transmisson fails after tires installed

[Ratm907]

hi i have a 97 explorer and i have a 3 inch bl and 2 inch shackles and TT,recently put 31s on it and now my transmission seems to overheat and push fluid out the overflow. I called my local transmission shop(guy rebuilt it months earlier) and he said the tires are too big for it because explorers have week trannys but he would look at it. What could i do to fix this, and has this happened before to anyone before?

 

[Rick]

Sounds like your tranny was already on it's last legs. 31s aren't close to being too big even with the highest gearing.

 

[Ratm907]

it was just rebuilt in april

 

[IAmTodd]

31s should cause that much strain. Do you know what gears you have in the axles?
Look on the sticker on the side of the door and give us the code under "AXLE".

Hey...my room mate is from duncannon! Welcome, hope we can help you out!

 

[JDraper]

Welcome!! I'm just up the road from you near Lewistown...

31's are not too much for an Explorer tranny...many people here have run 31's and larger on a stock tranny with no problems whatsoever. I ran my '01 Explorer with 31's for over 60,000 miles with no problems.

My bet is that they didn't rebuild it correctly.

 

[Ratm907]

pretty sure the gears are 3.73's, the guy who rebuilt it has a pretty good rep and he rebuilt a blazer i had as well and it worked well and it has worked well since i put the tires on monday, but it is possible he made a mistake, seems like it is overheating

 

[410Fortune]

you have 5" of lift and 31's? hehehe go get some 33's!

Dont let this trans guy tell you the tires are at fault, with the proper gearing the truck can handle 35's daily. Yes it is true any tire will put strain on the drivetrain, and 31's are a little larger and wider then stock, increasing that strain. But your trans can easily handle those larger tires.

 

[Ratm907]

will eventually get 33's when money permits rims and tires , but i still do not understand why or what would cause my tranny to do so..

 

[410Fortune]

coincidence

overheating or overfilling can cause foaming and trans fluid expansion = puke out the breather tube.

If you want to try and diagnose the issue first what engine does your 97 have?
4.0L OHV, 4.0L SOHC, or 5.0L?
4x4?
How many miles?

 

[Ratm907]

its a 4.0 ohv,99k, 4*4, k&n air filter, flowmaster exhaust, shackles TT, 3in BL, 31*10.5 bfg a\t..thats what i have

 

[410Fortune]

Miles? And you say the trans was rebuilt in April?
Under warranty?

 

[Ratm907]

99k..yes its under warranty, rebuilt in april

 

[96limitedX]

31s would in noway kill a tranny thats rebuilt right. i have been running them for 7k miles on a ford rebuild(dealer) and its exactly like it was the day i got it with the rebuild.

i'd agree your tranny was allready on its way out and it just happend to do it now.

 

[Ratm907]

im not sure, seems like the majority of people think it wasnt rebuilt correctly...it drives ok until it gets hot seems like..and forgot to mention the night before the o\d light was flashing for a while then went off...thanks for your help you guys, appreciate it

 

[toy720]

put an auxillary cooler on it also could the tranny shop put it through the relearn process or reflash the computer? i had a buddy with a 97 dodge when he put his 37"
tires on it he had to have the computer reflashed ? just a suggestion but an external
cooler would help alot.

 

[Ratm907]

thats what i was thinking..a bigger cooler it has a small one but nothing to beefy looking, i did reset the computer by unhooking the battery and that seemed to get rid of the light but the tranny still seems funky

 

[spindlecone]

As 410 eluded to
How is the fluid level?

 

[Ratm907]

fluid isnt burnt but when tranny screws up you can smell fluid but not a burnt smell...but when the light came on the day before this the fluid level seemed high but the fluid hasnt been touched since the transmission shop rebuilt it

 

[sn0border88]

well you need to figure out for sure if the fluid is high or not. If so, take it back to the shop and have them remove some. Too much fluid would cause exactly the problems you are having.

 

[Ratm907]

i think what happened was there was too much fluid but not enough to cause trouble with stock tires then the 31s put a little bit more strain on it causing the high fluid to be a problem..it goes to the shop tuesday i will let you all know how it goes..thanks for your help much appreciated