warehouse. Meaning they would be UPS'd to my door. And my card charged when shipped.
I got home from work today and there's a box on my porch from WIT. Guess what... It has a high/reverse piston in there with a Belleville spring, nylon spacer and the snap ring for that clutch BUT NO OVERDRIVE APPLY PISTON IN THE BOX.... So I am finding myself asking WIT, WTF..... I'm getting pissed at not getting what iam asking for ... And IM NOT paying another UPS charge. This is twice now.
Maybe I need to go back to transtar next time. I hadn't done a trans in some time, so I didn't think I'd still be in their system/ so I tried somebody else on many positive suggestions for them.... Their service has been less than impressive
What's funny was that when I was in the phone with WIT while at the Indy swap, he said "you got that on your bill from a week before, the other location". Well I might have been charged for it, it's not there ".
 
Last edited:
volaredon said:
I don't have the hemi band but I bought what is supposed to be a kevlar band.
Got it from feebay, the new band isn't marked on the lining like the one in the pic in the ad was... It ain't marked with anything.

I'm getting frustrated with this whole project.
I wish places like Napa and O'Reilly's carried trans parts on the shelf. I'm tired of going in and asking for 4 things and getting 2.

I was highly recommended to try WIT for trans parts this go round, they aren't impressing me.
I have been to 2 locations now, both have pulled the same crap on me.
The first one I asked about a thrust washers kit. And a snap ring kit. I meant all of each part contained in a 46re there are 9 parts in the washer kit, they gave me 6.
There's about as many snap rings, yet when I get home I found 3 in the bag.
I then went back to the trans to reacquaint myself since it's been 4 months since I tore it down. Took me that long to get up the money for the job.
I saw that besides the parts that I thought they got me (and I specifically asked for,) but didn't, I saw that the original clutch pistons from my trans had some scuffs on the edges /so I better get those while I'm in there.
I knew I was going to the Indy swap and A&A was gonna be there so I thought I'd get the remaining parts from them. They didn't have what I needed with them and nobody was left back at the shop for me to go by there and pick them up from them/ so I looked at WIT site from the Indy swap. I was gonna order what I lacked, but discovered they actually had a location 6 miles from the Indy swap. So I called and asked, again, for the parts I lacked. They set them out, plus a kit for another trans I want to rebuild.
"Well, we only have of the snap rings you want so we'll have to UPS them from the KY warehouse, shipping will cost more than the part."
BUT I do have a snap ring KIT in stock. Which was what I ASKED FOR in the first place....
Still no small snap rings for things like the front clutch pack in there Grrrrrr
Twice now, I specifically asked for ALL of the snap rings in the trans and still don't have them all.
What part of ALL, don't those people understand?
I did get a thrust washer kit as I wanted from the original location, again I specifically asked for and the bill even says that's what I got charged for, and didn't completely get the first time.

Ok so I get to this 2nd WIT and remember when I get there that I forgot to ask for the pistons in the phone and ask he counter person for it. She got on the phone and was talking with someone,
I have the call out numbers of BOTH of them that I was wanting, the one for the rear clutch (high/reverse) and the overdrive apply. I heard the parts girl repeat exactly as I asked about on the phone. Those have to come from the KY warehouse. Meaning they would be UPS'd to my door. And my card charged when shipped.
I got home from work today and there's a box on my porch from WIT. Guess what... It has a high/reverse piston in there with a Belleville spring, nylon spacer and the snap ring for that clutch BUT NO OVERDRIVE APPLY PISTON IN THE BOX.... So I am finding myself asking WIT, WTF..... I'm getting pissed at not getting what iam asking for ... And IM NOT paying another UPS charge. This is twice now.
Maybe I need to go back to transtar next time. I hadn't done a trans in some time, so I didn't think I'd still be in their system/ so I tried somebody else on many positive suggestions for them.... Their service has been less than impressive
What's funny was that when I was in the phone with WIT while at the Indy swap, he said "you got that on your bill from a week before, the other location". Well I might have been charged for it, it's not there ".
Click to expand...
Dam, I really feel 4 u. Getting the run around and getting lied to really sucks. I wouldn’t buy from them again. I sure hope u get all your needed parts soon. Kim
 
volaredon said:
I don't have the hemi band but I bought what is supposed to be a kevlar band.
Got it from feebay, the new band isn't marked on the lining like the one in the pic in the ad was... It ain't marked with anything.

