4L60E Tranny Parts

[PWRVTEC]

Ok I have been searching through the boards trying to find an overall consensus of what needs to be done to the 4L60E in our trucks to make the best they can be. But I can’t find a common ground it seems.

So my question is what parts/numbers (i.e. shift kit, servo, acculator pins, etc) is needed to give and fix this issues with the 4L60E.

Basically I want to do anything possible without have to remove the tranny.

Thanks

[Hit Man X]

I'll try to remember to post up this later.

[Hit Man X]

FIRST, THIS GIVES YOU A VERY DETAILED IDEA OF HOW TO BUILD A 4L60E TO TAKE SOME SERIOUS ABUSE. THIS IS INFO I HAVE COLELCTED, READ, RESEARCHED, AND PIECED TOGETHER INORDER TO FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE 4L60E. I TAKE NO LIABILITY IN WHAT IS HERE, BUT IT GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS INCLUDED. Do not go and buy parts until you speak with a good reliable transmission builder. That way when it gets built, you and (s)he will know what to expect and how it will perform. Plan your attack, you wouldn't want to get stuck with incrorrect parts would you???

This is all the most up-to-date stuff I have for this unit, it changes a bit but this is about all I have come up with.



THESE ARE JUST A FEW BASICS:
1 - A quality paper and rubber kit, be sure to use new bushings as well as bearings too
2 - Take up the end play, and verify the clutch pack clearances. End play and slop helps kill transmissions almost as quick as heat does.
3 - Throw away the "load release" springs out of the 3-4 clutch pack.
4 - Use high quality frictions and steels. Alto Red Eagles, Raybestos Blue Plates, Borg Warner Tans.
5 - Toss check ball from: input shaft, No 5, and No 3.
6 - Block the 4th accumulator
7 - Ditch the servo check ball and capsule from case, install a cup plug in place.
8 - Check 2-4 band clearance
9 - BIG transmission fluid cooler

Sonnax HD 1-2 and 3-4 accumulator springs - Helps with the 1-2 upshift and 3-4 upshift.
Sonnax Pinless Aluminum Forward Accumulator - Stock can be plastic, this is pinless
Sonnax Pinless Aluminum 1-2, 3-4 Acuumulator - Stock is usually plastic, cracks, loses pressure.
Sonnax Servo Release Check Valve - Limits 3-2 downshift tieup/burning
Sonnax Fwd/Rev Abuse Bore Plug - Prevents burning of the clutch packs and band
Sonnax TCC Lockup Conversion - Makes TCC Lockup an ON/OFF setup, costly for just yourself but works well. If not, get the better apply valve from Sonnax or TransGo (both have the heavier spring also).


Clutches and Band:

2-4 Band - Black Kevlar Lined 2-4 Band OR Kevlar (Std) 2-4 Band OR Alto 2-4 Band (Alto and Std Kevlar requires wider input drum) - greater holding capacity, less likely to break off band anchor than OE, anchor on the Altos are 60% greater. Oversized Kevlar and Alto are 3/8 wider that stock band. Most late hardened input drums from TDE are ready for the wider band. The standard band is still wider than pretty much all other transmissions so it's not a necessity. I'd run a Red Alto one...Kevlar likes to burn and you're not going to give up a lot on the shifts with the Alto band.

3-4 Clutch Pack - This is highly debated. 6 Blue Plates, 8 BW Tans, 13 in the Z Pac, 9 Alto, etc. Whatever you choose, I'd try to stick with the OE thickness steels to resist heat. That usually limits you to 8 clutches, so pick your poison there.

Low/Reverse and Forward - You don't need anything exotic here as these are only applied from very slow speeds or in a stopped position. Again, pick what you like.



HARD PARTS:

29 Element Foreward Input Sprag - far better in HO applications
13 Vane Pump Conversion Kit - extra fluid flow at higher RPMs
Heavy Duty 5 Pinion Front Planetary - 5 pinions vs 4, stronger under load, hardened gears, made of powered metal
Heavy Duty 5 Pinion Rear Planetary - 5 pinions vs 4, stronger under load, hardened gears, made of powered metal
Heavy Duty Reaction Carrier Shaft - eliminates need for thrust washers, works in conjunction with the Sun Gear Shell
Heavy Duty Reaction Sun Gear Shell - limits cracking and splitting on bearing area
Heavy Duty Input Shaft and Drum - limits stress cracks on drum, limits broken shaft
Heavy Duty Output Shaft - limits broken shafts on high RPM kickdowns
TransGo shift kit - .500 boost valve, HO Pump Spring, 1-2 accum spring, fixes problems like...3-4 burnup, 2-3 overlap, delay bangs, poor 3-2 kickdown, etc. PSK or HD2 kits.
Superior Intermediate Super Servo - greater band holding power, much better 2-3 shifts, excellent 1-2 shifts, 35% more apply than 'Vette servo
Superior Overdrive Super Servo - greater holding power in 4th, much better 3-4 shifts, 50% more apply than OE part, comes with billet cover too

TransGo Vac Modulated Shift Setup - This uses a Vac Operated shift modulator that replaces the EPC (pressure solenoid) from a Ford C4 transmission to control shifts. I assume high vac is tamer shifts and low vac is firmer shifts. It's a pretty trick setup and runs about $70 more, I'm not totally convinced of it's necessity or not, but it will keep line pressure constant under high RPM/high loads...which is good. It takes the PCM out of the loop for that. I may try one in the future when my 4L60E goes south.

Now, everyone should have a great idea of what needs to be included in their transmission. I also have a big write up on torque converters, that can be posted up if need be. Obviously if you aren't make 650HP, you don't need an insane build like this whereby a few pieces can be deleted. But as I say, Do it right the first time. No sense on doing something halfway then wishing you had done something else. If you are already spending the money, a few $100 more won't break the bank.

Any good rebuild kit should have most of these parts, the specific parts needed will be per kit. KDSperformance.com stocks tons of parts as does Transmission Center, little parts come from Transmissionpartsusa.com. Anything else a trans shop should be able to get. The weakest part is the Reaction Sun Gear Shell, I am unsure if anyone makes a forged/billet one...but if someone does and you are pushing insane amounts of power, get it.

Once you have that stuff done, then it comes down to the builder. Some like tight clearances for less slop, others like looser for less drag. Really depends. I'd shoot for the medium to tight on them. I haven't built one to have it blow up so I can't say what would work better in what scenario. Tight may be better for HO apps and looser for towing.

Additionally, many hard parts can be cryogenically treated and stress relieved to increase strength and duraibility...sure it costs more but when you are pushing the limits of the 4L60E you need everything done. Once your internals are fully prepped to resist breaking, I begin to see the 3-4 pack burn up...I believe mainly due to insufficient fluid flow and incorrect clearances mostly. I have noticed that you can run even thinner steels and run thinner clutches in the 3-4 and forward gear to be able add more holding power BUT then you induce more heat. I am unsure of any additional holding power with the thinner frictions and steels as if you add too many thin ones you may lose the additional holding power by the abundance of the frictions and steels in the pack. Additional clutches in the 3-4 may require machining to fit also.

Finally super hard shifts are bad even on the best internals. Just go with a fully installed TransGo, NO washers in the 1-2 accumulator, and both billet servos for an excellent shifting as well as not overly hard trans. Keep feed holes smaller to resist "banging" or too firm of shifts also.