Gonna build it

[06GMC-LBZ]

About to buy me a beater to drive around in and keep the miles off my truck. The idea that my good buddy and mechanic (owns his own shop) and I have is to attempt building my trans since I will have a beater to drive around in the meantime. He doesn't think it's an issue of having the skill/ability to do it as much as just taking our time and double checking everything. I believe it was on another dmax forum that someone said they did it themselves and found it very easy to work on compared to 700r4's and th400's. My buddy has built many of those.

I see from people who have built them themselves, claim it's not that hard and the allison 1000 is a pretty simple design. Looking at the Alligator stage 5. He does work cheap for me being close friends. I'll be helping him just to be a part of it.

He has an ATSG manual already. And a Bosch mastertech VCI to reset it after its done which is apparently the replacement for the Tech 2.....We have a buddy who works at the GM place in town and he said that it does the same thing and they do use it now.

I'm all for it....opinions from guys who have built it themselves? I plan on buying it from a reputable vendor in case I have a question but my buddy has a friend that works at another shop (trans shop) who has touched allison 1000's before....he will be helping us too.

Local diesel places around here want 1800+ bucks in labor. I can spend that money elsewhere!

Any tips before we do it?

 

[dirtymax36]

After i did mine looking back now i wish i would have just done it all in one weekend instead of doing it piece by piece just for the fact it is easier to throw back together.

Youll most likely want to go to farm and home or somewhere and get the biggest tube of red grade or blue grade lock tite and use that on almost every bolt in there. Especially use the red grade on the flex plate bolts. The red grade might be overkill for the housing bolts but i have seen too many guys loose bell housing bolts or studs because of not using loc tite.

If you decide to go with a SC or ML converter make sure you get ARP bolts because the stock ones will not work. And if the funds are there, might as well go with a billet flex plate just to prevent anything else from breaking. (something i wish i would have done.)

Hope it all goes well and good luck!
Brayden

 

[Slowmax]

After i did mine looking back now i wish i would have just done it all in one weekend instead of doing it piece by piece just for the fact it is easier to throw back together.

Youll most likely want to go to farm and home or somewhere and get the biggest tube of red grade or blue grade lock tite and use that on almost every bolt in there. Especially use the red grade on the flex plate bolts. The red grade might be overkill for the housing bolts but i have seen too many guys loose bell housing bolts or studs because of not using loc tite.

If you decide to go with a SC or ML converter make sure you get ARP bolts because the stock ones will not work. And if the funds are there, might as well go with a billet flex plate just to prevent anything else from breaking. (something i wish i would have done.)

Hope it all goes well and good luck!
Brayden

I did not have to get any new bolts that you speak of. Why will he need to get new bolts? Are you providing quality info? Or just what you read online somewhere?

 

[dirtymax36]

A couple guys on here were saying the stock ones were too long by just a little bit. And ARP's are just a cheap upgrade and insurance.

 

[PureHybrid]

Stock converter bolts are too long for a 3disk conv.

When I built mine, I also bought a Merchant auto rebuild kit to replace all the orings, pump seal, apply pistons and slip rings. Plus it gave me another set of pan gaskets/bell housing gaskets. Be sure to check all wear items while its apart.

Billet flex plate is optional, look at the BD flexplate as an alternative.

No need to put thread locker on everything, just converter bolts IMO. But what do I know, I'm just a dumb mechanic.

 

[dirtymax36]

^^ thank you for backing me up. Just thoroughly look everything over basically. And i see where you are coming from PureHybrid about the thread locker, converter bolts are a must but the rest are just optional. I do it just for insurance

 

[Slowmax]

My ML converter came with new bolts, I did not need to purchase them.

 

[dirtymax36]

im not bashing you but you may or may not have something wrong with your converter in the back of the threads where they end inside the cover

 

[Hot COCOAL]

If you really were in a pinch, the stock bolts could be ground down. In my case, and in many if not most using a different converter, the stock bolts will be too long, and there is an applicable ARP fastener that can be used as a replacement.

