3. Dodge 48RE Rebuild - OD Brake Clutch Clearance 

Please do, and thank you!

Try different thicknesses of spacer to get the OD direct clearance you need based on the manual's instructions (or mine). If it still won't move, then something else is bound up in the case. With the OD housing off, If you should be able to spin the the intermediate shaft in both directions. If so, the problem is in the OD housing somewhere. Check OD direct clutch clearance as well as assembly of the internals, including ensuring you're engaged properly with the OD roller bearing and retention snap ring, for anything in wrong.

@@nickstransmissions thanks again ur truly a helpful one god bless thanks

No, just compute an average of the four measurements collected from the gauge bar to the hub surface as shown in the video. The width of your spacer is measured separately from those other measurements then compared w/the average collected in the step above. You then refer to the chart in the ATSG manual to determine if your current spacer is of the correct thickness or not.

Hi Thomas, glad to see you're getting back to it! You basically go with what your 'test' drill bits tell you so can't really tell you whether it's too much, just right or not enough beyond what your drill bits indicate....If you're not sure, you can also use the book method to see if the two methods yield the same or contradictory results.

That’s the one (ATSG manual).

Assembly lube (seals, bushings, etc), WD40 (valve trains) and transmission fluid (bands). I don’t soak the clutches. Ill publish a separate video on why i dont soak them as ive been getting this question more frequently. Long story short - you don’t have to soak them as long as they are soaked once in the vehicle, engine running for a minute or so then allowed to soak in 20-30 min before the test drive.

Hi, thanks for watching The Expert Noob Hobbyist Doucet. I'll give you the consequences for both OD clutch packs - OD Brake Clutch - Clearance too loose = flaring into 4th, eventual burn up of clutch if numerous shifts into 4th at high throttle angles - Clearance too tight = spin losses in 1st-3rd gear, drag and glazing of OD brake clutch friction plates/heat-driven premature failure OD Direct Clutch - Clearance too loose = delayed engagements, flaring, etc - Clearance too tight = spin losses/drag in 4th; OD direct clutch friction plates glazed/heat-driven premature failure. The nice thing about these units is you can remove and rebuild the entire OD section without having to remove the rest of the transmission from the vehicle. Let me know if you need any more info.

Hi Ray, Thanks for watching…Getting the timing right for all the applied elements involved at the 3-4 shift is basically the gist. The OD Directs are on in every gear except 4th when they come off, the OD sprag stops holding and the OD brake clutches come on. In fourth, Forward, Direct and OD Brake are the applied elements, everything else comes off. Hope that helps…

@@nickstransmissions yeah. That is what I was thinking. I just don't understand how the book method can work. It doesn't take into account the location of the apply plate or front steel of the brake clutch. Thanks for the reply.

@@nickstransmissions oh and I will be using the direct method on my transmission.

Yep, I use the direct method all the time and only showed the book method because its in the book. Unless you’re replacing the ext housing, the gear train, shaft or both/all, the spacer that came out can go right back in and should be fine, everything else equal.

@@nickstransmissions added clutches to mine. Thanks

That spacer sets the overdrive-direct (OD-D) clutch clearance. The thicker the spacer, the greater the clearance in the OD-D clutch (this clutch comes on in 1st through 3rd gear in all forward ranges and goes off in overdrive and the OD sprag is holding in all forward ranges). Too little clearance, you may get centrifugal apply in overdrive and other related problems. Too much clearance, all the engine's torque is delivered to the OD sprag for a split second before the OD clutch fully compresses. Premature wear/failure of the OD sprag is one of the possible outcomes.

@@nickstransmissions on the advice of a mechanic I respect, I put it back together the way it was. Time will tell. 11 months Later no issues.

Generally speaking, you don’t have to mess with that spacer unless you’re replacing the housing and/or gear components inside the housing. Even then if it’s within the specified range you will be good. You will know pretty quickly if there’s a clearance issue with that clutch…good luck with it; post if you have any more questions.

Where would I get shims/spacers for this?

Check Transstar's website for a distributor in your area that sells transmission parts. You can also order them off eBay, Cobra Transmission, Oregon Transmission parts, Transparts Warehouse and other online transmission parts websites.

Hi Bryan, yes you should be able to remove the overdrive housing without taking out the entire trans, assuming you support the trans with a jack to avoid stressing your engine mounts...Just have a catch pan ready and keep track of how much fluid comes out. I'd swap out both sets of clutches (OD brake and direct), the bearings/bearing plate and sun gear bushings while you have it out so it's completely refreshed when it goes back in (assuming you aren't planning to do so already).

