i just had my 700r4 rebuilt, installed a new bowtie overdrives overdrive kit and the trans is working great.. installed a sf 14 bolt and d44 front with 3.73s and someone told me that with those gears and that tire size it could do harm to the trans or cause it to heat faster. is there any truth in this?

and i just ordered a trans cooler and temp gauge which is good to have either way, figured you'd guys have an answer for me, i appreciate it.

Well bigger tires do make for more wear and tear. But you didnt say what size tires you have so I cant really say. If you have 49" and 3.73, yeah thats too much, But more than likely you have 35-37's so your probably ok. However if you do re gear to 4.56 or so with 35's-37's you will get better milage and more "power". This at least has been my experince.

wow im stupd, yeah 37x14s

i understand power and mileage.

thinking of re-gearing..is it possible to do under the truck or too hard?

i just had my 700r4 rebuilt, installed a new bowtie overdrives overdrive kit and the trans is working great.. installed a sf 14 bolt and d44 front with 3.73s and someone told me that with those gears and that tire size it could do harm to the trans or cause it to heat faster. is there any truth in this?

and i just ordered a trans cooler and temp gauge which is good to have either way, figured you'd guys have an answer for me, i appreciate it.


Put on the biggest cooler you can get and run it. Obviously if you get in a situation where its shifting in and out of OD just leave it in 3rd. Lower gears would be better in the long run but you certainly arent going to break the first trip around the block or anything.

Regardless of if you can get the trans to run cool enough higher gears means more leverage against the transmission. With 37's and 3.73 I wouldn't expect a 700R4 to last long at all.

I would be looking at 4.88's or 5.13's. You can change gears with the diffs under the truck but unless you have done it before you will spend a LOT of time doing it. There are a couple tech articles on this site showing you how to do it (you will need a few special tools too).

thanks for the advice, i did read it and plan on getting some crappy tools from harbor freight since its a one time job.

how long do u think it will take an axle? and on randy's ring and pinion i couldn't find a sf 14 bolt rear end stuff

thanks for the advice, i did read it and plan on getting some crappy tools from harbor freight since its a one time job.

how long do u think it will take an axle? and on randy's ring and pinion i couldn't find a sf 14 bolt rear end stuff

If its the first time you've ever done it I would plan a day for each axle.

You will need a press to get the bearings on and off, so either get one or plan on having a place to take it to.

Make sure that you follow the diff setup directions carefully and that you use red loctite on the ring gear bolts, that everything is REALLY clean, etc.

If you have never done it before I would highly suggest taking it somewhere or having someone that has setup gears before watch you.

i just had my 700r4 rebuilt, installed a new bowtie overdrives overdrive kit and the trans is working great.. installed a sf 14 bolt and d44 front with 3.73s and someone told me that with those gears and that tire size it could do harm to the trans or cause it to heat faster. is there any truth in this?

and i just ordered a trans cooler and temp gauge which is good to have either way, figured you'd guys have an answer for me, i appreciate it.

you had it rebuilt... and youre going to 37s... and 3.73 gears... you dont need an overdrive.

Hope you like the cost of another 700r4. start saving now.

thats the truth. of course, you could feasibly get away with it for a long time...if it never gets out of 2nd gear.

yeah ill do everything i can to be down to spec..i want to run 4.56s bc it is my first truck (im 16) and have been building it for two years

i will drive it everyday when i get my license in 6 months.

i was thinking trying to find a d60 with 4.56s and then just doing the rear but that isn't even within my budget for the next years to come...

ran 373s and 38s for about 5 years, the trans did blow up on me when i got the truck when it had 273s but after rebuilding it and getting 373s no problems. did tons of offroad too

if there is any difference it does have a shift kit, which it doesn't...can i get a guestimate for the install kit frfont and rear +gears for both? will this put my stress on the front when wheeling and my possibilty of blowing my front?

what axles (not gear ratio) are you running now?

One of the biggest problems people normally have with a 700r4 trans with 37" tires and 3.73 gears (or big tires with too high of gears in general) is that they just always run it in OD. With that tire vs. gear setup it will likely be constantly shifting between 3rd and OD, and not allowing the torque converter to lock up...this all causes heat and wear.

