Hello All,
My 1997 GCL ZJ 4.0L has 174,000 miles on it and it runs and shifts great.

I'm going to change all of the drive line fluids soon. I wanted to ask for opinions on how I should handle the transmission bands. I have read the FSM on how to adjust the front and rear bands. The front band adjustment can be made externally on the trans case but the rear band adjustment is only accessible with the trans pan off. The procedure seems straight forward and I believe I have the tools necessary to do the adjustment as outlined in the FSM.

My question is, given the miles (174k) should I adjust the bands while changing the trans fluid or should I leave well enough alone since it seems to be shifting well and no slipping that I am aware of.

I have owned the Jeep since new in 97 and the trans fluid has been changed a couple of times but to my knowledge the bands have never been touched.

All input is appreciated.......

Thanks
Khawk2

 

My WJ has 231K miles on it and I've never adjusted the bands, but I don't abuse it. I think since I've owned it I've only used WOT about 5 or 6 times to get me out of trouble while merging on the highway. It still performs normally after it warms up.

 

Thanks for the reply Dave. My ZJ is more of a daily driver and I don't think I abuse it, never been off road, only use the 4 wheel drive in snow and most of my driving is expressway with some around town.

Your input is just what I was looking for. I don't know if others had done preventative maintenance adjustments or not so that's why I posted the question. I try to do proactive maintenance but it can be easy to cross the fine line into trying to prevent a problem that doesn't exist.

Thanks
Khawk2

 

Some say yes some say no. Myself I have adjusted mine. 42re is a bit hokey but will hold up a long time with maintenance. I think a band adjustment is normal maintenance that is called out by the owner's manual and the fsm. I will say it did help mine a lot, stopped from flaring so much between shifts.
There is actually yet another adjustment that you can do to them, the line pressure is adjustable with the pan off. That is where I'm heading next. Again, see the fsm.

 

I was thinking of doing mine when I do my next trans service but....I've read many reports of people having problems AFTER doing the band adjustment that they didn't have before so, I think I'm going to leave well enough alone and no touch mine.
See my post with similar question here: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f5/04-...ce-not-242984/

 

There are people who say not to change your transmission fluid, for the same reasons. By the same convoluted thinking, you should not change your engine oil ever either.
Band adjustment is band adjustment. If they weren't meant to be adjusted periodically to compensate for wear, they wouldn't tell you to adjust them.

 

Thanks to everyone who commented. Your input was helpful.

After additional thought, I test drove my pickup and my wife's car giving particular attention to how they shifted in several situations. I then took my ZJ out and found it to be shifting at least as well as the other two cars.

I changed fluids in both differentials, transfer case and transmission as well as the trans filter. I added the new fluids with the recommended amount of Motorkote friction reducing additive for each unit. I have put about 100 miles on the Jeep since doing the fluid changes and the transmission is shifting as smooth and positive as it ever has. I don't know if a band adjustment would improve the shifting but I'm very happy with how it is preforming now.

I have used Motorkote in my engine for a few years now and decided to add it to the trans and diff's, I don't know how much it helps but it hasn't hurt my engine. At 174k it does not use any oil between changes and I change at 4k miles.

Anybody else use this product? Good or bad experiences?

Again thanks to all.

Khawk2