@@nickstransmissions good plan sir

@@nickstransmissions I just looked. Just short of 54K miles since overhaul. Long story short, it leaked since it left the shop. They wouldn’t warranty because of the cracked housing and wording in the warranty to such. They wanted another $2K to “fix” it. I said your not getting anymore of my money!

Yes. Not a problem.

Hi Joe, thank you for watching…Yes, no, maybe - depends on which bearing has been left out. Which one are you referring to?

@@nickstransmissions The bearing that goes behind the shim on the overdrive when you instill onto the transmission aft housing. I had AAMCO rebuild my trans and within 3 months the last input shaft disintegrated. They said they would not warranty my trans (truck has 217k) because I have a Jake brake (even though I haven’t towed anything over 9k since I bought the truck at 204k). AAMCO gave me all the parts back and I disassembled everything and weren’t through everything before building the trans myself with billet parts and a new pump. Everything is together, installed (including a new billet triple disc torque converter) and with fluids topped off (after running motor for 1 min to allow the pump to fill the converter), I have no movement. Forward or reverse. Thinking back to when I was building the trans back up the other night (used service manual), I can’t recall if I did or didn’t have the bearing in the box of returned parts from AAMCO. I remember the shim, but I didn’t take the measurements I was supposed to because I was so tired and I never disassembled the OD clutch since I didn’t have the proper press to get the spring tension. So went with the knowledge that AAMCO had already put in new plates. But now kicking myself that I can’t remember if the bearing is installed. …. Oh… my friend, not me😬

Well the (maybe) missing bearing is easy to deal with - just pull the drive shaft then ext housing and install it if not there...No movement in any gear/range can arise from failure to connect the manual valve/rooster comb assembly w/the rest of the shift linkage...Failed pump/broken gears can also cause the issue but i don't see/hear of too many people breaking the pump on installation like i do w/the GM stuff, given their use of powdered metal rotors... If you (i mean, your friend) haven't already done so, put a pressure gauge on it and see if the pump is putting out pressure...if its generating acceptable pressures at idle and stall, then i'd drop the pan to check the shift linkage.

@@nickstransmissions Thank you. Will do. Happy 4th of July and appreciative of your really fast responses. We are getting ready (although feeling unprepared) to take my wife’s mom from the San Diego, CA area back to PA area on the east coast via my truck and trailer… burning the midnight oil trying to get this done since my MIL’d health conditions won’t allow her to fly. So very thankful for your advise and input.

Happy 4th to you and your family as well, Joe! Have a safe trip.

It's technically called the overdrive piston-to-hub race but I usually see it listed as an overdrive selective spacer or washer. Are you needing a thicker race?

@nickstransmissions no I need thinner. I got the front section of the transmission clearance good. But struggling with the overdrive housing. I'm thinking about getting the case saver to take some of that up but then that will probably make me have to re do the front half of the case clearance.

What is the thickness of the spacer you have now? LMK and I'll see if I can find a source for you (Transtar, Transparts Warehouse, Oregon Performance Transmission parts, Cobra Transmission Parts may have what you need). What hard parts, if any, did you replace in the main case or overdrive section? I am assuming you measured your front end play with the overdrive section bolted to the case...

@nickstransmissions the 1 I have now is 194 thousands. I put the overdrive section on n lost all endplay. Had 35 thou before. I will figure it out but just want to buy the spacers because it's a new overdrive housing. Original was cracked. Which I think is why my clearance is so off

Ah, that makes sense (Housing swap)...most of the time, the pre-existing spacer is fine without even checking if no hard parts, case or ext housing are replaced but here, the replacement ext housing is accounting for the difference. Sounds like you need something no thicker than .183 and likely something thinner... Per the Transpartswarehouse.com catalog, the following thickness are available: Thickness | Part Number > .183" | 12213E > .168" | 12213D > .155". | 12213C > .138. | 12213B > .123. | 12213A > .108. | 12213 Also, you may want to pick up some additional selective spacers for the pump and forward drum (three-tab thrust washer). What is your rear gear train end play?

Have you done a google search? Here’s one supplier that came up after typing in “48re overdrive selective spacer”. I have never done bus with this company just saw they appear to have them available powerdrivendiesel.com/product/overdrive-shim-kit/

Yes I have thanks for the link that’s the Sonnax shim kit that comes with a .175 and 3 .010 it seams like there discontinued from mopar

@@jonathansawicki5601 call Trans star as they sell them as well and have all sizes available. Also check with hard parts suppliers in your area. More than likely that one of them is a distributor for Trans star. www.transtar1.com

@@jonathansawicki5601 check eBay also, just saw a sonnax shim kit listed, seller is “transmissionjobber”

Nah. Buy yourself a life instead. You need it a lot more than I need another set of gauges.