Official "How long does an A440 last" thread (1 Viewer)

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Rigger

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This is for FJ62 folks. I've done some searching on this but I can't seem to find the data. I'm trying to determine what is life expectancy of the automatic trannies.

If you'd like to help out, please post:

A) How many miles you got out of your stock automatic transmission. If it is still going strong, post up "XXX,XXX miles and still going". If it blew, post the mileage at which it went south.

B) Please post rebuild details (rebuilt by self with kit, AAMCO, private shop, etc.) and how long the rebuilt tranny lasted. Also, post recommendations, if any.

C) Other thoughts on the topic.

Please keep postings brief and to the point.

Thanks,

Rigger
 
212,000 miles and still going
 
With no cooler, lots of highway miles, and rarely changed fluid (most trucks) you are lucky to get more than 200K. Start saving.

I put my rodney extreme in at 220K. I babied it for the last 15K. It started slipping at 205K.
 
Approx....200,000. Previous owner did little or nothing to it. And the cable has been disconnected, so milage is a geuss:rolleyes:.
Still strong needs to be flushed.
 
In my 80, I have about 198k on the original one. I'm at a lack of money right now. And I'm paranoid about my Cruiser. So I've changed the fluid twice since December.
 
In my 88' FJ-62 it lasted 296,000 miles and was still running fine but the output shaft splines were toast due to the output gear.
 
~180,000 miles until mine died, the PO towed with it and wasn't meticulous about maintenance. Had it rebuilt 4 years and 25,000mi ago by a local shop and its still going.
 
260 000 km (162 000 miles), still going strong. No cooler, no towing, flushed (Rodney) and change over to synthetic about 10 000 km ago.
 
I guess mine is the baby in the group so far. 107,XXX miles and strong. I have had it two years and have never changed fluid (though it is coming soon), and who knows what maintenace it got from the PO.
 
Bought a 62 (from euclid) with a a440F that had s*** the bed (fully disclosed, of course). Odometer has 256,000 on it. In contrast, MyHJ60Sheila had ~200,000 miles on it (and its H41), and the synchros were bad, leaving it stuck in 3rd if I came to a stop while it was in that gear. Upgrqaded to the H55F, which goes, along with the 2H into the 62.

200,000 miles give or take, seems the average.
 
The automatic transmission is the NEXT most expensive piece of equipment in your vehicle and NOBODY takes care of them! Get a good flush and replace the fuild every one to two years and the thing will last forever!
 
287,000 and it blew the front pump seal. Mostly, I think, because the kickdown cable went bad.

I rebuilt it myself after reading Jim Kluben's thread ( https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=65907&highlight=a440f+transmission+rebuild ) on how he rebuilt his. If you are considering rebuilding yours, I highly recommend 2 things. Read Jim's write up and don't even think about it without the FSM.

Interestingly, there was only 1 set of friction plates that showed any wear. I compared measurements on the new ones vs the old ones and the worst case there was .04 mm difference! Not bad really!

I used the kit from Transtar Industries ( http://www.transtarindustries.com/ ) it was about $250 IIRC. The other parts I needed I got from my local dealer. I've bought 4 vehicles and lots of parts from them so they give me an excellent discount. I had to replace the output shaft, IIRC it listed for about $570 and they sold it to me for $430.

I also rebuilt the transfer case with a kit from Transtar. It was about $175 and included all the bearings and seals. I bought the input gear from the dealer, $240.

I didn't rebuild my valve body. I bought one of the Extreme Duty valve bodies from Rodney. Well worth it IMO.

I've put about 600 miles on it so far. No problems.

I'm a radio tech not a mechanic. If I can rebuild the tranny, anybody can!
 
A) How many miles you got out of your stock automatic transmission?
  • 234,000
B) Rebuild details (rebuilt by self with kit, AAMCO, private shop, etc.) and how long the rebuilt tranny lasted?
  • Wholesale Automatics/Rodney
  • Rebuild life is uknown
C) Other thoughts on the topic.
  • As pointed out by HZJ60_Guy
 
287,000 and it blew the front pump seal. Mostly, I think, because the kickdown cable went bad.

I rebuilt it myself after reading Jim Kluben's thread ( https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=65907&highlight=a440f+transmission+rebuild ) on how he rebuilt his. If you are considering rebuilding yours, I highly recommend 2 things. Read Jim's write up and don't even think about it without the FSM.

Interestingly, there was only 1 set of friction plates that showed any wear. I compared measurements on the new ones vs the old ones and the worst case there was .04 mm difference! Not bad really!

I used the kit from Transtar Industries ( http://www.transtarindustries.com/ ) it was about $250 IIRC. The other parts I needed I got from my local dealer. I've bought 4 vehicles and lots of parts from them so they give me an excellent discount. I had to replace the output shaft, IIRC it listed for about $570 and they sold it to me for $430.

I also rebuilt the transfer case with a kit from Transtar. It was about $175 and included all the bearings and seals. I bought the input gear from the dealer, $240.

I didn't rebuild my valve body. I bought one of the Extreme Duty valve bodies from Rodney. Well worth it IMO.

I've put about 600 miles on it so far. No problems.

I'm a radio tech not a mechanic. If I can rebuild the tranny, anybody can!

if that's the case do u think i can rebuild a bmw 525i transmission (its a gm hyro trans).....:popcorn:
 
198,000 and still going strong. Don't know how well the PO took care of it. It had 178K on it when I got it. I changed the fluid and flushed it at 180k and the old fluid was clean and the pan had very little sludge and no metal flakes in it. Here's hoping I have one of the 300K milers:cheers:
 
184k on mine. Buts its seen an extremely hard life.

No idea of past maintenance but when I got the truck with 150k the a/t fluid was black. Transmission overheated the first highway trip i took it on. Didn't notice the light was on for about 2 hours until i pulled into a gas station.

After that, I had the majority of the fluid changed at jiffy lube. Light came on a few more times over the next year and each time i changed the fluid. Finally, I just gave up on the trans and decided to not change the fluid anymore- not worth the money to put in a dying transmission. Drove a 400-500 mile trip with the trans light on constantly, could smell the atf burning in the cab. Once I got home I continued to drive it around, every freeway trip would result in overheating.

I did a rodney flush this past july and put all new atf fluid in (cheapest i could find). I haven't changed it since and the light hasn't come back on. No slipping, shifts great.

I installed a cooler once I got the truck at 150k and recently put in a larger one.
My overheating problem is due to a bad transmission/x-fer case gasket. Found that out after it was too late, not worth fixing. Everytime I'd fill the leaking transfer case with gear oil, it would migrate into the trans and cause overheating. Now I just don't add anymore gear oil to the transfer case, and run it on whatever gear oil is left and whatever ATF has made it in there from the transmission.

Will be doing a manual trans swap and transfer case rebuild whenever my a440f wants to give up.
 

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