I had a late 80s Chevy 3/4T diesel 4x4 with an overdrive automatic in it that I couldn't find any fault with. I did have it rebuilt once, but I really abused that poor truck.
I haulded a lot of heavy loads of firewood and 8 fuel drums in it at a time. Had to put on Hellwig overload springs on it to handle the loads and a very heavy TC.
Plowed snow with it for twenty years, usually with one or both axles chained up. Came 40 miles back accross country on the tundra and iced over creeks one time with two trucks chained on both axles pulling a dead Nodwell trailer.
Broke the frame in half one time and blew out the front end another. Also tore the splines off of the front drive shaft once. In 140,000 miles only had to change the OD tranny once, I thought that was pretty good considering everything I did to it. The guy I sold it to is still using it for garbage runs and plowing his own drive.
If you really want an automatic to survice heavy loads, put a larger cooler on them and a larger capacity finned oil pan.
Bill
