AzzBustin30th

iTrader: (37)

im trying to piece together a nice 4l80. im starting off with a junkyard trans. i am going to also purchace the rossler trans break and moroso tranny pan. and alto read eagle clutches and a rebuild kit of of ebay. what else would make this tranny pretty stout. and where is it available at.

i also found a trans-go shift kit.
and some hd front and rear kevlar bands. should i get these items also? and what else would shold i pick up?

ill be honest i dont really no squat about an automatic.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

382ssz28

iTrader: (24)

There are Kentmore tools that are REQUIRED to put together this trans. About $600.00 worth. This is the proper way to build this trans. Do you want to find out the hard way after spending all of your hard earned coin if you make a mistake, if you did something wrong? Call one of the excellent vendors and put the liability in a pros hands. You will install it and it will work. I have trained guys over the years that still call for advice as we don't see these tranny's every day, and it is easy to forget important criteria for proper assembly, let alone someone who has never built one. Find out what happens when you don't change some of the teflon rings or don't have a tool to install some pieces or assemble the od piston to put the spring cage together. You must have the tools! TransGo has excellent kits, get the right one. The red frictions are good and you should think about Koline steels to mate them to. I don't like Kevlar bands as I have seen them slip under load. Use the factory High Energy material bands. New Torrington bearings are a must. Also, change the center support bushing! Take these parts to a pro. Make the call. Good luck.

Beaflag VonRathburg

iTrader: (176)

I'm planning on doing the same thing. I'd rather spend $600 on tools than spend a few thousand dollars to have someone build me one. On that note I do understand what you are saying. On the other hand, lets pretend transmission builders didn't exist and you had to do it yourself. What parts would you recommend?

eliotmansfield

I'm interested in building my own 4l80e too. Unfortunately this forum just seems full of vendors and customers of vendors - rather than anyone willing to share exact details of how to go about building your own trans should you wish to.
I live in the UK, so I'm happy to purchase my parts from the vendors on here - but I would rather do the work myself, because the shipping costs of entire transmissions make the warranty worthless.

If vendors are happy to advise and supply off-line - then say so.

WRT to the "special tools" - I can weld, turn and machine - so is that enough to make my own tools?
I made my own 700r4 tools - which frankly are trivial:
http://www.mez.co.uk/Chevy700r4pg5.html

AzzBustin30th

iTrader: (37)

i have some one to put it together for me. hes doing it as a favor. im just not as deep pocketed as some. im looking to buy the parts myself and cut out the middle to save myself my coin.

all i want to know is what parts should i buy to make this thing stout. i would like brand names and where to buy one.

John_D.

iTrader: (2)

There's a lot of beefed up parts you can put in one.

For an example, take a look at the-transmission-center site and see what all they have listed. About 1/4-1/3 of the way down the page. Bands, hubs, pumps, shafts, drums, planets, clutches, steels, sprag.

It's a place to start getting educated just on the sheer number of parts available...

A freshened-up, fairly-stock 80 is supposed to hold up very well.

buddyholly

I have rebuilt a few 4l80e's now and have yet to need the aformentioned $600 mystery tool. Some of the apply pisons inside can cause problems to reassemble but if that is an issue take it to a local shop and have them do it. The 4l80e is a great tranny and pretty simple to build compared to the 700/4l60e. Never had a problem with any that I have built and my total expense for "special" tool thus far is $0. Get a good core first and foremost. As with any automatic tranny get the latest model with the lowest milage you can get your hands on since they are all a crapshoot if you don't know the history. Standard stock rebuild with a few mods by Transgo and they are good for huge power and torque levels. Get a good ATSG service manual and have fun with it.

dlove

iTrader: (23)

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103320

eliotmansfield

And here are some more links - again no special tools:

http://www.pswired.com/95silverado/p...L80rebuild.htm

And a longish thread showing a nice way of aligning the pump halfs and making a spring compressor:

http://www.pacificp.com/forum/viewto...=asc&start=180

DeltaT

iTrader: (5)

And by the way, the Rossler transbrake won't work with the TransGo Shift Kit. That's straight from Rossler.

Jim

AzzBustin30th

iTrader: (37)

thanks for the help everyone. keep the input coming.

GregWS6&z28

iTrader: (8)

wasting your time. let a transmission builder build it. that time will be saved from R&R in the future.

eliotmansfield

Thats your POV - but how does that work when i have to pay $500 shipping across the pond only to have to spend another $500 sending it back and another $500 returning it back again - as no builders warranties cover shipping costs?

Even if i used a builder in the UK, I would still have to pay for shipping (which I have experienced before to my expense) - as a result I learnt to do the work myself.

GregWS6&z28

iTrader: (8)

sorry man, but my post is to the original poster, who is somebody I know. you're SOL because you live across the pond. deal with it.

Beaflag VonRathburg

iTrader: (176)

Awesome links guys! Those are the types of things I've been looking for.

AzzBustin30th

iTrader: (37)

YES thank you to all the members who have helped supply input and information. and a big non thank you to the transmission builders of the site.
you dont have this kind of problem in the manual section.

382ssz28

iTrader: (24)

The problem with giving out info is we as builders make a living at this and spend many years honing our craft. Would you take money off of your kids table for any one because they won't invest in a properly built unit? I've done favors for friends but its the parts to make a unit live under the conditions we want. You can't have your cake and eat it, too. To the other guys talking about the $600.00 mystery tools, they aren't a mystery. If you read carefully, I mentioned Kentmoore Tools. These are required to put on the solid teflon rings properly and are quite exspensive. I don't make the prices or design the trans to require these tools. I use them because if one of you were to pay me good money, I want to make sure nothing is cobbled together. I own a tranny shop and I want the best for my customers so I buy the proper tools. If you got a clean unit on the outside, could you tell what someone has put into it? The problem is too may people are frustrated because they want what alot of people have but aren't willing to step up to the plate. I don't have the gaul to ask someone to cut their prices to SERVE me. Life is what it is. I have helped many people on this site, but there is a point of proper knowlege and knowing when to suggest the right way of doing things. 32 years has taught me that. I've seen guys make a mess and sometimes ruin an exspensive case to save a buck. People will never change their ways. You guys pick our suggestions apart forgetting what we suggest and not reading and understanding what we are getting at. A few of you might get lucky now and again. I made a few sincere and simple suggestions to save time, money, and stress, and I get disrespected for it. Buddyholly, you are what we call in the business is a parts replacer. This is a guy who can do the puzzle, but doesn't know the hydraulics or electronical functions of the trans. You also said you don't need the tools. God help you friends and customers because they will get what they pay for. Call these builders and vendors what you will. Look in the mirror and if you are real, you'll see the truth. Besides, I am not one of these fine vendors. I don't want any money. I try and stay unbiased to help when I can. When people ask if they can do their own unit, knowing what I know, I would suggest the safe play rather than see a guy put a bad taste in his mouth about something he gets in over his head with. Don't shoot the messenger!!

joedirtz28

damn thats long.

GregWS6&z28

iTrader: (8)

but there's truth to the post

Dark Halo

iTrader: (14)

I will just add that there are members that have built there own unit on the performancetrucks.net side and Vince from FLT has given his advice to help. They will show what tools are need what tools you can get buy with out and what tools you can make your self. Here is 2 links showing do it your self builds.
http://performancetrucks.net/forums/...d.php?t=396429
http://performancetrucks.net/forums/...d.php?t=403036