Is the torqueflite an inferior design from a thrust-washer pov?

MoPar~Man

MoPar~Man

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I came across a comment posted on the web along the lines of the 727 having a lot of loaded thrust washers, hinting that maybe other transmissions (or modern transmissions) don't have that? One of the outcomes of that being that it's bad for oil (I guess causing oil shear, reducing oil life, making it pointless to use synthetic ATF). Any ideas on that?
 
Perhaps the commenter "on the web" might have desired to see Torrington Bearings instead of mere thrust washers? At least, as a wear item, as a thrust washer wears, protecting the surfaces it wears against, it just allows more shaft movement. Any bearing, as it wears, usually stops turning. What might the best alternative be in any transmission?

I suspect the wear characteristics of full-syn atf would lengthen the service life of any thrust washer. IF the full-syn fluid also increased friction life too, suddenly we've got a 200K+ transmission.

CBODY67
 
Never had worried about that. One night, years ago, a transmission shop owner showed me how much larger in diameter the friction plates were in a 727 than for the allegedly equal THM400. The TF was quite a bit larger in diameter and square inches of material, which means more torque capacity. How many related thrust washers there might be is not worth being concerned with as torque capacity and durability are key transmission metrics.

CBODY67
 
The thrust washers haven't been a problem since the first 727 in 1962. Again the cheysler trust washer are wide and beefy. I've pulled some trans pans off for a fluid change and half a thrust washer is laying in the pan.

Yes newer (mid 1990's and up) transmissions seem to use Torrington bearings more than thrust washers.
 
It's not that the washers aren't big and strong, it's that their mere presence means oil getting sheared by them? And maybe not just 1 or 2 of them? That there's a better way if you want to avoid that?

I guess in the big picture it's not a really big deal, but someone threw it out there.
 
Yep, no big deal. Built tough and will last a long time with normal maintence. We used to service transmisdions every 2 years or 24,000 miles. Fresh fluid and a new filter makes them last. Adjust the bands while you are in there.
 
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