Well my transmission just started slipping on my 96’ Dakota 4wd 5.2L especially in the higher rpms and squalling really badly and I have to let off the gas then back on just for it to start pulling again just was wondering how hard is it to drop out and rebuild it myself knowing some mechanical stuff or is it’s just a better idea to let a shop rebuild it

 

I would pull it out, but I would let someone else rebuild it. But that is based on my abilities.

 

I watched the TransmissionBench.COM videos for a 4R70W and decided I could do that myself; I watched the ones for the 46RE and decided "Oh HELLNAW!!!"

Watch their videos, grab the FSM from the FAQ here, study up the factory manual, and make your own mind up.

RwP

 

I did my own in my 96 4wd..... bought the truck with trans and T case laying in the bed, and that was 40k+ miles ago

 

Well I was just debating on just getting the band replace as that seems to be the problem or just do a complete rebuild, because if I do a full rebuild I’m not doing it myself it seemed to complicated as having to use a press to get some of the parts together or just buy a Remanufactured one as the prices are pretty close I could take it out and put it in its not that difficult other then teetering on a jack, but as of today I did a transmission fluid change and it seemed to help a little but still squalls “not as bad but” if I put it under a load at higher rpms between 4500-5000 rpms.

 

Ive redone 727s 904s, 500s and 518s (yeah I know they now have RH/RE designations) the most recent about a year ago.
the only Ford trans I have done was a C4 about 30 years ago, have rebuilt a couple of GM TH 350's like the Ford its been ~30 years ago.
I had a buddy ask me to do a Ford 4R70W about 6 months ago, I pulled it and set it on a trans shop's bench and waited for a phone call to tell me it was done then reinstalled it. the owner of that one tells me every time I talk to him he tells me how "hard" it shifts compared to his 2012 Dodge Cummins dually.
That Ford with the 4W70 was a nightmare in many other ways..... wound up having to do LOTS of other work while that truck was here, it tried its a$$ off, to grow roots.... window regulators, rear axle seals and brakes, alternator was seized, tires were dry rotted, and then once the trans was in and done I had a caliper lock up on initial test drive, starter died about 3 days later and I forget what all else I had to do to that POS before I could get it back to its owner...… 4 door with ridiculously short bed, way too many bells and whistles inside than ANY pickup truck ever needed.... and rust.

 

Oh, I don't think it'd be that hard with an adequate garage and young enough; I just decided that for ME, it was "Aw HELLNAW!" for the Chrysler transmission; the 4R70W, however, is easy peasy with just two hand built tools, at least partly because Ford figured their mechanics were not exactly Mensa material, so it was designed with field serviceability.

One reason for doing my 4R70W myself is to GET those firm shifts; it's going into a Cougar XR7 from one of the years it was supposed to be a "sporty" car.

Promises to be fun!

RwP

 

Ive done too many to count (trans swaps) on my back in the driveway.... nowadays I have my very own 2 post lift in my garage..... not getting any younger, plus why should I have a lift at work, and have to crawl around on the ground at home, to maintain my own? not to mention right place/right time steal of a deal from CL; I did refurb it as I was putting it up, "cheap maintenance"/ and I happened to have an "in" at a farm parts factory when I bought it, my son was the powdercoat guy at this place when I got my lift..... he surprised me by taking it in and completely stripping and re powdecoating it...….. better than any currently available on the market new today EXCEPT for a $7k Mohawk...
I AIN'T letting ANYONE else work on my trucks but ME..... other than machine work or alignments/ and then I'm standing right there to make sure I get what I want..... also helps that I was an alignment guy for nearly 20 years....