Jeep Jeffrey
- Thread starter Christian.mers
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Yikes, that fluid is black and that’s a lot of metal on the magnet.
Sounds like it’s slipping badly, which means you’re gonna have to open it up (assuming by you had enough fluid). It’s honestly not at all hard to rebuild it, and it’s not even very expensive. But I’m more interested in seeing what your drums & planets look like.
Tearing it down is easy and will inform you if a rebuild is even possible. In my experience low fluid won’t cause a slip, it will just prevent it from even going into gear, but I don’t have enough data to say that with certainty. I say that to say that you could try yo put fresh fluid in & fill it up, but I would not expect a different result.
But hey, I’m wrong literally all the time.
30rh are pretty rare on marketplace….but I do have a core in my garage right now. Fancy a drive to TX?
Sounds like it’s slipping badly, which means you’re gonna have to open it up (assuming by you had enough fluid). It’s honestly not at all hard to rebuild it, and it’s not even very expensive. But I’m more interested in seeing what your drums & planets look like.
Tearing it down is easy and will inform you if a rebuild is even possible. In my experience low fluid won’t cause a slip, it will just prevent it from even going into gear, but I don’t have enough data to say that with certainty. I say that to say that you could try yo put fresh fluid in & fill it up, but I would not expect a different result.
But hey, I’m wrong literally all the time.
30rh are pretty rare on marketplace….but I do have a core in my garage right now. Fancy a drive to TX?
If I don’t find a Trans within the next 1-2 weeks I’m feeling a rebuild in my future. Are recommendations on where I should get parts?
If everything else is toasted, I’m sure my bands and planets don’t look all too good either.
Trans fluid did get low and it threw a TCC Solenoid code but since then I found the leak and have been staying on top of my fluid (ATF+4 isn’t cheap). The only thing I really notice is some slight whining and a very very subtle grinding sound that I only heard the first 10 seconds after start up. Driving wouldn’t be too bad but I noticed every day there was a very slight and unnoticeable change in drivability and reliability that I didn’t realize. It was low for about 2 days then I filled it to the top of the fill markings while taking readings every couple of minutes to ensure the fluid had drained off the dipstick tubing and wasn’t impairing my final reading. I did let it sit overnight, get it up to operating temp and then check again to make sure it was accurate.
Lived in El Paso for quite a while but prospers about 15hrs for me. A long ways to drive for a little transmission
So all this is assuming you need a rebuild....there's a troubleshooting guide in the FSM that's worth going through. And you're checking the level while running, in neutral?
The rebuild kits I've been using on 32RH also work on the 30RH, but what you're actually going to be shopping for on ebay is a 904 banner rebuild kit. The A904 is basically what we have. the 30RH will have 1 less clutch in a drum, I believe, and maybe only a 3 pinion planet. There are different grades of kits. Some have steels some don't, some have the drum bushings, some don't, some have the kickdown band, some don't, some have the roller clutch, some don't. It's hard to know what exactly you need until you open it up. My first kit I got off Oregon Performance Transmission because they made it easy to shop, but I spent probably 3x what I should have. The last 5 or 6 I've done have been using kits off ebay.
That will cover the frictions, the steels, and all the soft parts. If you need new planet, sun gear, drums, pump, low/reverse band, etc....you'll have to source replacments off ebay. I've had good luck finding what I need there, seems like most everything is around $100 of course. And you're definitely going to want a new torque converter, so budget another $150 for that.
Rebuilding automatics is my jam, if you can stack a set of parts on top of each other and operate a feeler gauge, then you can rebuild an automatic transmission. But I'm also a surgeon — whatever the symptoms are, I'm going to recommend surgery. Your family doctor should do all the preliminary recon before referring you to the specialist.
The rebuild kits I've been using on 32RH also work on the 30RH, but what you're actually going to be shopping for on ebay is a 904 banner rebuild kit. The A904 is basically what we have. the 30RH will have 1 less clutch in a drum, I believe, and maybe only a 3 pinion planet. There are different grades of kits. Some have steels some don't, some have the drum bushings, some don't, some have the kickdown band, some don't, some have the roller clutch, some don't. It's hard to know what exactly you need until you open it up. My first kit I got off Oregon Performance Transmission because they made it easy to shop, but I spent probably 3x what I should have. The last 5 or 6 I've done have been using kits off ebay.
That will cover the frictions, the steels, and all the soft parts. If you need new planet, sun gear, drums, pump, low/reverse band, etc....you'll have to source replacments off ebay. I've had good luck finding what I need there, seems like most everything is around $100 of course. And you're definitely going to want a new torque converter, so budget another $150 for that.
Rebuilding automatics is my jam, if you can stack a set of parts on top of each other and operate a feeler gauge, then you can rebuild an automatic transmission. But I'm also a surgeon — whatever the symptoms are, I'm going to recommend surgery. Your family doctor should do all the preliminary recon before referring you to the specialist.