On my truck I ran 38's with 4.10 gears for years and always ran the trans in 3rd, including 100+ miles trips on the freeway at 70 mph. Granted, I didn't put many miles total on it in this condition since this is my off-road truck but several thousand miles on a completely stock (except for a cooler) trans with 115k+ on it.

Also keep in mind while reading these responses that some people on this board hate 700r4's with a passion.

yeah, may end up going with a 60 front with 4.56s if i can find one and then have the rear gears done

if not, could my 44 hold up stock to 37"x14" iroks for mud and road?

stock axles btw

say i install my gauge and it doesn't run hot, is there still a problem.

Personally I wouldnt spend any money regearing a d44/14sf, just shop around for a d60/14ff with 4.56's and be done with it. Just drive it the way it is until you find the axles.

Also keep in mind while reading these responses that some people on this board hate 700r4's with a passion.

you must mean me.

I dont hate the trans. It provided my buddy with a 225k house. isnt that special? lol... I aint jealous of him, he worked his ass off for it. We call them "guaranteed employment". like working for ford and doing recalls. its guaranteed employment.

I think the 700r4, like Fords AOD, and Chryslers torqueflite od abortion, are a great moneymaker. Sure, they can be built to last. for a price.

If youre willing to pay that price, fine. just dont look for me to think youre smart by doing it. Kind of like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. It feels SOOOO good when you stop.

the magazines talk up the 700r4 so much that its pathetic. mileage this, and performance that, low first gear, overdrive.... all that shit. not one bit of it matters when you actually realize whats inside the trans. Sure, you get a decent life out of it, but by the time its used up... well, its used up. most of the time, theres nothing left to rebuild. Generally, the builder has to invest in a complete geartrain to put it back together.

Sure, there are upgrades. Why would you upgrade a piece of shit just to wait for it to fail again, when there is a better, cheaper, stronger solution out there? You can only get a turd to shine so bright. then youre back to hitting yourself in the head with a fuckin hammer.

If you dont have enough power to pull a sick whore off a pisspot, as with a 6.2 diesel, you wont ever hurt the trans.

but, what do i know.

Well, let me rephrase my comment.......some people think 700r4's are complete junk and will self-destruct as soon as you tighten up the bellhousing bolts :flipoff2:. I'm also sure that the reason a trans shop has done so many 700r4 rebuilds has nothing to do with the sheer number of vehicles on the road with that trans and their age....if a shop rebuilds 10 times as many 700r4's as some other trans, but there were 10 times the number of vehicles on the road with the 700r4 than the other, does that mean the 700r4 is junk? No, it doesn't as the failure rate (percentage) would still be the same.

Anyway, back to the original poster:

yeah, may end up going with a 60 front with 4.56s if i can find one and then have the rear gears done

if not, could my 44 hold up stock to 37"x14" iroks for mud and road?

stock axles btw

say i install my gauge and it doesn't run hot, is there still a problem.

The temperature issue is the first thing to take into account, but not the only thing. If it was my truck I would always keep in the trans down in D, not in OD.

The whole D44 front axle vs. tire size debate has been discussed about a million times on here already so I won't get into it.

As already mentioned, I would suggest going to a 14FF in the rear if/when you ever go to a D60 front. For gears, I would also go lower than 4.56 if you are actually paying to get new parts and have them installed

what if i was to install an OD switch since i have the OD kit from bowtie overdrives and just have a toggle switch when i drive on the highway i can turn it on, but when locally turn it off, or something, i dont know!

what if i was to install an OD switch since i have the OD kit from bowtie overdrives and just have a toggle switch when i drive on the highway i can turn it on, but when locally turn it off, or something, i dont know!

Hey, tard... guess what? the overdrive switch would only disable the lock up function in the torque converter. you would actually have to think, and put it in the DRIVE position by hand, manually, when you drive the vehicle.. this means you have to use your brain for less than a second.. every time you get into the drivers seat.


are you capable of that?

maybe.
continue flame, and humble hints.

Just found this post and am a bit amused by some peoples "Fix" for the 700R4.

Just don't put in in OD, Leave it in 3rd.

Guess it's just my simple mind here, but exactly what good is an OD transmission if you can't use the OD without killing it.

If it needs deeper gears, then have them installed.

Either way, I'd rather run a TH400 (with the correct gears for my tires/driving/terrain) and just call it good.