Good luck building your transmission :thumb:

Wish I had the guts to attempt it myself

EDIT:

I also remember something about the head of the stock bolt having to large of a profile to use once the aftermarket converter is installed, they were barely coming in contact with something, the ???flexplate???

So just grinding them down might not be a solution, just an idea...

I can't remember what my transmission guy had said, but there was something more than the bolts being too long, another reason I wish I had at least been there and seen/watched some of the work being done...

 

[dirtymax36]

well said. ARP's are relatively cheap for what they do so you might as well upgrade if possible

 

[06GMC-LBZ]

I assume we are right that the Bosch Mastertech VCI will do the same thing as the tech 2? He was sure it did and from we research it does the same thing! It's the new "thing" out now from what he said.

 

[06GMC-LBZ]

and more than likely going with the SC converter over the ML

 

[06GMC-LBZ]

Gotta do my research for who to buy from.....who will have the best support over the phone just in case we need it due to being stuck on a step or get something backwards

 

[03spoolindmax]

When i bought my converter from mike it came with new bolts.

I built my own trans 2 years ago. It just recently let go after 30k miles of multiple sand dune trips, drag strip passes & and daily driving.

I ran a gmax5 kit and an MLG converter. It shifted great for the most part. Every once in awhile I'd get a tie up which I'm sure was from my end. It was the 2nd trans I ever built. First one being a 4l60e

I pulled the trans. Rebuilt it and had it back in the truck after 16 straight hours. It wasn't to hard to build but that doesn't mean it's for everyone. The guys that do it for a living know all the tips and tricks to make them hold the power. Along with ways to make the install easier.

I plan on building it again myself and hopefully I can learn from my previous mistakes to make this trans better than the last one.

Biggest advice I can give is don't rush, take your time, take plenty of pictures to help with install & CHECK ALL CLEARANCES.

The ATSG manual helps a lot but isn't 100% accurate when building it with aftermarket parts.

Good luck with your build and I hope everything goes well :thumb:

 

[dmax711]

^^ x2 the atsg is good. But It leaves some things out you HAVE to do. I would spend the extra $ and go with sun coast or mike l. You get what you pay for and when you buy through them you will get every seal/bolt you will need. Not to mention if you have a problem with assembly you can call them rite up and get great tech support. Not bashing on alligator at all but who knows who will answer the phone there.

 

[Evan@InglewoodTrans]

After i did mine looking back now i wish i would have just done it all in one weekend instead of doing it piece by piece just for the fact it is easier to throw back together.

Youll most likely want to go to farm and home or somewhere and get the biggest tube of red grade or blue grade lock tite and use that on almost every bolt in there. Especially use the red grade on the flex plate bolts. The red grade might be overkill for the housing bolts but i have seen too many guys loose bell housing bolts or studs because of not using loc tite.

If you decide to go with a SC or ML converter make sure you get ARP bolts because the stock ones will not work. And if the funds are there, might as well go with a billet flex plate just to prevent anything else from breaking. (something i wish i would have done.)

Hope it all goes well and good luck!
Brayden

I've yet to receive a Suncoast or any other converter for that matter that didn't come with new bolts. I've also never seen a issue with bell housing bolts falling out that were torqued properly.

 

[yellowchevy]

I was told to reuse my stock torque converter bolts so I did; I'm running an ML-G converter.

Like others have said take you time, keep everything clean, take lots of pictures, don't use rags very much to keep the lint down, check clearances, & lay things out as you remove them in a line so you know how to put it back together.

I built mine with a PPE stage 5 kit & it has held up great.

Good luck.

Yellowchevy

 

[06GMC-LBZ]

we plan on doing it over a weekend. Work as late as we feel and start back on it the next day. Not going to drag it out.

My buddy told me before we do it, that he wants multiple big tables laid out so we can lay everything out in order as we remove it.

He is very strict on everything...won't half ass anything

 

[03spoolindmax]

Well once again Good luck with the build :thumb: Let us know how it goes. Hope to hear good results.