Re: dakota shift kits

From: Dick Campagna (campagna@nothinbut.net)
Date: Fri Aug 22 1997 - 07:41:59 EDT


Guys - It's been my experience that dealer mechanics are ALWAYS against
anything other than OEM products. It could be for several reasons:
They've got no actual experience with 'em; they get a commission on OEM
parts; or they've got a good reason to not like 'em. I think it's one of
the first two.

----------
> From: E. Frank Ball III <frankb@cougar.sr.hp.com>
> To: dakota@ait.fredonia.edu
> Subject: dakota shift kits
> Date: Thursday, August 21, 1997 12:44 PM
>
> } From: "Randy E. Bowman" <r.bowman@cvce.com>
> } Subject: Shift Kits
> }
> } I talked to my newfound mopar mechanic (previously worked for cc) now
has
> } own shop, i talked to him about sure grip, shift kits, etc.
> }
> } He has a 92 Dak 4x4 v8: He recently did the sure grip install and will

> } probably do mine, said it took about 6 hours to get it just right and
> } recommended a new bolt kit as well as putting new bearings at that
time,
> } but he did not recommend the shift kit saying that the clutches, bands,

> } etc. cant handle it (too weak) that the tranny life would be very much
> } shortened. Just wanted some other opinions on this. I hate the stock
> } shift and would like to fix, but dont want to hurt the tranny life in
the
> } process.
> }
> } opinions????????
>
> The guy is full of it. Shift kits make the clutches last much longer
> because they aren't slipping so long when it shifts. Bands are just
> another type of clutch, so the same things goes. I took a class at the
> local JC on rebuilting automatic transmissions. They guy who teaches it
> has 15+ years experience in one of the two shops in town I would trust.
> And he used to rebuild them for stock car racing (local grassroots dirt
> track). He likes to make mild changes to all the transmissions he
> rebuilds to make them shift firmer (fewer warranty failures) and really
> recommends shift kits, especially for towing. He rebuilt a friends
> trans in his big old Crysler so he could tow a huge sailboat down to
> Mexico. He wrote "rebuilt for towing" on the invoice, and explained
> that it would shift hard. You didn't try to sip coffee when driving
> that car. I rebuilt a friends C6 in the class and as I was putting it
> back together he kept reaching over and grabbing springs and saying "you
> don't need these" and tossing them accross the room. We left out every
> third spring in the clutch packs and the weaker spring in the
> acumulators, both changes make it shift a little firmer. The same as a
> mild shift kit, but cheaper, but only if you have the whole transmission
> apart.
>
> Frank Ball 1UR-M frankb@sr.hp.com (707) 794-4168 work
> Hewlett Packard (707) 794-3038 fax (707) 538-3693 home
> 1212 Valley House Drive Kawi KDX200, Yamaha XT350 YZF600R Seca 750
> Rohnert Park CA 94928-4999 '95 Dakota SLT Club Cab V8 5-Speed 2WD

 



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