I'm getting frustrated with this whole project.
I wish places like Napa and O'Reilly's carried trans parts on the shelf. I'm tired of going in and asking for 4 things and getting 2.

I was highly recommended to try WIT for trans parts this go round, they aren't impressing me.
I have been to 2 locations now, both have pulled the same crap on me.
The first one I asked about a thrust washers kit. And a snap ring kit. I meant all of each part contained in a 46re there are 9 parts in the washer kit, they gave me 6.
There's about as many snap rings, yet when I get home I found 3 in the bag.
I then went back to the trans to reacquaint myself since it's been 4 months since I tore it down. Took me that long to get up the money for the job.
I saw that besides the parts that I thought they got me (and I specifically asked for,) but didn't, I saw that the original clutch pistons from my trans had some scuffs on the edges /so I better get those while I'm in there.
I knew I was going to the Indy swap and A&A was gonna be there so I thought I'd get the remaining parts from them. They didn't have what I needed with them and nobody was left back at the shop for me to go by there and pick them up from them/ so I looked at WIT site from the Indy swap. I was gonna order what I lacked, but discovered they actually had a location 6 miles from the Indy swap. So I called and asked, again, for the parts I lacked. They set them out, plus a kit for another trans I want to rebuild.
"Well, we only have of the snap rings you want so we'll have to UPS them from the KY warehouse, shipping will cost more than the part."
BUT I do have a snap ring KIT in stock. Which was what I ASKED FOR in the first place....
Still no small snap rings for things like the front clutch pack in there Grrrrrr
Twice now, I specifically asked for ALL of the snap rings in the trans and still don't have them all.
What part of ALL, don't those people understand?
I did get a thrust washer kit as I wanted from the original location, again I specifically asked for and the bill even says that's what I got charged for, and didn't completely get the first time.

Ok so I get to this 2nd WIT and remember when I get there that I forgot to ask for the pistons in the phone and ask he counter person for it. She got on the phone and was talking with someone,
I have the call out numbers of BOTH of them that I was wanting, the one for the rear clutch (high/reverse) and the overdrive apply. I heard the parts girl repeat exactly as I asked about on the phone. Those have to come from the KY warehouse. Meaning they would be UPS'd to my door. And my card charged when shipped.
I got home from work today and there's a box on my porch from WIT. Guess what... It has a high/reverse piston in there with a Belleville spring, nylon spacer and the snap ring for that clutch BUT NO OVERDRIVE APPLY PISTON IN THE BOX.... So I am finding myself asking WIT, WTF..... I'm getting pissed at not getting what iam asking for ... And IM NOT paying another UPS charge. This is twice now.
Maybe I need to go back to transtar next time. I hadn't done a trans in some time, so I didn't think I'd still be in their system/ so I tried somebody else on many positive suggestions for them.... Their service has been less than impressive
What's funny was that when I was in the phone with WIT while at the Indy swap, he said "you got that on your bill from a week before, the other location". Well I might have been charged for it, it's not there ".
Click to expand...
Try to befriend someone at a local transmission shop. Most of them will sell parts and most don't buy junk.
 
I made friends with the local transmission builder close to me. If I need parts, he will let me scavenger through his parts bins. He doesn't build that many Mopar transmissions, but he has a shelf that id 7' tall by 4' wide by 4' deep with 5 shelves on it full of 904 and 727 pieces. In another building he has at least 30 - 50 each of 904 and 727 cases. I don't bother him very often and he has only charged me for a tail housing I needed ($5.00).
 
Update on the OD piston I didn't get.
I have this trans apart at a neighbor's shop, since he has a real trans bench ans the spring compressor for the clutch packs. And was one of a handful , that strongly recommended getting my parts from that company.. I went over there last night and told him about this runaround ive been getting from them
His response was "let me call MY rep there"
I tried his rep to start with and she didn't seem to have any idea of what I was wanting. Tried to sell me the wrong converter, and the wrong neutral switch right off the bat.
Well the answer from my neighbors rep is that the OD piston is supposedly discontinued... WHAT? As many of these transmissions are out there? And the part that the piston fits into, there's a gazillion of those available everywhere.
I looked on eBay and found exactly 2. Both used.
Why couldn't they have told me that when I was standing there? And why did I have to go to 2 locations to get the rest of my stuff that I had asked for at the first one?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top