4 pinion planet BETTER than 5 pinion planet?

[stutaeng]

Another misconception seems to be busted: It looks like from reading some other forums that the 4 pinion planetary gearsets of these units are actually better than 5 pinion planetary gearsets. Reason being the materials of the 5 pinion is actually of lower quality than the 4 pinion. I would of never believed it! Aftermarket 5 pinions being the worst.

Off brand 5 pinion planets? - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Automatic Transmission - Off brand 5 pinion planets? - I need to replace the rear Planets during 4l60e rebuild. I've been hunting for parts and keep seeing 5 pinion planets for cheap. I called Natpro and they wanted $400+ for a new GM unit. Are these any good or a Chinesium bomb ready to go off...

ls1tech.com

I hope this helps anyone looking at rebuilds and comparing "build sheets" in the future.

 

[Supercharged111]

Well your first mistake was wanting to put a 4L60E back in its original home.

 

[stutaeng]

Well your first mistake was wanting to put a 4L60E back in its original home.

LOL.

No, seriously. Who would think that 4 is better than 5!? I'm just trying to help. I see the 5 pinion "upgrade" on a lot of build sheets. I'm trying to remember if I've seen any rear gearset failures in my internal memory...not off the top of my head. Maybe it's not a big deal.

 

[yevgenievich]

1990 700r4 from a suburban. Actually kept going, but started to whine about hard life or something

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[Supercharged111]

LOL.

No, seriously. Who would think that 4 is better than 5!? I'm just trying to help. I see the 5 pinion "upgrade" on a lot of build sheets. I'm trying to remember if I've seen any rear gearset failures in my internal memory...not off the top of my head. Maybe it's not a big deal.

Well damn, even the GM planets suck. Noted.

 

[GoToGuy]

Their saying the same thing we hear on alot of other parts. That " imported poor quality planetary sets" are of questionable strength durabilty; not all five gear planetary sets are crap. Same old story, if it's too good to be true it probly is not.

 

[Schurkey]

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This is the second rebuild of this transmission, the first time was in '99. Both times the planetary gears were torn-up. The first time, the planet gears had spit-out their roller bearings. I don't have photos of that planetary set.

Trans symptoms: Ran perfectly, shifted fine until I stop at a gas station to air-up a portable compressed-air tank for a friend. Get in the truck, start the engine, have nothing but park and a bunch of neutrals. Look at the dipstick, fluid seems adequate if maybe more maroon than bright red. Get back in the truck, start engine, drives fine to my friend's home. Then I have nothing but neutrals again for awhile. Eventually, I drove it back home in 3rd gear, with more slippage as I went. Pulled pan, found a bunch of debris, and a bunch of 2--4 band material segments in the pan.

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~$3200 later, works great. Trans shop did not stock 5-pinion planets, told me they weren't any better than the 4-pinion units. If this happens again, it's getting a 4L80E and some sort of controller.

 

[AK 99]

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This is the second rebuild of this transmission, the first time was in '99. Both times the planetary gears were torn-up. The first time, the planet gears had spit-out their roller bearings. I don't have photos of that planetary set.

Trans symptoms: Ran perfectly, shifted fine until I stop at a gas station to air-up a portable compressed-air tank for a friend. Get in the truck, start the engine, have nothing but park and a bunch of neutrals. Look at the dipstick, fluid seems adequate if maybe more maroon than bright red. Get back in the truck, start engine, drives fine to my friend's home. Then I have nothing but neutrals again for awhile. Eventually, I drove it back home in 3rd gear, with more slippage as I went. Pulled pan, found a bunch of debris, and a bunch of 2--4 band material segments in the pan.

You must be registered for see images attach

~$3200 later, works great. Trans shop did not stock 5-pinion planets, told me they weren't any better than the 4-pinion units. If this happens again, it's getting a 4L80E and some sort of controller.

I busted one about like that too. Luckily for me, it wasn't too awful long after I had a trustworthy shop rebuild the trans. They tore it all down and fixed it for free. Same deal, they said that the 5-pinion was not really any better than the 4-pinion.

 

[smdk2500]

When the 60E went in the 94 I had OD went first then the rest followed within a week. When the guy rebuilt it He said that 3 of the 4 gears in the planets where missing teeth.

 

[tayto]

usually the above failures are because of bad needle bearings/thurst washers. there is also a captured Torrington bearing that never gets changed. i would say that most shops don't rebuild the planets. they'll use a "good" used one or aftermarket junk. the builders who really know these units have known for over a decade that 4 pinion is better than the 5 pinion.