Front Servo; Description; Operation - Dodge Dakota Sport 2001 Service Manual

21 - 332 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - 46RE
FRONT CLUTCH (Continued)
(12) Compress spring retainer and piston springs
with Tool C-3863-A.
(13) Install spring retainer snap-ring and remove
compressor tool.
(14) Install clutch plates and discs (Fig. 94). Three
clutch discs, three steel plates and one reaction plate
are required.
(15) Install reaction plate followed by waved snap-
ring.
(16) Check clutch pack clearance with feeler gauge
(Fig. 98). Clearance between waved spring and pres-
sure plate should 1.78 - 3.28 mm (0.070 - 0.129 in.).
If clearance is incorrect, clutch plates, clutch discs,
snap-ring, or pressure plate may have to be changed.
Fig. 98 Typical Method Of Measuring Front Clutch
Pack Clearance
1 - FEELER GAUGE
2 - WAVED SNAP-RING
3 - FEELER GAUGE

FRONT SERVO

DESCRIPTION

The kickdown servo (Fig. 99) consists of a two-land
piston with an inner piston, a piston rod and guide,
and a return spring. The dual-land piston uses seal
rings on its outer diameters and an O-ring for the
inner piston.
Fig. 99 Front Servo
1 - VENT
2 - INNER PISTON
3 - PISTON
4 - SPRING
5 - RELEASE PRESSURE
6 - APPLY PRESSURE
7 - PISTON ROD

OPERATION

The application of the piston is accomplished by
applying pressure between the two lands of the pis-
ton. The pressure acts against the larger lower land
to push the piston downward, allowing the piston rod
to extend though its guide against the apply lever.
Release of the servo at the 2-3 upshift is accom-
plished by a combination of spring and line pressure,
acting on the bottom of the larger land of the piston.
The small piston is used to cushion the application of
the band by bleeding oil through a small orifice in
the larger piston. The release timing of the kickdown
servo is very important to obtain a smooth but firm
shift. The release has to be very quick, just as the
front clutch application is taking place. Otherwise,
engine runaway or a shift hesitation will occur. To
accomplish this, the band retains its holding capacity
until the front clutch is applied, giving a small
amount of overlap between them.
AN