Found out that the overdrive unit on my 04 48RE had a cracked case and was leaking fluid, plus it quit working again for the third time, so I bought a new complete unit from Chrylser. I go to put it in and it won't go all the way in, seems that the planetaries might have moved and the splines will not engage. Talked with a couple people and they say I need to remove the large wave washer, take the clutches and plantetaries out, then re-align the planetaries, so they will slip over the splines in the output shaft of the trans. They also say that it may take a couple times before it will work. Anyone ever do this? Is there a special tool needed and a press I assume to remove the wave washer?

Go on youtube and watch that Hiram's garage. He tears apart a couple of 48REs and I remember something about that wavy ring. It's amazing watching him tear one apart and not even be looking at it.

Yep, watched the video and that is what it is, two of the planetaries have moved. I don't have the tools to do it, so off it goes tomorrow to a rebuilder who knows about them. I love spending money on something that is brand-new and very few left to buy...

auto trans is my voodoo nemesis. i can do anything else, but the auto trans, is always left to more skilled hands. (last one i took apart had at least 9000 parts inside it!!!! almost 6000 of them, went back in!!!! )

The first and last one I built was in 1980 and it lasted 3 weeks, been a stick guy ever since. Too bad I break those weak things all the time too...

Why don't you take it back to the dealer you bought it from? It would only take a trans tech about 15 minutes to align it all back up.

Like in other posts about dealers I only use one and they are 2 hours away. Chrysler is out of the overdrive units due to cracking of the cases so I feel pretty lucky just to have a new one as it is!

Got lucky and a friend had an alignment shaft at the dealership we works at. He had to release the pressure on it and slip the shaft in it. He let me keep the shaft until I get it in place so it won't slip out again. Seems it is a common problem that could be easily remedied by putting a cheap plastic shaft in the unit from the factory, but NOOOOOOOOO.