Roughly 1k miles each way. If you get 25mpg @ $3/gal thats only $240. Plus I get a 30RH out of my garage that I'm never gonna use.
So all this is assuming you need a rebuild....there's a troubleshooting guide in the FSM that's worth going through. And you're checking the level while running, in neutral?
The rebuild kits I've been using on 32RH also work on the 30RH, but what you're actually going to be shopping for on ebay is a 904 banner rebuild kit. The A904 is basically what we have. the 30RH will have 1 less clutch in a drum, I believe, and maybe only a 3 pinion planet. There are different grades of kits. Some have steels some don't, some have the drum bushings, some don't, some have the kickdown band, some don't, some have the roller clutch, some don't. It's hard to know what exactly you need until you open it up. My first kit I got off Oregon Performance Transmission because they made it easy to shop, but I spent probably 3x what I should have. The last 5 or 6 I've done have been using kits off ebay.
That will cover the frictions, the steels, and all the soft parts. If you need new planet, sun gear, drums, pump, low/reverse band, etc....you'll have to source replacments off ebay. I've had good luck finding what I need there, seems like most everything is around $100 of course. And you're definitely going to want a new torque converter, so budget another $150 for that.
Rebuilding automatics is my jam, if you can stack a set of parts on top of each other and operate a feeler gauge, then you can rebuild an automatic transmission. But I'm also a surgeon — whatever the symptoms are, I'm going to recommend surgery. Your family doctor should do all the preliminary recon before referring you to the specialist.
It doesn’t seem all too difficult but I really don’t think I’d know how difficult it is until I get into there. From what I’ve seen it looks pretty straight forward with some sockets, snap ring pliers, and some common sense.
What kind of kit should I look at getting for starters before even getting into the transmission? Any specific parts I want to try to make sure I get in the kit?
It's really hard to say. I've only needed to replace the kickdown band once, and that seems to drive the price of the kit up. I would see if you can find the 904 kickdown band new on ebay, then you can decide after the fact. I would definitely get a kit with the steels in it. The bushings is a crapshoot. If they're good I don't press them out. I would say 90% of the time the bushings are fine. I have yet to find a kit that has all the bushings.
This is the kit I most recently bought: https://ebay.us/m/SzERBJ
It was $156, but I didn't actually need the kickdown band so I could've saved $50 probably.
I will also tell you that strongly recommend that you get a lube locker (A-999) and the deep pan with the drain plug. There is roughly a 100% chance you'll need to drop the pan or maybe even the transmission again, since this is your first rebuild.....imagine Batman saying "first try." The deep pan is whatever, but it comes with the drain plug and that's worth the price of entry.
For the torque converter me & several others have had good luck with the Pro-King CR-90. With the condition of your fluid, 100% replace this. It's possible it's what's actually wrong, but diagnosing the TC is hard.
You'll need a few standard sockets, a copule of torx bits, snap ring pliers, lock ring pliers, and you can rent a slide hammer from Autozone to get the pump out.
To replace the bushings, a press is handy but not completely necessary. To replace the piston seal on the direct drum they make a small press tool, but I'll quietly mention that I don't always replace that seal if it is obvious that it wasn't the problem (i.e. if the frictions are toast). I hate this tool, but I've found that using the arms in my actual shop press works really well. But I've been able to use it as-designed, but it's kind of a pain.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZ43TS3?tag=wranglerorg-20
To replace the bushings, a press is handy but not completely necessary. To replace the piston seal on the direct drum they make a small press tool, but I'll quietly mention that I don't always replace that seal if it is obvious that it wasn't the problem (i.e. if the frictions are toast). I hate this tool, but I've found that using the arms in my actual shop press works really well. But I've been able to use it as-designed, but it's kind of a pain.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZ43TS3?tag=wranglerorg-20
I peeped at the Manual and I fear my issue is my sprag. The reason I suspect this is because when shifting into Manual 1, I do not move at all, it’s practically locked up. I haven’t tried Reving past 1,500 RPM to try and build pressure on the clutch.
Another reason is as mentioned earlier, I feel slipping. When looking at the chart, every time I’m in 1st gear it’s Mainly my overrunning clutch putting in work (D, 2 and 1) I thought it may be that simply based off how my LowRev Band doesn’t seem to be giving me issues (Reverse is smooth and crisp). I don’t suspect my rear clutch because 2nd and 3rd don’t seem to be giving me any issues at all.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure that’s my main issue on my 30RH?
Another reason is as mentioned earlier, I feel slipping. When looking at the chart, every time I’m in 1st gear it’s Mainly my overrunning clutch putting in work (D, 2 and 1) I thought it may be that simply based off how my LowRev Band doesn’t seem to be giving me issues (Reverse is smooth and crisp). I don’t suspect my rear clutch because 2nd and 3rd don’t seem to be giving me any issues at all.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure that’s my main issue on my 30RH?
