according to my mechanic, my 97 tracker auto tranny is shot;  Also, my 4x4 may be in dire straights.  A tranny rebuild alone could cost between 1k-1500.00, not to mention whatever the 4x4 needs.  Is the price consistant with tranny rebuilds? What's the best route to take? I'm tired of being without my tracker.  HELP!

try a good ole junk yard swap.  if you can find a pic-a-part style yard you should get a tranny for $75-150

if i were you i would got to a junkyard and get a new tranny!
i got one of my sidekicks from a junk yard, i had to put a new computer, radiator, and altanator on it and it fired right up i only gave $500 for everything

Depending on the milage of the Track/Kick
I would say your "mechanic" is full of $#!+
and is in need of replacement, not the 4WD
system and trans, but I don't know your details

Just the ramblings of a skeptic Zookaholic

Wild

i just replaced my trans two days ago(92 2dr auto), so i know what you are going though. i was quoted $1200 for a rebuild, thats them taking it out and puting it back in. $550 if i took it out, and took it in to them.

now this is what i actualy did. I went down to my local auto wrecker, got one for $100,  got a new pan gasket and filter for $15, some atf $25, and did it myself. its pretty straight forward, if you know a little about mechanics.

they even said if the trans didnt work properly, just bring it back, and switch it for another one that they had.
Its a good thing it worked, cause the auto wrecker just burnt down yesterday

rebuild or replace is a good question. For me it really depends on the overall condition of the vehicle in question. If its very rough shape or not likely to last more than another 100,000 miles, I would just throw in a replacement from a yard. If the vehicle is in great condition otherwise, and has lots of miles left go ahead and rebuild, in that case its worth the money.

With that said, I have only had to replace a tranny 3 times in my life of driving. and 2 of those were on the same car LOL! The 2nd vehicle to drop a tranny on me was solely due to abuse, and was completely my fault knowing this, the last time was over 15 years ago. If you take care of the tranny with regular maintenance, it will take care of you by not falling out on the street or grenading into a million pieces.....

note: it is NOT a good idea to take a corner at high speed, sliding sideways and then FLOOR the gas in the middle of the slide while wheelhopping over cracks in the pavement    this was the fate of the tranny on vehicle #2 along with the r&p, axle shaft etc.....

according to my mechanic, my 97 tracker auto tranny is shot;  Also, my 4x4 may be in dire straights.  A tranny rebuild alone could cost between 1k-1500.00, not to mention whatever the 4x4 needs.  Is the price consistant with tranny rebuilds? What's the best route to take? I'm tired of being without my tracker.  HELP!

Two Words:

Bassboat Payment!

As others have suggested, if you can do it yourself, you can save a lot of money with a wrecker transmission.  Same goes for the transfer case (I assume that's what you mean by "4x4").

If you do it yourself, I would add that you should replace the pump seal on the input shaft behind the torque converter.  Oh and MAKE SURE that the torque converter is full of ATF before installing/reinstalling it!  Jesse James and a bunch of folks serving in Iraq forgot this step while building a hot-rod Hummer and blew up the trannie's pump!

If a 56-year-old over-edumacated shade-tree mechanic (me) can do the swap, you can too! 

If you do it yourself, I would add that you should replace the pump seal on the input shaft behind the torque converter.  Oh and MAKE SURE that the torque converter is full of ATF before installing/reinstalling it!  Jesse James and a bunch of folks serving in Iraq forgot this step while building a hot-rod Hummer and blew up the trannie's pump!

thats good advice. i missed that step, i would also like to add that you should make sure that the torque converter is all the way in,  its takes a little bit of wiggling, but its way easyer to do when its not behind the engine.

