Tractor hauler-long

I have gotten very good advice before on YT. My dilemma is the transmission failed on my last expedition pulling a IH 300U home. I have had three thoughts about the 92 Suburban. 1 Knock it in the head and get something different. 2 Put a manual transmission in it which at first is appealing but I have issues with the electronics and speed control I have not quite figured out unless I can find the perfect donor.3. rebuild what I have. So far I know it needs front and rear seals, wiring harness leaks, a vent broke probably all new discs and steels O-rings etc. I am thinking because the oil was real black, torque converter. I live in the rust belt and most of what I look at is rusted real bad and to get an equivalent is going to be over 6-7000. My Suburban is a Heavy duty C2500 with next to no rust anywhere under or on it. It is a 5.7 so a little under powered. I probably will be into the trans for 800 or more for parts depending on what I find when I get it apart. The still not sure if I should change the solenoids and what about shift kits, the wiring they changed the harness so it is a different style plug( which I haven't figure out if it is the new style) so would have to rewire the truck side harness. I have looked for used ones but am now out 150 or more miles and then it maybe junk when I get it home. How hard is it to do one yourself?

By the way this is a 2WD with 170000 miles on it and I already have the transmission out on a stand.

92 , 28 year old , around here one would just go to the salvage yard and get a transmission for 200 to three hundred and be back going.

Due to the salt belt most of the salvages in the twin cities area are now 2003 and newer. I was out 100 miles at the last call. There are a few on Face book and craiglist but they say they are not sure or for cores.

Go to a heavier truck to take the guf of pulling weight. Make it be a gear model when you buy it. For 6-7000 you can buy single axle semi tractors and never need to change the trans and have plenty of power besides.

I don't see your final drive ratio. If it isn't 410 or 456, you are over heating the trans. Heat FRYS clutches. A shift kit would help but if you are not familiar with rebuilding, have a pro do it.
I have enjoyed 3 Suburbans in my life. Each had 350 engines, auto trans and 2.73 axles. They were my family stationwagon. None were really "pullers", but I did. Although no long hauls.
None were 4x4 and I did not have electric brake controller or even surge brakes. Asking for trouble? YES! But, I drove accordingly.
First, no hard launches. Two, I did manual shifts of the automatic transmission. Your transmission hydraulic pressure is higher in manual low. If 3rd gear was too high, I drove in 2nd. Watch heat gauge. Transmission temperatures over 200 degrees are damaging.
To stop, I let off long before needing to stop and did manual down shifts. No tailgating. The engine braking helped stop.
Since those days I have tried to have trucks equipped to handle what I want to pull. I do not pull that often anymore but I can handle most of what I want to haul.
I now have a 2018 Silverado 1500 4x4. It is the 5.3L variable displacement V8. It has E rated tires and electric brake controller. It has air bag suspension aid on the rear axle.
I have a 6.5 foot slide in camper that weighs 1300 pounds and I pull a 24', 10,000 GVW inclosed trailer.
This set-up has handled all that I want to do. I do NOT overload. I watch my speed and I watch my temperature gauge. I do NOT hesitate to use lower gears. Yes, sometimes my gas mileage sucks.
I don't drive alot, anymore. Next month I will have owned the truck 3 years and it has just over 30,000 miles.

Sorry if you have talked about your previous mechanical experience here before, I would have to ask if you have ever rebuilt an automatic transmission before? If not I would follow the other suggestion of letting a professional do it. You will need a clutch pack spring compressor tool which could be a shop press if your careful and use some creativity. You need a rubber tipped air blower to air check each clutch pack after assembly. The list goes on. If you don’t have an experienced person to look over your shoulder every step the likely hood of having a successful outcome is 75 percent, if not maybe more realistically 50 percent. And everything clean, like washed in clean solvent and blown dry with compressed air, no rag wiping. Just the lint from a rag is enough to cause trouble. Best of luck!

I suggest that you look at the frame real good, a friend has a 2500 Suburban 4x4 and the frame is bad over the rear axle. The rest of the unit looks really good, but the frame needed some major plating.

If you baked it until it was black odds are good you will be into it for a lot more than 800 in parts.

A 4L80 is not a difficult transmission to work on if you are comfortable with automatics.

2wd configuration is not as easy to find used but they are out there.

Majority of the parts from a 4L80 in a 4X4 are the same.

A little late but I had a 2wd one sitting here forever, I finally ended up yanking the guts out of it to bring a 4L80 in a 4x4 back to life.

ROGER - You should follow usedred mn's advice. Since you have the trans out already, take it to the transmission shop of your choice, have somebody that rebuilds them every day do the rebuild. You czn do the re-install. Save yourself a LOT of headaches.

Here at my Ford dealership , we would not try to rebuild that tranny
try to find one in a selvage yard.the only concern with a used one is you may be installing one with a problem .
or find a already rebuilt one where you can give them yours as a core.
Jasper or A GM dealer .
how is the rest of the vehicle
here in Pennsylvania we see a lot of rust so sometimes you need to look at that also .

Some answers to your comments, keep them coming. Mechanical abilities I would same I am above average but do not consider myself a pro. Been into many-many engines(probably 50-60) over the years(overhauls and valve jobs etc.) and many manual transmissions and clutches. Worked as a machinist for ten years machining pistons and sleeves. Have formal training in all things HVAC related but have never been into a auto transmission this deep, just pans off and a few solenoids. I have presses and a lot of precision tools.
Suburban is fitted likely as a truck for on the rails, hyda boost brakes, brake controller, beefed up suspension, heavy duty floating rear axle(did not check the ratio tag,80 was maxed out with pedal to the floor empty) frame is almost new in appearance as I spent enough time looking at it when pulling the transmission. It is used for less than 8000 miles a year as I have a city job car for that. I have tried to rent/borrow trucks and I usually rent trailers but getting all three, truck, trailer and free time is extremely difficult, so owning/having two makes it easier.
As far as rebuilders two things come up. One is reputation as I am getting ones I feel are the best want 18-2000 labor to rebuild and have heard 4000 total from one. Then there is the lower cost ones that are around 1100 and the comments that the transmission is messed up more than repaired.
With the doing it myself I feel like it would give me a challenge and from what I am seeing might actually do it better then some of the others, but have some health related things that are slowing my wrenching down from old injuries.
Just not sure what to do and have been sitting on the fence with it. Going to a heavier truck costs 40% more for license and other insurance due to having to have rated plates. The Sub can be licensed as a car/SUV.I do not pull very often and mostly use it as a enclosed hauler so it has functioned as a dual purpose vehicle well. That and I am getting into the years that worrying what kind of retirement and if I am ready or have to are getting to be factors. The tractor wrenching is my only defined hobby though.

If you want to know axle ratio, look inside your glove box door for the RPO decal of code numbers.
Numbers starting with F, G & H will tell you things like ratio, ring gear dia., type of posi if any, etc.

https://www.crawlpedia.com/rpo_axle_codes.htm

Well it seems the consensus is to let some one else rebuild. I guess the more I think about it I am going to sell it for parts if I can first. If that does not work then I am going to try it with some of the more critical parts bought as remans. I keep going back to the last transmission that I had trouble with and the guy started putting used ones in and at the count of 4 I junked it. I have had more than my share of so called experts repairing things that I do not trust easily, on top of that the research I am getting is that there is too many shady builders out there. The better ones seem to have no time for me. The last transmission quote I got was at 2250. I think taking the tires off, pulling the motor and scrapping is probably what is going to happen