Worn out planetary gear

[alpinecrick]

Update.....

Just got off the phone with a client I do work for who owns a trans/gear rebuild company on the Front Range. He said the problem with the planetary on the 4L60's/700r's is the needle bearings are what usually give out and then filter through the planetary, leading people to believe it was the planetary's fault. The crux was the GM 4 vs 5 gear is that GM used the same needle bearings in both.

Which may explain the "upgrade" I was originally advised about.

 

[Schurkey]

I'm considering two 2400 stall ones on my 4l60E. B&M 70441 and TCI 242938

First Guess: Both of them are junk.

Too many folks focus on advertised stall speed, not enough emphasis on whether the converter is "sloppy" or "tight".

Cheap converters are sloppy. Good converters are expensive, and "tight". They flash under power to a high stall speed, but in normal driving they act like stockers. The sloppy ones don't couple even under low or moderate engine torque; so fuel economy takes a hit, throttle response takes a hit, they generate excess heat...all the bad things associated with stall speed but which are actually due to improper fluid flow within the converter.

 

[jaywestfall]

First Guess: Both of them are junk.

Too many folks focus on advertised stall speed, not enough emphasis on whether the converter is "sloppy" or "tight".

Cheap converters are sloppy. Good converters are expensive, and "tight". They flash under power to a high stall speed, but in normal driving they act like stockers. The sloppy ones don't couple even under low or moderate engine torque; so fuel economy takes a hit, throttle response takes a hit, they generate excess heat...all the bad things associated with stall speed but which are actually due to improper fluid flow within the converter.

First Guess: Both of them are junk.

Too many folks focus on advertised stall speed, not enough emphasis on whether the converter is "sloppy" or "tight".

Cheap converters are sloppy. Good converters are expensive, and "tight". They flash under power to a high stall speed, but in normal driving they act like stockers. The sloppy ones don't couple even under low or moderate engine torque; so fuel economy takes a hit, throttle response takes a hit, they generate excess heat...all the bad things associated with stall speed but which are actually due to improper fluid flow within the converter.

The other option was Circle D converters here in Houston. I did request a quote from them.. Folks on this board have used their stuff, too.

Thanks for your input. Definitely not interested in trash.

 

[Supercharged111]

Update.....

Just got off the phone with a client I do work for who owns a trans/gear rebuild company on the Front Range. He said the problem with the planetary on the 4L60's/700r's is the needle bearings are what usually give out and then filter through the planetary, leading people to believe it was the planetary's fault. The crux was the GM 4 vs 5 gear is that GM used the same needle bearings in both.

Which may explain the "upgrade" I was originally advised about.

Even if they suck, they're still stronger if there are more to share the load. My impression is that you're only beefing up one possible failure point. This will do nothing to keep you from wiping out the band or smoking the 3-4 pack.