I have been told that my 84s 700R4 won't hold up to my 383 stroker because the early 700s are weaker than the 86 and up trannies. My question is that if I have a "performance" build put on that early 700 will it hold together then? Or do I need to get a late 80s one from a junk yard? I did do a search but I didn't find an answer to my exact question. I'd appreciate any advise. Do we have any 700R4 profesional builders out there at 3rdgen.org?

 

as posted in your other thread, do a search.
You can upgrade the early trans by using the late internals, but at that point/cost you might as well just find a late trans and have it built.

 

My trans guy has been working on 700r4s since they came out. He told me that if you're going to make over 450 hp with a decent rear that you should start with the '91-92 base to most cost effective. A 4l60 would also be a good base to re-man.

Since I'm only aiming for around 300-350 hp we just rebuilt the my stock '83 tranny with several updates. He had most of the parts left over from 4l60e re-man kits that come with extra parts for 700r4's , so I got away for real cheap.

 

They are not necessarily weaker, just not the upgrades for longevity, neutral to drive engagement, neutral to reverse engagement, etc. I had early versions in the mid tens and elevens back in the early 1990's holding up fine. The Street/Strip rebuild kit that I carry for this will do just fine. I have never seen a 27 spline input shaft break. Remember 2004R's have the same spline count. I prefer the late 1987 and up to start with, but any can be built with the right parts. Dana

 

A 700R4 is a 4L60. Same thing, just different nomeclature. A 4l60e is the same hard parts and clutches, just a different case and valvebody due to the electronic controls.

Dana's answer sums it up.

 

the street/strip kit is not a magic fix for the early 700r4-I don't care what he says.
to build an early one correct you need a good builder that will put the correct parts in for you.
I'd believe that a good kit could go a long way in a late core but not the early ones.
the early ones get loose fitting snaprings in the input drum that needs to be addressed during the build and that doesn't come with a kit. It requires the use of feeler gauges and proper apply and pressure plates. you won't get that in a kit! that is being pitched to you over the phone or internet.

 

have you looked at Dana's "kits"? He's not talking anything remotely close to a run-of-the-mill performance rebuild kit.

 

response of shagwell-the kits don't include the proper apply and pressure plates. the ones that fix the problem with those drums aren't even made for 700r4's-so they won't be in any 700r4 kit. The proper fix is to use the 4l60e forward pressure plate with no waved in the bottom of the pack to keep the forward clutches from coming off of the forward sprag assy. also the thick 4l60e snapring will be used(again not in the 700r4 kits). It takes a careful assembly to get it all right because the drums get too worn out. Why do you think the early's get such a bad rap-it's not because people don't know how to install the 700r4 kits, it's that the kits don't address the real problems. pitching a kit at one of these is a bad mistake-might make revenue for the seller but not make a good unit for the end user.

 

I do not know which early 700R4's you have been looking at, but I have torn down and built many of the early units, a couple of them running in the mid tens many many years ago. There wasn't any problems with the snap rings, or the waved steel. All early and late units used waved steels in the forward clutch pack, this is to cushion the forward clutch apply. DO NOT remove them. They have nothing to do with the forward sprag assembly. The overrun clutches are the ones that hold the overrun sprag in the "1"-"2"-"3" shift lever positions. In the "OD" shift lever position, the overrun clutches are off. The early input aluminum drums rarely had problems, and neither were the 27 spline input shafts a problem. The forward clutch snap ring .125" has never changed thickness. The 3-4 clutch snap ring on the early units was .128", the later units used a .093". Some 3-4 clutch setups use the .062" snap ring. In all of my kits I supply the 3-4 clutch pressure plates, and sometimes the forward pressure plate.

 

i've been looking at the same ones you have-i've just seen the light.
true both use a wave but you know that a early one uses the wave next to a clutch. for forwards where the forward clutch is applied in all four gears at all times it's irrelevant. what isn't is the fact that when they get rebuilt the pressure plate is too loose. so just use the flat at the bottom and fix the loose fitting clutch packs.-use a feeler gauge and get it right
by the way I said nothing of the O.R. clutches why ramble on.
said nothing of the shafts why ramble on.