If you want to run the 700, do yourself a favor and make it as easy on it as you can with the right gearing.

Doug

well here is the bump, im 16, builyt this truck for 2 years and ended up where i am now..
d44 and sf 14 bolt and 37"s

in 3 yrs it will be trailed most likely, if not a weekend wheeler ONLY. i just had it rebuilt, and im thinking if i swapped the 4.56s into the front that extra traction and torque will blow the front end and i dont want to spend a lot of money if i will swap in bigger stuff in 3 yrs..

and what your saying is instead of going into the main Drive, just go into 3?

I'm saying no such thing.

What I'm saying is to do it right, or do it half-assed. the choice is yours.

It needs gears for those 37" tires. If you can't afford them right now, then you ought to start saving.

In the mean time, you could just run it in 3'rd gear, but I'm not making that recommendation. Someone else brought it up, and I was responding more to that than you.

If this is going to be your DD, then you need to keep it as reliable as possible, and then make changes as you can afford them. If you can't afford new gears, then realistically, you can't afford to run 37 inch tires.

Oh, and by the way, don't buy crappy fucking tools from harbor freight.

here is what i am planning on doing

looking for a d60 with 4.56s or 4.88s and sell the 44
then re-gear the rear

if not, then ill regear the 44 and sf 14 then put stronger shafts up front the 14 bolt can take it right?

You are 16, Im sure money is tight. Just put a big cooler on it and drive. Change the fluid/filter at least every year and drive sanely. Save your money for a front d60 rear 14ff with 4.56's.

If money isnt an issue spend the coin on the 60/14 with 4.56's instead of re gearing stock axles.

I'd recommend keeping the trans out of overdrive unless you are going downhill or their is at least a 25 MPH tailwind behind you lol! Get the lowest gears you can for your axles or since your planning on changing out in a few years just use what you have and upgrade as soon as you can with 4:56 but preferably even lower gearing. Run as large as possible transcooler running into your radiator first and then into the auxilary cooler then back into the trans--make sure you get the flow direction correct as its different than your Turbo 350/400. Cooler should be a plate style with minimum dimensions of 11" x 11" x 1.5" thick. Good luck with your build up!

Jason :)

yes your right man, someone finally understands i dont get an income every year! i actually purchased a cooler and gauge, just have to install!

and i always change my fluids i freak on my friends when they don't.

i called extreme axle sales a few minutes ago isnce they are 20 minutes away and they said 800 for a front d60 with new rotors and everything and 4.56s for about 800..

so i guess im going to start trying to sell all my parts
https://post.craigslist.org/manage/489997717/vgy5x/
is the asking price too much for everything included?

and i think im guna get it with the 4.56 andthen regear my sf rear and then when its a trail truck worry about the ff?

thanks bigyellow and jason those short of responses made the most sense to me and i appreciate it so im going to try and take this route. i wish i still had my 6 lug 44 so i could just have a spart and sell both of them, but of course my pops literally threw it away on me

If you can get a bolt in ready front D60 w/4.56 gears for $800 that would be a great option and a huge upgrade. By the time you re-gear your 14SF you could just buy a 14FF with factory 4.56's. If you are patient you should be able to find one anywhere from $50 - $300 with those gears.

Cant help you on prices for your resale stuff because I live in the southwest, everything is priced differently.

yeah i have a btie on my d44 so if that gets sold and i have the money i can do the front, then not wheel it for a little until i get a ff rear or something...

here is the deal, not like anyone gives a fuck..

i'll be selling my shit and using that money for the new rears, including working and everything so hopefully i will be able to afford it all (120 hours in 6 days would be acceptable, but of course school, so hopefully from the 26th and on to get more money and even if those rears dont sell i will still have new ones.)

we are building a new house a town away with an old shed + some backyard space to hide spare parts which means a windless area to primer, paint take my time, measure etc. everything compared to in the street, on a hill.

ill be looking for a d60 with 4.56s or 4.88s (most likely 4.56 since it is a stock gear) and a 14 bolt ff and then i found a kit which makes it easy to setup my new ff to fit(barnes 4wd) and then will have ti welded and install degree shims front and rear, which i dont have now..

and for the curious, buildup thread
http://www.liftedtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24