I should have a chance tommorow to take a picture of it. Would that much gap explain the transmission redlining when it downshifts from 3-2 at wot. That was my original problem and I am assuming all the metal flying around the system may have changed the pressures too.

 

It might. I will pull manual shortly and see. It is hard to concentrate - Rangers playing, Mavericks coming up in 15, and front end of Taurus torn down in garage (that I am supposed to be working on....)

 

HAHAHA take your time.

 

Now im stuck with the valve body partially hanging down. I cannot get the linkage arm off the post exiting the transmission. I am also unsure if I need to remove the TV linkage along with the gear shift linkage. Help me please. Am I just not using enough pressure. I have the screw and nut totally removed from the arm but it wont budge upward with a screwdriver. Should I use something bigger like a lever bar?

Edit: I got it, it was a second 7/16 bolt holding the tv cable lever in place. Removed it, removed the tv lever, removed the linkage lever and the valve body almost dropped out. Because of the way my exhaust pipes are plumbed I had to remove the e-clip from the park bar and then the valve body dropped.
This link was very handy with pictures;
http://handymanlyness.com/archives/a...93_Dakota.html

Here are my images of the front band drum.

https://www.wittrans.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=22022AS[/QUOTE]

I am hoping my drum is ok. It has very fine lines or scoring around it. The band had a piece of friction material fall off into my hand. about 1x1 inch.

Front band wear:


Governor screen:


Front band play:


Magnet:

 

The "slip-in" band slipped in very easily. The hardest part so far was sanding the front kick-down drum. I highly recommend if anyone has to try this in the future that they wear gloves. It's easy to get cut and bust your knuckles up.

The drum was a little smoother than when I began. Only time will tell how long it lasts. I am just buying some time until I do a complete DIY rebuild or install an AutoZone $1,599.00 transmission. Wish me luck I'm going outside now to put the valve body back in.

edit: All is done and she drives like it was a new truck. I hope I didn't stick my foot in my mouth. So the fix for this was a new front band installed from underneath. Time will tell if t's a lasting fix or not.


edit: January 2, 2014 - It seems a post of mine might have been deleted. I had included another odometer reading(along with the first). Anyway I have driven over 15k miles on the band replacement discussed in this post. The band works fine as a replacement in my transmission and I expect to get many more miles from it.

 

I had intended to keep this post updated with images and information regarding the slip on front band as a temporary fix to a burned front band. This solution as I was informed about would only be temporary and likely covered up other more serious problems. I concur. As a temporary fix for someone who intends to completely replace the transmission I would highly recommend the "slip-on front band".


The band reached it's current condition in 16,200 miles. About a year for most people. <strike>If the rear band had not of cracked in two pieces it might have made it longer but </strike>this transmission surely has even more problems not yet discovered.

 

pics aren't showing.

 

I got thumbnails but they are not showing like the first pictures.
edit: got it now, I used photobucket the first post and flicker for the second. Flicker sucks so they are all on photobucket now.