Ok make that new to me, hauler. I bought a 92gmc sierra in the spring the tranny was recently rebuilt 25,000 klicks on it and now it's pooched again. Apparently the 700r tranny is not that great. Can I replace that tranny with something better or should I buy a newer or older truck to get away from the 700r. Or was mine just a lemon. I have two quotes for trannys both are over 2500 dollars. Who makes the best hauling pickup in the late 80's to late 90's range, and by best I mean fuel consumption, tranny reliability. Thanks for any opinions and comments.

If you want diesel, Dodge is the answer to that question. If you want gas then that chev that you already own gets my vote. 25000 kms on a rebuild? and it crapped the bed? Did you over heat it, doesnt sound like very many kms.....or did it get a midnight rebuild(coat of paint)

Think I remember hearing horror stories of the trans in Dodges mid to late 90's, with 50,000 or less miles on them.

mudbob wrote:

If you want diesel, Dodge is the answer to that question. If you want gas then that chev that you already own gets my vote. 25000 kms on a rebuild? and it crapped the bed? Did you over heat it, doesnt sound like very many kms.....or did it get a midnight rebuild(coat of paint)

I was pulling a small holiday trailer, in third gear not overdrive the oil doesn't smell burnt but no more third and fourth and barely any reverse.

the 700 trans was not good when it first came out if you get a newer trans or all the updates done to your old one you should be good

Kenny wrote:

Think I remember hearing horror stories of the trans in Dodges mid to late 90's, with 50,000 or less miles on them.

The autos were known to have a weak torque converter. Stick is they way to go.

I've been told the 700r is the only tranny that will fit.

You should be able to get a new GM one for about 1600 plus install. The GM one come with 5 year 160000km warrenty

only paid 1800 for the truck

Wycked_1 wrote:

only paid 1800 for the truck

Sounds like either way this tranny has to be fix, either to keep it or sell the truck, which you will have more into than when you bought it.
No telling what the other owner was towing with this truck, must of been heavy loads to burn up another tranny in such a short period of km's.
After you replace the tranny, Install a Aux Transmission Cooler, I installed a B&M Supercooler(70298) with the 7" fan assist in my F150, this B&M really cools the trans down, the B&M fan kicks in a 176 degrees, off at 140. Also, when the Tranny is installed have a Transmission temperture guage installed as well, this way you know exactly what your transmission temp is running at.
Prolong trans temps of over 210 are a transmission killer, the ideal range is not over 190 and that is easy to do in any of the HD pickups (3/4 ton and up) because of the supercooling transmission coolers these trucks already come with. Even with a HD truck, you should still install a trans temp gauge.

Selling it the way it sits.

I had a 1983 chevy with the 700r4 which kept going out so I put a 400 turbo in it, it was a direct bolt in and it solved my problem I did have to change the rear end as it was geared so low do to the overdrive.

I now have a 1995 f150 that I use to haul all my toys and whatever else needs to be hauled. It was bought new in 95 I have never added a trans cooler and it has no guage.

I hauled 6 full size quads all 450cc and larger one was a polaris rzr 800 from cincinnati to richfield utah last year about 2100 miles. This trip included going thru the mountains of colorado and I had no problems at all. not to mention the trailer was 22ft long 8ft wide plus all the gear for 6 people to stay for 2 weeks.

I would highly recomend this truck, I would however try to get the 351 as the 302 engine which mine has was a little weak.

I had to add some after market air bag suppension helpers as well to keep from getting to much squat. I dont know which tranny this truck has but I have hauled my work van ,loaded down with all the tools and ladders the van is a one ton, on a trailer when it broke down and had no trouble with this truck.

Sounds like what I'm looking for thanks

i have an '83 firebird with a 700r4 tranny in it. the only problem i've had with it was the torque converter basically snapped off. but it probably had around 140,000 miles or so at the time and has definitely been through a lot of ripping around over the years. it now has about 173,000 miles on it.

i just bought a new hauler myself about a week ago. '07 GMC Sierra 2500HD. I love me some big bad GMC!!

I had a 1992 Chevy K1500 that I plowed snow with for many years and the trans never died. I sold the truck to a young guy in 2005 with 92,000 miles on it and he had put about 40,000 more in the last 2 yrs and the trans is still going.


I credit my trans longevity to using synthetic ATF in it since it was new. When it had 75,000 miles on it in 2002 I had the ATF filter changed and the inside of the pan looked brand new after 10 yrs of plowing snow.