While it is cold, I'm thinking through what I might do to my RWD '01 2500 Diesel in the spring when it warms up. Its 47RE transmission has had several problems lately, mostly from 2 incidents where the cooler lines broke and the fluid leaked out. It has never shifted well into 4th/OD after the second time the lines broke and it lost fluid. I've been watching some videos on rebuilding 47RE transmissions and it looks like something I could do, skill-wise, but I want to make sure I'm not delusional. I'm an above-average shade-tree mechanic (but certainly not a professional mechanic) that has pulled engines, rebuilt engines, etc. but I've never touched a transmission.
1) Am I delusional in thinking I can pull this off as my first transmission rebuild? Are there special tools that I should expect to buy? (E.G. Bearing installation tools for the specific bearings, or something like that) Are there any critical phases I need to be aware of? (E.G. If you don't get the seal for the blah-blah bearing installed exactly level, bad things happen)
2) This is my towing and hauling truck that I intend to keep for the long haul. Its main purpose is to pull a 14,000# 38-ft Gooseneck horse trailer. Driven about 3K miles/yr. Stock Cummins Diesel. What level of transmission rebuild kit should I get for it? I see a bunch in the $2-400 range, several in the $800-1000 range, and some around $2K that also upgrade the torque converter and flex plate. I want to "buy once cry once" and get a quality kit that will tow all day long without issues. At the same time, I don't want to waste money on overkill performance parts that won't benefit it when towing the trailer. (I don't hot-rod in it, and don't have a souped-up engine) What should I look for in a rebuild kit? How much should I plan to spend, roughly?
3) Any guesses on how many hours it will take? (I usually assume 3-4X as long as it takes a pro-mechanic for something I'm doing for the first time.)
1) Am I delusional in thinking I can pull this off as my first transmission rebuild? Are there special tools that I should expect to buy? (E.G. Bearing installation tools for the specific bearings, or something like that) Are there any critical phases I need to be aware of? (E.G. If you don't get the seal for the blah-blah bearing installed exactly level, bad things happen)
2) This is my towing and hauling truck that I intend to keep for the long haul. Its main purpose is to pull a 14,000# 38-ft Gooseneck horse trailer. Driven about 3K miles/yr. Stock Cummins Diesel. What level of transmission rebuild kit should I get for it? I see a bunch in the $2-400 range, several in the $800-1000 range, and some around $2K that also upgrade the torque converter and flex plate. I want to "buy once cry once" and get a quality kit that will tow all day long without issues. At the same time, I don't want to waste money on overkill performance parts that won't benefit it when towing the trailer. (I don't hot-rod in it, and don't have a souped-up engine) What should I look for in a rebuild kit? How much should I plan to spend, roughly?
3) Any guesses on how many hours it will take? (I usually assume 3-4X as long as it takes a pro-mechanic for something I'm doing for the first time.)
