What a pitiful excuse for a kickdown band

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TylerW

TylerW

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Hey guys:

I've been slowly rebuilding my 904, and I've reached another temporary stopping point.

I'm using a stock overhaul kit, and in that kit is a Raybestos flex kickdown band, which I refuse to use in my transmission. Not only is it not the original-style cast band, but it doesn't even fit correctly. The end that the strut goes against is ok I suppose, it fits. But, the end the adjuster goes against is a joke. Where the original has a nicely made receiver for the end of the bolt, the replacement band has some poor excuse of a dimple that doesn't hold squat. Until it's tightened down against the clutch retainer, you can move that end side to side 1/2". I'm not using that, it's a joke. That is trouble waiting to happen.

Can someone advise me where to find the exact type of kickdown band I took out of it, which is a good cast band? I'd be tempted to reuse the original but it's got some wear on it and is delaminating slightly.

Thanks.
 
I've only done 727s, but I get my rigid bands from A&A or John Cope. Red lined, with or without grooves. There's a core charge ( I think my last one was $40 or so), and I just ship them in a flat rate box.
 
nothing wrong with flexbands. Post a picture of it. Raybestos doesn't make crappy products, so lets see it.
 
I have been using kick down band from raybestos rebuild kit 2 years. Lots of goofing around burnouts, 1/4 racing, donuts etc.... still holds fine
 
FredS said:
nothing wrong with flexbands. Post a picture of it. Raybestos doesn't make crappy products, so lets see it.
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Here you go:
As I said, until the adjuster is tightened against the band, you can move that end of the band side to side a good 2/3 inch. Look how shallow the receiver for the adjuster is compared to the original Mopar band. Plus, the anchors are spot welded to the flex band.

I'm glad people are having good luck with them but they aren't the quality of the original. I'll have mine re-lined.

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That anchor does look funky. I put a Raybestos Pro series band in my 904 year before last and it was very well built. Didn't cost much either. I wonder if their outsourcing them now??
 
I have to agree with Fred because I have seen and used that type of band from Raybestos in hundreds of transmissions without a problem. (well other than having the whole end where the strut attaches to the band snap off on a hard second shift.)
But I have seen the cast end ones do the same thing.

If you are not comfortable with it though, order a better one.
 
Rabestos builds most of the best style bands available,. I rebuild hundreds of 904 & 727 units using the flex bands with no failures, the band ends are designed to allow the band to shift dynamically during different shift applications allowing for a solid shift process. I tend to use the later design high energy lining for the 42 & 44 re units in all torqueflight units for longer life and better shift feel. Also recomend using Mopar +4. Fluid only, better coefficients and longer fluid life. Lon;
 
Problem solved. I called Alabama Band( a company west of here that supplies jobber bands) and they had a relined cast band in stock. I swapped my core in and for the sum of $3 I got this beauty lined "all in red" lol.

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TylerW said:
Problem solved. I called Alabama Band( a company west of here that supplies jobber bands) and they had a relined cast band in stock. I swapped my core in and for the sum of $3 I got this beauty lined "all in red" lol.

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Just finished watching a couple of your videos on YouTube.
Very informative on building the 904 thank you and I agree that bands a piece of crap.
 
fishy68 said:
Wow that was a great deal. Cast bands are becoming very hard to find anymore
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Chrysler has put millions of flex bands in the 904 and the 727 and continues to do so today with the A518 - A618 series of transmissions and the A500 -A500SE transmissions. Customers building HP 727 transmissions would use the high energy band from the A518 - A618.
As others have said, they've put hundreds of flex bands in rebuilds with few if any issues, and I've sold thousands over the years I worked in the industry. Yes, once and a while you'd get a bad one, but that happens with anything man-made.
The castings to the best of my knowledge are not being cast by anyone. My experience, both as a seller and a buyer, if you didn't have a REBUILDABLE cast core, I wouldn't sell them, nor could they be purchased from our suppliers.
 
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