Transmission Digest Article

Now, the way I look at tools is you’re either a tool person or you’re not. Personally, I’ve always been of the opinion that any tool that makes it easier and faster to build an automatic transmission is usually (depending on cost and how it works) worth having. And, it doesn’t matter if it’s the piston seal installers for the CD4E or the specialty socket for removing the pinion nut on the Volkswagen 096 unit, if it saves valuable time and headaches then I’m going to buy it.

Well, now that you know my philosophy about tools it shouldn’t be too hard to understand what I’m going to say next. After years of pandering to my belief that you could assemble most front wheel drives bolted by the bellhousing to my bench or use a ZF4HP-22 case as a transmission stand for the majority of rear wheel drives something became apparently clear to me. Transmissions have become not only more complex but much much heavier. A good example is General Motors 4T80E, which according to the service manual tips the scales at 315 lbs. ! Now, someone tried to tell me that the figure of 315 lbs. is with the converter and oil. They could be quite correct about that, however after rebuilding a couple of 4T80E’s and manhandling them (with help) from being bolted to the side of the bench to the top - I’m real tempted to disagree with them. Not only was it was it not much fun it was also real unsafe. With that in mind the decision was made to try and find some type of a universal transmission stand that fits most of the units we worked on and didn’t bankrupt our checkbook.

The first thing I did to try and find a universal stand was look through the ads in a recent issue of Transmission Digest. As it turned out this was my best bet as I immediately found an ad for a universal transmission stand from a company called Bonk’s Automotive. After a call to Bonk’s I discovered that they offered two different stands that were both in our price range. The BA2000 is a heavy duty manually operated stand which sells for $195.00 while the BA3000 is their heavy duty power operated stand that costs $689.00. I ordered one of each, as I was undecided as to which one would best fit our shops needs.

UPS showed up three days later with a load of boxes from Bonks containing the two transmission stands. As I started to unpack the boxes I found everything was carefully wrapped in plastic bubble pack to protect the parts against any shipping damage. All bolts for assembly of the stands were in plastic bags that were taped to the main frame and both stands came with easy to follow assembly directions that used color pictures instead of those horrible line drawings that you always need a magnifying glass to use. This made assembly a snap. Other pluses were, professionally done welds, all rough edges were smoothed to prevent cutting yourself and the stands are Powder Coated (a much more durable product) instead of painted.

Ok, that’s all well and good you say but how well did the two stands work? After using both of them over a five month period here’s what I can tell you.

BA2000 Cons - Due to its fixed height and width this stand takes up a fair amount of floor space. That means, if you have a small rebuilding area you may not be able to move the stand around. You need to keep in mind that once the unit is assembled you have to grab the back of the stand by the two large bolts and rotate it down to the ground so you can install the valve body. Then after the oil pan is installed you have to rotate it back to the upright position and then down onto the units oil pan so you can remove the four fingers from the bellhousing. This wasn’t a problem for our shop as we have a good sized rebuilding area. However, now that I’m approaching middle age I wasn’t overjoyed with physically rotating the stand. Don’t misunderstand me here. It wasn’t that hard to rotate it, I just prefer to lift weights at the gym.

BA2000 Pros – After tipping over an assembled E4OD diesel from my makeshift ZF transmission stand to the floor (and cracking the case in half) it was a real pleasure to use a fixture that solidly mounted the transmission. It made stacking the guts and using the 4^th clutch tool much easier. I also liked the fact that the height for stacking the guts or working on the valve body area was well thought out. You weren’t bent over or standing on you’re toes to work on the transmission. Another bonus I really liked was the fact it was a piece of cake to torque the transfer gear bolts on a Chrysler 670 to 200 ft. lbs. Before that, the case would roll all over the bench even with someone holding it.

BA3000 Power Stand Cons – Just like the BA2000 the 3000 series uses a fair amount of floor space. But, in all fairness to Bonk’s the model I choose uses a 48’’ wide base, while there is both a 32’’ wide base and a pedestal mount (see figure 5). The BA3000 stand uses a power winch to raise and lower the head. That part of it I was OK with but I wasn’t too keen on the idea of using a car battery as a power source. I was afraid it would drain down all the time and have to be recharged. The 3000 comes equipped with wheels so you can roll it around but the wheels are much too small as most shops have ruts in their floor bigger than the wheels. To eliminate this problem the new 3000 comes with 3 ½’’ casters and two locking bolts for stationary work.

BA3000 Power Stand Pros – As it turned out I was completely wrong about the car battery. It used very little amperage and was only recharged after a couple of months of using the stand daily. The power winch operates smoothly and allows you to easily raise or lower the transmission to the working height you desire saving aches and pains on this old body of mine. The head that mounts to the transmission rotates 360 degrees and locks into place by means of a bolt allowing you easy access for stacking the unit up or installing the valve body. One of the best features I feel of the power lift is the fact you can bolt the transmission up to the stand while it’s on you’re jack and then wheel it over to the bench for teardown and you can do the opposite after the unit is rebuilt. So, if you’re a one man shop it’s a real Godsend or in our case we no longer need two people to lift the transmission from the bench to the transmission jack. One person is now all it takes, which from my viewpoint saves on labor costs and greatly reduces safety risks.

Here are a few thoughts on both stands. Transmission stands have been around for years but they have always been bench mounted and unit specific. Bonk’s design because it is universal is a departure from this and involves changing you’re mind about how you perceive things. For instance, I looked like a monkey trying to hook up the first couple of transmissions to the four adjustable fingers (clamps) which really frustrated me. However, after I figured out a method to bolting the fingers up to the unit it was no problem. The second thing I had to change my mind on was the amount of floor space either stand used. But, after using both stands and realizing how much easier it was to assemble units (not to mention much safer) I decided less floor space was not an issue.

After five months of using both stands I now find myself using the BA3000 Power Stand for assembling units. Our swingman still uses the BA2000 and he doesn’t seem to mind having to rotate it.

So, which one do I recommend? My choice is the 3000 because from an owner’s standpoint I like the fact it only takes one person to get the transmission off or on the jack. It’s much safer because you don’t have to worry about someone getting physically hurt from carrying some of these big heavy monsters. Best of all, NO MORE sore muscles or back from manhandling units.

One last quick note. Bonk’s Automotive is a YES company. That means, if you want something special done to you’re stand - its’, not a problem! You can find out more about Bonk’s and their products by visiting their website at www.bonkauto.com or contact them at 734 - 434 - 4190.

bonkauto@wwnet.net