F-350 transmission question

[showhaulin']

Hi. I'm new here but am a member of the horse forums.

I have a F350 that had to have a new transmission put in it this week. It is a 1999 with 98,000 miles on it. Nearly every time it is cranked up, there is a horse trailer behind it. It is a 4 horse with living quarters, so it is not light. I'm just wondering if there was any type of factory guarantee on the Fords about the transmission lasting to 100,000 miles. The new tranny will be warranted for 100,000.

[bradrhale]

i seriously doubt ford had a warranty that long. come to think of it, they still dont. are you the original owner?? something they fail to tell is that the warranty period decreases everytime the vehicle is sold and rebought.

[mrjohnwayne]

not from ford. the motors (7.3 liter powerstroke) had a 5 year 100,000 mile warranty but not the tranny.

One thing you can do to improve the life of the tranny since you pull with it is to put in an aftermarket valve body from BTS and a billet convertor. Should help increase the life.

[showhaulin']

I am not the original owner, but I was the first to put in a 5th wheel hitch, so I know it wasn't used for pulling 5th wheels when I bought it.

I knew that sometimes manufacturers have this 'secret' warranty period for parts, and came here thinking some of you might have cracked that code and could help me out.

And mrjohnwayne.....can you tell me that again.....in English. What is BTS and billet converters?

[mrjohnwayne]

BTS stands for "brians truck shop" One of the best builders of 4r100 automatic transmissions (the auto in your truck) They have a replacement valve body for the tranny that is far superior to the factory valve body.

A billet converter is an aftermarket torque converter that uses billet material as the front plate. It is much stronger than stock and will handle wear and tear better. Plus aftermarket convertors will increase efficiency when it goes into lock up and extend tranny life. they are kinda pricey but well worth it!

Check out this link

Brians Truck Shop

[bradrhale]

would i be correct as to say that BTS is tha manufacturer and a billet converter would be another type of torque converter?? did they come with transmission coolers??
only way to make someone eat a part is for you to prove that it was a manufacturers defect. hard to prove though.

[mrjohnwayne]

Originally Posted by bradrhale

would i be correct as to say that BTS is tha manufacturer and a billet converter would be another type of torque converter?? yes and yes

did they come with transmission coolers?? Yes the trucks came with coolers from the factory (if this is what you meant) you can get bigger aftermarket coolers though.


only way to make someone eat a part is for you to prove that it was a manufacturers defect. hard to prove though.

my comments in red

[75K30]

Just to steal a little thunder here. You guys have this one under control, but these transmissions are not exactly known for being the best that they can be, but with a little help they can survive.
The largest cooler possible is always a great idea, and a cool transmission is a happy transmission. That being said, installing an aftermarket cooler with a fan is a fantastic idea.
The next best idea might be something that has been overlooked, and this would be the rear axle gear ratio. I am hoping that this truck does not have 3.73 gears in it. This 4 horse trailer with living quarters is not a light haul, and I fear that the tuck struggles with this weight. Alright, let me re-phrase. The truck may not exactly struggle, but it cant be as efficient as it can possibly be. Having a better mechanical advantage with a slightly lower gear may be the best choice. This will take much strain off of the transmission, and even make it easier to run in full lock up, (also helping to keep the trans cool).
Getting that trailer rolling has got to be a factor for short lived transmissions, and accelerating with an improper ratio has got to be another.
Both factors are addressed by changing the gears.
Forunately these are reasably cheap to find, and not too bad to install. For the money this will be a cost effective solution, and transmissions will thank you for making it easier to pull those animals around.

[showhaulin']

Thanks 75K30.

But can you say that in English also. How do i know what gear ratio I have?

[mrjohnwayne]

on the front drivers door or the cab support between the front and rear door there is a sticker with all the info on the truck.. On that sticker there will be an area that says AXLE CODE - Find that and we can look up what gears you have.