32RH band adjustment torque values wrong

[VWLogan]

Searched but did not find this specific issue.

2001 TJ 4.0 32RH auto trans:
I'm about to drop the trans pan for a fluid flush. I want to check rear band while in there (jeep is 200k miles). However, there is a discrepancy between various guidance and service manuals specific to the 32RH rear band torque number. In the 2001 and 2002 FSM, the value is 41in-lb minus 4 turns. In the 99 and 2000 FSM, it is 72in-lb minus 4 turns. In the 30/32RH trans manual it is also 72in-lb minus 4 turns.

I am NOT mistaking the 30rh with the 32RH numbers. I read through all the FSMs from this site. This is a clear change in guidance that happened at the publishing of the 2001FSM. This also corresponds to the change in guidance from ATF+3 to ATF+4. Could this be part of the change?

I don't want to damage anything or need to drop this pan again later. Does anyone know what's up?

Logan

 

[GregBelleville]

@hear

 

[TheBoogieman]

REAR BAND ADJUSTMENT
The transmission oil pan must be removed for
access to the rear band adjusting screw.
(1) Raise vehicle.
(2) Remove transmission oil pan and drain fluid.
(3) Loosen band adjusting screw locknut 5-6 turns.
Be sure adjusting screw turns freely in lever.
(4) Tighten adjusting screw to 5 N·m (41 in. lbs.)
for the 30RH and 8 N·m (72 in. lbs.) torque for the
32RH (Fig. 181).
(5) Back off adjusting screw 7 turns for the 30RH
and 4 turns for the 32RH.
(6) Hold adjusting screw in place and tighten locknut
to 34 N·m (25 ft. lbs.) torque.
(7) Position new gasket on oil pan and install pan
on transmission. Tighten pan bolts to 17 N·m (13 ft.
lbs.) torque.

 

[VWLogan]

REAR BAND ADJUSTMENT
The transmission oil pan must be removed for
access to the rear band adjusting screw.
(1) Raise vehicle.
(2) Remove transmission oil pan and drain fluid.
(3) Loosen band adjusting screw locknut 5-6 turns.
Be sure adjusting screw turns freely in lever.
(4) Tighten adjusting screw to 5 N·m (41 in. lbs.)
for the 30RH and 8 N·m (72 in. lbs.) torque for the
32RH (Fig. 181).
(5) Back off adjusting screw 7 turns for the 30RH
and 4 turns for the 32RH.
(6) Hold adjusting screw in place and tighten locknut
to 34 N·m (25 ft. lbs.) torque.
(7) Position new gasket on oil pan and install pan
on transmission. Tighten pan bolts to 17 N·m (13 ft.
lbs.) torque.

Right, that's what it says in the 2000 and 99 FSM as well as the 30/32RH manual from this site. I've read the how-to already. But it is in direct conflict with the 2001 FSM.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

The change from ATF+3 to ATF+4 was due solely to AFT+4 replacing the outdated ATF+3 which they stopped producing once ATF+4 was introduced.

 

[VWLogan]

Right, that's what it says in the 2000 and 99 FSM as well as the 30/32RH manual from this site. I've read the how-to already. But it is in direct conflict with the 2001 FSM.

 

[hear]

Interesting. I’m not aware of any year-breaks on anything (off the top of my head) so I don’t know why the spec would be different. The band & drum didn’t vary across years afaik. I guess I’ll have to look at the 2002 FSM to see if this change was carried forward. The band adjustment essentially set the “preload” on the low/reverse drum, so less preload means (a) less drag when not applied and (b) more required force from the rear servo to achieve the same amount of clamping force.

I know there were issues with that piston over the years, but I don’t understand how changing the band adjustment would help.

FWIW, the ATSG rebuild manual does not mention the 41inch-lb spec, just the 72inch-lb one.

I think the only thing that might go wrong by using the lower value is you’ll risk having it slip whenever that band is applied (reverse & manual 1st). Having it too tight could theoretically make it hold w/o being applied and/or wear faster, but that band hardly gets used anyway. And in thinking through it, the adjuster screw would have to be very tight to make it apply comparable to what the piston would apply.

I would set it to 72inch lbs + 4 turns back if we aren’t able to solve the mystery.

 

[VWLogan]

Awesome input. I really do appreciate it. They DID carry the 41in lb -4 turns into the 2002 FSM as well. I looked. As long as they didn't physically change anything across the years, I feel fairly comfortable with the 72in-lb number as well (knowing how many people have been using that setting with no issues). As a beginner to Auto transmissions, I am cautious given the insane precision of these settings.
Logan

 

[hear]

Out of curiosity did they change the 30RH instructions as well?

 

[VWLogan]

Out of curiosity did they change the 30RH instructions as well

No change to the 30rh settings. Front: 72in-lb -2.5 turns. Rear 41in-lb - 7 turns. Same across all the manuals.