My main question here is do I run the factory waves in all the clutch packs or not. I read that some of the waves can break and cause clutch packs to stick.
I think this is a matter of personal choice when it comes to building them.. I always run the wave plate on the intermediate stack. That is the only wave plate I reuse. I also ALWAYS retain the accumulators. You can still get bone-jarring shifts out of your unit even with the accumulators in place so there really is no need to delete them. On that subject, I NEVER set up 4L80E's to shift any harder, or firmer, or faster, than is absolutely necessary for the intended use of the vehicle. I WILL NOT set them up to chirp the tires at low RPM's as some customers request. The gear train in an 80E is HEAVY.. Trying to stop, and or start, drums instantaneously that are spinning at high RPM's is just asking for a short lived tranny, or broken shafts, or wear in various places inside the unit. You can decide how you want your unit to shift, but I caution you that harsh/hard shifts will do you more harm than good with this unit. Your aluminum direct drum will greatly aid in longevity should you set it up to shift hard, but you still have other areas of concern in the unit that will be negatively affected.
A modded TH400 piston and hd springs for the direct clutch. We run the factory intermediate aluminum piston, and factory bonded pistons in the forward & direct. With the wave plate, I can still get 6 intermediate frictions, and Kolene steels, and still have adequate clearance within the clutch stack after milling the backing plate.
On the direct cluth, we discard the wave plate, and put 7 frictions & Kolene steels into this drum, along with a hole drilled along the band surface (between piston and bottom of drum) for faster kick-downs. Doing it this way negates the need for the aluminum direct piston and stiffer springs. We sometimes use the stiffer return springs (sparingly) within the factory retainer on vehicles that we know will be turning 7,000RPM or more regularly. Otherwise, in lower RPM operating ranges, it's not necessary.
think I may have to file the front main shaft if I cant get it to shimmed properly.
You should not have to file ANY of the shafts to get your clearances correct. You will have to shim under the bearing that will sit in the face of the center support to get the drums up, and off of, the sun gear tube. Even after shimming up the drums you will still have plenty of clearance in the front of the unit.
You are on the right track. I would caution you to not try and boost the line pressure too high. These units have plenty of line pressure from the factory. High line pressure will mean very careful selection of the feed hole sizes that you use in the plate. Also, high line pressure paired with no accumulators might be a little more than you expect.
I know you want to only have to "do it once".. But if you set it up too harsh you may come to regret that when it starts tearing up bearings in the rear differential, U-joints, transmission mounts, and hard parts inside the transmission. Be cautious in how you elevate that pressure. It's very easy to surpass "reliable" and wind up in "regrettable".
There is a mod that you can make to your pump since you have it apart. You simply drill a small passage between two divider walls in the pump cover, and it aids in line to lube.
Look here;
https://www.google.com/search?q=4l80...464GgPQz5eS0M:
You did not mention it, but I assume you are direct feeding it? I also recommend using the solid white teflon sealing rings on the center support. Yes, they are a bit more difficult to resize once in place, but they do a superior job of sealing as compared to the plastic rings in the rebuild kits. Check the inside of your direct drum very carefully for grooves. If you can catch a fingernail in any of the grooves-get another drum! We actually machine damaged direct drums at my shop and install the Sonnax special bushing that restores sealing ring surface area. If you end up needing a new drum, I will gladly buy your old drum from you. I repair them, and sell them.
Your pics of your unit indicate water inside the unit at some point in it's history. I strongly suggest that you replace EVERY bearing, every thrust washer, all rubber components, and every single bushing (whether you think you need to or not).
If you have any specific questions, you can e-mail me at
Transmissionheaven@gmail.com