The dreaded 48RE
It's hard for me to believe I've been on this forum on/off for 10 years now. WOW, I've learned a lot and gotten a lot of help.
I also wonder how much I got to worry about needlessly?
When I came to a decision to buy my 2004 Dodge I remember having a lot of concern if the transmission was up to the task of towing. I am now at 120,000 trouble free miles on my 48RE and I think it is safe to say it is up to the task of towing.
I'd guess that about half the miles on it were towing something, the smallest being a 3,000 car on a tow dolly, for a lot of years a 10,000# fifth wheel and even for a while a 14,000# fiver. To help the tranny I did add an oversized pan, and I've changed the fluid (partial no purge) 4 times. I've changed the filter twice. I've never touched the bands, though maybe it's time for that now. I keep an eye on the temps, and though worried I have let it run up to 220 or more for stretches, hitting 260 a few times backing a trailer up a hill. (Since then I use 4WD-lo to avoid a repeat).
We are on a road trip now (not towing anything) and the tailpipe just fell off... but the tranny is still running strong!
(oh yes, per what I read here I did lose a fuel pump... and I'm in the process of losing a front u-joint too - so not all the worries I read about were vapor in my case... and at this mileage I'm ok with a a few items like this)
I also wonder how much I got to worry about needlessly?
When I came to a decision to buy my 2004 Dodge I remember having a lot of concern if the transmission was up to the task of towing. I am now at 120,000 trouble free miles on my 48RE and I think it is safe to say it is up to the task of towing.
I'd guess that about half the miles on it were towing something, the smallest being a 3,000 car on a tow dolly, for a lot of years a 10,000# fifth wheel and even for a while a 14,000# fiver. To help the tranny I did add an oversized pan, and I've changed the fluid (partial no purge) 4 times. I've changed the filter twice. I've never touched the bands, though maybe it's time for that now. I keep an eye on the temps, and though worried I have let it run up to 220 or more for stretches, hitting 260 a few times backing a trailer up a hill. (Since then I use 4WD-lo to avoid a repeat).
We are on a road trip now (not towing anything) and the tailpipe just fell off... but the tranny is still running strong!
(oh yes, per what I read here I did lose a fuel pump... and I'm in the process of losing a front u-joint too - so not all the worries I read about were vapor in my case... and at this mileage I'm ok with a a few items like this)