So despite the slipping in D1, you’re able to drive it enough to get it to shift into 2nd & 3rd? D1 uses the overrun clutch as well, only without the band. This is where I have a hard time if I’m not actually IN the unit. The low reverse drum rides on that overrun roller clutch; makes it so the drum can only spin one way. The low reverse band grabs the drum to keep it from spinning at all. In M1 the band is applied, so the drum isn’t spinning….so the overrun clutch isn’t really being asked to do anything. Really understanding this level of operation is my next goal. I can rebuild them blindfolded but I still don’t come close to understanding HOW they work.
That said, anything slipping that badly needs to be opened up anyway, unless you can prove it’s the TC, but since you have a strong reverse I would not suspect the TC.
Just fyi, that clutch apply chart is the same for the 32rh as well. Operationally, the 30 & 32 are identical.
Ps. I want to try to rebuild one blindfolded, actually. Aside from reading the feeler gauge, I’m pretty sure I can.
That said, anything slipping that badly needs to be opened up anyway, unless you can prove it’s the TC, but since you have a strong reverse I would not suspect the TC.
Just fyi, that clutch apply chart is the same for the 32rh as well. Operationally, the 30 & 32 are identical.
Ps. I want to try to rebuild one blindfolded, actually. Aside from reading the feeler gauge, I’m pretty sure I can.
To me, I just really want to learn about any Auto Trans and their operation. A week ago I didn’t know a single thing about automatic transmission and now I’m here researching. I’m really big on continuous improvement and constantly learning. The fact that I can get insights from others with more knowledge makes learning so much easier and exciting.
I wish, I just need to get my foot in the door first. Enjoying reading the manual and learning from others experiences definitely makes this more exciting
I didn't know jack about them until I decided to rebuild mine. And now I still know jack but I know a mountain more than just about everybody else, lol.
I ended up with questions I didn't even know I would have. Like ok, you get some gear ratio by these clutches applying......but how does that happen? They're centered around a spinning shaft, how do you inject pressurized fluid into a thing that is spinning to force the piston to apply the clutches? Enter the world of teflon sealing rings and brass bushings. I never would have guessed that the pump pushes fluid literally through the center of the input shaft that is rotating at basically engine speed. I still can barely believe that is possible, but it's one of the many marvels that I didn't even know was a thing prior to getting my hands in there. So much fun.
So pull that thing out already, and lets get to the teardown.
Heck yeah, what should I get in the kit?? Clutches, steels, O rings, seals, gaskets? Should I worry about replacing bands, servos, or accumulators? Should I worry about ordering an overrunning clutch so it comes in around the same time the other parts do?
It seems like I won’t know what I need to order till I get the Transmission out but then it’s a crunch for time (This is my daily so it complicates everything that much more)
the kit will have frictions and seals. Some have steels, some have kickdown band, some have bushings. I would say get one with steels, the kickdown band ends up being like another $30-$40, probably won't need it. But since you have the transmission out..... Bushings I don't touch unless they're bad, you won't know till you open it up. I've only had one bad bushing. The overrun clutch is almost never part of the kit but I expect you to need it. I would not worry about the servos or the L/R band. If you need them, you can get them after the fact. But you don't need them. You can buy a billet accumulator...competely unnecessary but it looks cool on your bench. And then you'll never see it again.
Then choose to heed or ignore my advice on the pan with the drain plug & lube locker gasket.
Then choose to heed or ignore my advice on the pan with the drain plug & lube locker gasket.
@Wildman
Found a Welder around me. With my IRO Mounts and him traveling to me with his equipment (only about 30 minutes) he quoted me $500.
He broke it down:
$400 for cutting out the old Mounts and welding in the new mounts as well as all prep work
$50 for his welding materials needed
$50 for travel and equipment transportation
So a total of $500
The pictures are some of his recent welds. Not sure what a good weld should look like or if I should move forward.
Thoughts??
Found a Welder around me. With my IRO Mounts and him traveling to me with his equipment (only about 30 minutes) he quoted me $500.
He broke it down:
$400 for cutting out the old Mounts and welding in the new mounts as well as all prep work
$50 for his welding materials needed
$50 for travel and equipment transportation
So a total of $500
The pictures are some of his recent welds. Not sure what a good weld should look like or if I should move forward.
Thoughts??
I'd say that isn't a bad price but I have no idea what things cost anymore. But if you don't have the equipment then paying someone to come do it or taking it to a shop to have it done will cost.
How much would you change someone if you were the mobile welder doing this job??
The things is, I have a little HF Flux Core welder that I could borrow from my great grandfather and all the other equipment but I have never welded anything before and he’s too old to get out to the garage and teach me. This is also something I don’t really want to weld up because it’s an expensive repair if I made a mistake
I have no idea what to charge. I know shops in my area are charging $180-250 per hour for repairs. And for me being a guy in my garage I'd guess it'd take 2-3 hours to cut the old stuff off and then weld on the new brackets.
And the little HF Flux Core welder isn't large enough to weld those brackets onto your axle. The only other thing you could do to make things easier and maybe cheaper is to pull the front axle out and take it to a shop to do the work. That might save you a little money.
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