Rebuilding my 32RH transmission (fully successfully)

M10 is larger than 3/8” so...I think I'd see if a 3/8 -16 tap starts easily.

Does the FSM tell you what size thread it is? A lot of times there is a clue based on part number
 
It turns out if you just follow the FSM and every guide on youtube the answers will be evident. I've noticed that everybody takes the bell housing off to do this overhaul. I'm like that's dumb I'm not doing that. Turns out that if you remove the bell housing you can use a seal puller and the pump pops right off.

Completed the teardown tonight. Was pretty easy for the most part. Virtually every sub-assembly has one of these 3 piece needle bearings that handle all the clearancing. So it's just a matter of keeping track of how each one mounts onto the next assembly. The overdrive brake assembly is a bit of a bugger to get out, it's almost pressed in. You're supposed to use the same bridge puller to get it out but I got creative and completed the mission. The absolute hardest part was a snap ring way down deep. It probably took me 90 minutes to get it out, including using a 13/16" wrench to get leverage under a portion I had finally got clear of the groove. The videos show guys using stoopid long screw drivers to get in there, which allow them to use the case for leverage. I had no such tool so I had to work at it and leave other screwdrivers, pics, and whatever else I had laying around to help secure the progress I had made. The snap ring did have two eyelets on it but my cheapo HF snap ring pliers would not open wide enough. I ordered a nice set off Amazon that will open to ~2.5", and will arrive on Wednesday. That should help with the re-assembly.

Clutches are dark brown (to match the fluid) but appear to be in great shape. Really, the whole thing other than the pump seal looks great aside from the dark colored fluid. You have to put yourself into the Xj mindset, which boils down to "send it first, ask questions later, and spend no money." So I'm gonna thoroughly clean the thing, replace the input & output seals, and call it good. Me, I would buy the peace of mind and get the new kit but that's the TJ mindset, which is not welcome in the world of the Cherokee owned by an Oklahoma redneck (who happens to be my best friend). So we'll do it his way and if it blows up in our face we'll drop it down again, buy the kit, and do the FULL overhaul.

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I haven't looked at the FSM but I would imagine there are specs for thickness of the clutches? Might be worth sticking a mic on em

It's probably a spec for the assembled clutch pack where you put a feeler gauge in to determine the wear. It's something worth doing to avoid coming back apart, unless all the clutches look like that one that still has the G part # on it.
 
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We're leaving for vacation Saturday morning, so I've basically got to get this tranny re-assembled tonight. FSM only has 109 steps, piece of cake. The most irritating part is that for some reason the figures aren't always right next to the matching instruction, so you have to scroll up and down to read the step then see what they're describing. I would just print those pages off, but of course our printer is out of ink. So I guess I'm taking my laptop out into the garage to do this.


In other news the driveshafts are back home, but I'm being a good friend and prioritizing his work over mine.
 
Well F.

I must have a clearance problem in the bottom because I can't get the output shaft to seat to the point where I can get the top snap ring on. I had the same exact problem on my trans, it ended up being a tabbed thrust washer that got out of alignment. I'm guessing the same thing is happening here, although it's a little more confusing. There are already 2 different clutch packs installed that fit behind snap rings that fit into grooves in the case. If there was a clearance issue I would've expected lots of trouble seating those snap rings, and/or out of spec clearances on the clutches, but I'm right on the money there. Since the snap ring grooves are in the case itself, they sort of set where everything behind them will be if that makes sense.

The other possibility is that the output shaft itself is getting hung up somewhere on the output support. It looks like it could go in another 1/8" but it just won't. It also would mean the speed sensor magnet thingy would maybe ride on the output support but there is no bearing there so it doesn't feel quite right. OF COURSE I don't have a picture of how that was seated before I tore it down.

So to tear it down the rest of the way involves getting off this MASSIVE snap ring that I spent another hour on last night before I called it for the night. So annoying. I can rebuild a trans (ostensibly) but I can't deal with a flipping snap ring. grrrrrr
 
We're leaving for vacation Saturday morning, so I've basically got to get this tranny re-assembled tonight. FSM only has 109 steps, piece of cake. The most irritating part is that for some reason the figures aren't always right next to the matching instruction, so you have to scroll up and down to read the step then see what they're describing. I would just print those pages off, but of course our printer is out of ink. So I guess I'm taking my laptop out into the garage to do this.


In other news the driveshafts are back home, but I'm being a good friend and prioritizing his work over mine.

I was wondering what the outcome of your reinstall was.

And those little "G"s on the clutches stand for still good right? Lol
 
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Well F.

I must have a clearance problem in the bottom because I can't get the output shaft to seat to the point where I can get the top snap ring on. I had the same exact problem on my trans, it ended up being a tabbed thrust washer that got out of alignment. I'm guessing the same thing is happening here, although it's a little more confusing. There are already 2 different clutch packs installed that fit behind snap rings that fit into grooves in the case. If there was a clearance issue I would've expected lots of trouble seating those snap rings, and/or out of spec clearances on the clutches, but I'm right on the money there. Since the snap ring grooves are in the case itself, they sort of set where everything behind them will be if that makes sense.

The other possibility is that the output shaft itself is getting hung up somewhere on the output support. It looks like it could go in another 1/8" but it just won't. It also would mean the speed sensor magnet thingy would maybe ride on the output support but there is no bearing there so it doesn't feel quite right. OF COURSE I don't have a picture of how that was seated before I tore it down.

So to tear it down the rest of the way involves getting off this MASSIVE snap ring that I spent another hour on last night before I called it for the night. So annoying. I can rebuild a trans (ostensibly) but I can't deal with a flipping snap ring. grrrrrr

Hey a few more times you will have these down,this is how you learn,like my pop always said,it like going to college for free.
 
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finally found a few minutes to get the rear driveshaft in before we left for vacation. Quick recap: when I last drive it I had a leak at the pump, was concerned that’s neutral was actually in gear, and also hard turns created fire. And also it was shifting way too soon because my TV cable was trash.


I’m happy to report that I don’t have any leaks (yet), no fire when I turn, and neutral doesn’t make my jeep go. Shift points are still too early but I haven’t spent any time adjusting the new cable yet. It’s just about back to normal.
 
Be careful driving around too much without a proper adjusted TV cable. From what I remember the TV controls line pressure to the solenoids and such and can cause things to go bad pretty fast if not adjusted correctly. I know a Chevy trans will basically self destruct within miles if you have the TV wrong. It's not just for shift points. This is a required step in setting up your transmission
 
Be careful driving around too much without a proper adjusted TV cable. From what I remember the TV controls line pressure to the solenoids and such and can cause things to go bad pretty fast if not adjusted correctly. I know a Chevy trans will basically self destruct within miles if you have the TV wrong. It's not just for shift points. This is a required step in setting up your transmission

I wouldn’t play around with it much,you pretty much make it where it snaps on the throttle ball with no resistance
 
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I wouldn’t play around with it much,you pretty much make it where it snaps on the throttle ball with no resistance

Exactly, one or 2 clicks either way from nominal is about all the range you have to work with for shift point adjustments.
 
Is the later model that snaps backward compatible with the older version?

I don't know enough about the other years to give good information.

*edit: I'm guessing yours has a button to make the adjustment and not the clip like the 97?
 
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I don't know enough about the other years to give good information.

*edit: I'm guessing yours has a button to make the adjustment and not the clip like the 97?

No, the other way around. My 99 has the annoying clip. I want the easy-to-adjust version.
 
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