I have a 97 PS CC SB 4x4 with 156k that is having tranny slipage. Im not sure if the tranny has ever been repaced. It started after towing 8000lbs up a large grade. After the grade and back in overdrive I noticed that the OD light was blinking and the pan gasket was leaking a stream of fluid. The trans then would not seem to lock up after this. at 60mph in OD I am 2500 rmps when normally at 2000 rpm or less. With the load off the truck it still is slipping, I pulled the pan to check for damage, knothing there, repacled filter and fluid and it is still screwed. It seems to slip in all the gears now.

Took it to a shop and they could not get any codes They think I need an new tranny.

Qustions:
Any one have good luck with the Frod remans E40D? I can get one for $1800 with 3yr 75k warranty.
This option I can somewhat afford or should I look towards ATS or BTS. I have a hook up on ther ATS but it is still twice as much *** the ford reman?

I tow about 8000lbs on trips over 300 miles at a time.

Any Tips? Great website and thanks for the help.

 

I would go with BTS . IF you go with ford reman get better toque converter and add a shift kit to it.

 

Will 25,000 miles a year cover your usage? If so, for less than half the cost of a BTS you have a transmission warranted for 3 years. An 8k load is not that much for one of these trucks. You don't say how often or how long the trip is. If it is a few times a year and you are not planning any mods (injectors, chip, etc) to the truck I would go with the Ford and a big cooler.

Having said all that, I am running a BTS and love it. I am running about 35k miles a year and pull of to 15k on a gooseneck.

 

You can also check with a reputable local tranny shop. The beefier parts for the E40D are readily available in the aftermarket and most tranny shops have experience rebuilding them to be stronger. Likely won't be as good as a BTS, but you probably don't need it to be, and it would be better than a Ford reman. One thing about the trans shop is that they can use a much better torque converter, shift kit, pump modifications, and valve body than will come with the Ford reman.

 

Bingo, we have a winner! I would go this route. I had mine upgraded and rebuilt locally with a shift kit. Most places have the new updates and better parts for these. I paid 2000.00 rebuilt, installed, out the door! I put a tru-cool on it, and I fully expect to get at least 150,000k out of it, which for me is ALOT of truck use.

 

BTS is great tranny from what I hear. Its a sure thing! Ford and local tranny shops are a "you'll never know till you have spent the money type of thing". Its a tough call. if you can at all swing it get the BTS. other wise you will end up buy a lesser tranny then still wanting a BTS. When my tranny goes I will be seeing what children are getting on the blackmarket. But atleast I will have a good tranny! well ok probably not the part about my kids but I would really like to have a tranny that I don't have to be worried about everytime I mash the pedal!

 

IMO the Ford tranny with the 3yr/75k warranty can not be beat for the money on a stock truck. A local builder will give maybe a 1yr/12k warranty.

If the truck is going to be modified or even worked hard with the stock motor go with the BTS or other $4k tranny.

Unless you can build the tranny yourself the decision is simple pay the $4k for a never break tranny or go with the warranty and a $2k tranny. Everyone bad months the stock tranny and I will admit I only got 240,000 miles on mine before I had to go to the BTS and I drove the truck to Lead Hill. I went with the BTS because I put about 35-40k miles a year on the truck now and so two years is all I would get from the Ford warranty. Besides I don't think they had the 3yr/75k deal when I got the BTS done.

 

I too think that the Ford reman is a good deal if you are not towing all the time. You cannot beat their warranty. I only got a 12 mo/12,000 warranty with mine. I was assured however that I should get at least 200,000 out of the rebuild that I got done. We will see. SO far it shifts strong and is very smooth.

 

I'm going to chance the Ford Reman, Im in college and only use the truck to tow about 5000 miles a year if that. I only tow my rockcrawler on a flat bed trailer which weighs about 8000lbs. The truck is still stock except for intake and exhust. $1800 for the reman is all i can swing right now, I just ordered it and will have it on thursday. I will make sure to get a temp guage, 26000 lb cooler and a deep pan to keep things cool. Thanks for all the feedback.

 

Yes, it is a tough call. No question the BTS tranny is the best thing out there, and no one would be dissapointed with it. There are other trannies, though, that are very likely just as good, like John Woods and others. My problem with those high dollar trannies is that they are over $4000 and they still have to be installed, plus shipping etc., which puts them in the $5000 range. I'm dealing with a tranny shop that I know, it has a good reputation, I'm getting all kinds of upgraded parts like steel planets, increased clutch pack counts, pump and valve body improvements, shift kit, billet case triple disc TQ (generic, good but not as good as the $1200 ones), etc. and it's less than $3000 total, installed. And all I do is drop the truck off at the tranny shop. I'm not going to drag race it or do truck pulls, and I'm not going to build it to 400+ horsepower, so to me it seems like a good way to go.

I know plenty of people with well built trannies that didn't get the high dollar mail order ones and use them for towing and they are lasting. If I was going to build a high power motor, or compete with it, no question I'd get the high dollar trannie.

 

I agree on the cost thing. If I knew of any tranny shops in my area that had a reputation even half of what BTS is I would buy their tranny. The problem is that any trannies I have seen rebuilt by local shops all ended up being pulled and replaced with jasper remans. I also agree that John Woods, ATS, Suncoast, and even Factory Tech seem to be very good trannies. I also hear that JW now has a budget build.

I would seriously consider even building my own tranny if I had somebody that sold a complete kit with all the tips and tricks with instructions. Thats the kicker. There are companies that offer kits but I doubt they offer the tips and tricks. Hard parts aren't soo much what sets these trannies apart it the knowledge of the builder. a little hole drilled here, little machince work there, check that clearance close. All that stuff that seem to be trade secrets among builder is the good stuff.

 

The shop I'm using won't use a Jasper reman, he builds them all himself. Check out this link, this is some of the stuff he told me he's using, and their valvebody. I doubt it's as good as BTS, but it looks decent.

Superior trans parts

 

Rockn, it looks like you have it all covered. I agree with you that the key is to find well run local shop that is NOT a national rip-off chain. There is a shop here in ABQ that is family owned and operated for the last 50 years and these guys did mine right at a very reasonable cost. It is difficult to find that in some areas of the country.