 I had a friend that didnt have the torque converter on all the way, and just cranked it tight with the bolts to the engine, well lets just say he pushed the pump right though the transmission. this wasnt with a suzuki though. it was a hemi, and it was a very expensive race transmission. he found out what had happened when he was at the race track, lets just say, the track officals were not happy with the gallon of atf on the track

 its also easy to change the output seals on the transfer case, mine was leaking after i put it in.

i forgot to mention, that $100 i spent for the trans, also included the transfer case and tc.

yeah, if your pulling from a yard, just leave the tranny and t/c connected together. Half the kids working in joints like that would never know the diff, and charge for just the tranny LOL

yeah, if your pulling from a yard, just leave the tranny and t/c connected together. Half the kids working in joints like that would never know the diff, and charge for just the tranny LOL

x2 on that!

Well, I've called nearly every tranny shop and the story's the same...850-$1,800 to R&R the tranny. That price does not include what ever might be wrong with the 4x4. The chevy dealer wants $5,500.00 for a rebuilt GM tranny!  Can you believe that crap?

I've checked all my local junk yards...nothing from a local wreaker.  Of course they can get one from somewhere else for around $500.00 plus another $500 for the TC.  What a bunch of CRAP!  I can order a rebuilt one (tranny only) from AutoZone or Advanced Auto for around $900.00 with a one year warranty.  Then I have to install it  .

The track is in good to great shape, with a soft and hard top.  It was a daily driver, nothing special, just fun driving and good mpg.  I miss it!!

Anyone know of a tranny for sale?

What is the tranny doing, or not doing, I bet  it
doesn't need to be replaced, lets see what we
can do to get your Trucklet back on the road

Okay, first...since gas prices have skyrocketed my dear loving wife and I have been fighting over the tracker.  When she gets it (more often than I) she always takes the dirt trail along the state park (Florida)in order to get to the hwy, which involves water holes the size of a small lake (6-12" deep).  She says she saves time but I know for a fact tha it takes longer this way. Since she hates to get out and lock in/out the hubs, she leaves them locked in all the time, even when on the paved roads.  So...

The first problem that started was that we started to hear some kind of clicking noise when the hubs were not locked in...we were told that it didn't hurt to leave them locked in even on paved roads.  Since the noise went away when locked in, we left them locked in, all the time.  Next, our oil change guy told us that our tranny fluid was low and dirty, even thought he detected some moisture.  He recommended some kind of Murphy's oil/fluid of some sort (?) to help lube the seals and rings, he said.  I know, I know!

After a few days the good ole track seemed to run better.  Then it started happening...I started to feel this slipping...it got worse as days went by. I went to a tranny shop and they said that the tranny was slippin' because the clutches were going out;  The only hope was a rebuild.  I checked a few more shops and got the same story.

At this point I can get it rolling in first gear and then shift it to second, but once I move it up to third (3spd, no OD), it starts to slip bad. 

The tracker sits off to the side of the yard.  I stare at it every day in disbelief.  I'm looking at it now, what a waste.  My wife says if I get it fixed she promises to lock and unlock the hubs, and only go the park route once in awhile (I got her!). If I new of a honest, dependable, and affordable person to fix it I would getter done.  But, it seems that person no longer exists.

First off 97 Trackers came with 4 speed transmissions,
secondly, if it wasn't slipping before the trans fluid change
and started after, it's a sticking valve body, not clutch packs
as your "trans spesialist" said.

Now I don't know how mechanicaly inclined/declined you
are, but I know if you have the mechanic spirit you can rebuild
the valve body, there are lots of parts, and little balls, but it's
a doable job.

I did my brothers trans (95 4 door) he was mad after changing
the fluid and it started slipping, so we pulled the valve body, got
a gasket set for a Toyota, (same trans brand) and cleaned and
replaced all the gaskets, and found little bits of gasket and junk
in the workings that were the problem.

Now the trans works great, he just drove the Trucklet to Utah,
about 900 miles round trip with no problems, so look into that
don't get ripped off, find a shop that will just do the valve body
or a friend that is a backyard mechanic and get your trucklet back
on the road, I think the gaskets will cost about $50 max, and it
has everything you need, plus some additional stuff for other model
trany's too

Good Luck
Wild