Softening the 1-2 Shift

[yeary03SS]

Hey everyone. As of right now I have the billet servos and a transgo shift kit. I have no washers in the accumulator and my 1-2 shift is just way too rough. It barks tires at hardly any throttle. I got a new separator plate since I drilled the 1-2 feed hole out to what the kit recommended, which is too large from what I understand (i'm not going to drill the new one out at all). Should I put the original accumulator springs back in or are there other ways to soften the 1-2 shift?

[Hit Man X]

Originally posted by yeary01z71@Jul 22 2004, 08:34 PM
Hey everyone. As of right now I have the billet servos and a transgo shift kit. I have no washers in the accumulator and my 1-2 shift is just way too rough. It barks tires at hardly any throttle. I got a new separator plate since I drilled the 1-2 feed hole out to what the kit recommended, which is too large from what I understand (i'm not going to drill the new one out at all). Should I put the original accumulator springs back in or are there other ways to soften the 1-2 shift?

Nah, start with a smaller hole for the 1-2 feed (or just as it sits now with a new plate). I don't think the 1-2 needs anymore help with a billet intermediate servo as that's a BIG increase in apply capacity.

TransGo makes a better than stock sep plate that's like $12 or something. It's hardened and has some sort of zinc finish to resist rust also, pretty neato!



Anyway, start with just the size hole in the plate and see if that's what you like.

The best way to soften the 1-2 is with a smaller feed hole, I'd keep the heavier 1-2 springs also as that apparently prevents/helps poor 1-2 shift.

[yeary03SS]

Hey Hit Man. Thanks for the help. So are shift kits really that necessary if you have billet servos? I'm asking because mine's been acting funny in first gear ever since I put the transgo in. I called their tech and had no clue what to do. I know everything is put in correctly (from checking and rechecking and rechecking....). It seems to start out fine from a stop but as I give it more gas it doesn't want to accelerate. I know the fluid level is fine also. I was thinking of putting the stock parts back in and seeing if it goes back to normal. It also had no problems before this kit. If it still does it, i'll take the servos out and recheck their installation. I'm really getting tired of crawling under that damn truck!!! Also, do the accumulator springs have nothing to do with the shift firmness? It sounds like it is all to do with the feed hole?? Are the springs just making it shift quicker?

[Hit Man X]

Shift kits rebuild the valve body, servos apply the 2-4 band for 2nd and 4th gear.

The accumulator springs the TransGo has are the 1-2 ones, they make it ever so slightly firmer...pretty much to reduce/eliminate bumping and sliding into gear. The accumulator's job is to soften shifts...heavier springs reduce that. I'm going to get a set of HD springs here soon so I can put on in the 3-4 accumulator also.

All the parts TransGo wants you to put in the VB I'd use, those are there to eliminate problems. 1TRUSS just installed a TransGo with billets and didn't open up the 1-2 feed hole either...maybe he'll stop in and elaborate some.

I'll be going to that TransGo sep plate very soon too, I'll keep everyone posted on that.

[RedHeartbeat]

I built my 4L60E up with the Transgo 4L60E-HD2 series C shift kit featuring Gear Command. I followed the detailed instructions and installed all the parts in the kit. I drilled the reverse input and installed the orifice plugs. I used one spacer in the 2nd gear servo. I replaced all the plastic pistons with new aluminum units throughout the tranny. I drilled alll the marked holes to .093 except the 1-2 shift which was drilled to .082. My tranny shifts nice and smooth in normal operation and really firm under hard load. Kudos to Transgo. The wire spacer in the EPC filter was used plus I drilled two 1/16" holes in the EPC screen filter per instruction to prevent filter collapse/restriction. One step demands that you make sure the isolator & converter regulator valve moves very freely in the bore. The technician I spoke with told me of the importance of making sure the valve works freely and does not bind. Adding the stronger clutch apply springs is a lot of work and a little tricky but well worth the effort.