Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Goerend Transmission

[JRamirez]

Can't believe how lucky this post is for me. My truck is having transmission/TC problems and I am trying to decide which way to go when I get the money saved up. I am pushing close to 500 horse and the BD TC/valve body/Torque lock and controller won't hold any more. I have serious leakage and slipage and want to put in a bullet proof transmission this time. Gorend is just down the road from me (less than 50 miles) so the choice should be easy. However, I have heard such good things about ATS that I think I should go with them. Gorend guarentees for two years while ATS has a five year warranty. The ATS level 6 package is eight thousand plus; a lot of money but I am so tired of tranmission problems. The BD setup has been fairly good but I just don't think they can match what ATS has. How hard is it to make everything work together if I do the work myself? I have pulled trannys before but the adjustments sound like they might be a little over my head. Has anyone installed the ATS package with good results or should I have it done professionaly? My truck will still move but I don't think it has many miles left.

I do not post on here very often but I do to enjoy the tech advice and trouble shooting. I thought I might chime in since I have an ATS transmission.



I have an ATS stage 6 and I love it. My truck makes over 900 hp and 1800 ft. lbs. and the transmission runs great. I also dyno it and race it several times a year. The warranty is the best and the service is good. I had a small issue and they got it resoved right away.



If you read enough of these posts and threads every brand fails which makes me wonder how the transmission's are being treated, serviced, and maintained. I have freinds who seem to break everything the own while others have little or no trouble.



I honestly think some guys on here have an axe to gring or an agenda. They pile on depending on what brand of part they sell or who they are friends with. For my two cents ATS is great.

 

[LBARTLETT]

Johnny, Great Post Answer, good perspective to remember



my comment about you get what you pay for is true, I got by with my updated Goerend for about $3,000 (if my memory serves me correctly) on Dave's recommendation of what I needed for what i do with my truck and it works great for what I do. Sometimes I haul loads in excess of 30,000 lbs. but I try to drive sensibly, I don't drag race or pull, I do know I could tear it up if I wanted to (and my rear end too!)



I've never had an ATS but if they're still around they must be good, honestly they were a transmission I strongly considered, the reason I chose to go with a Goerend was there was an approved installer nearby so it was handy to get installed and to address any future issues if I had any which I have not



If a person is going to make massive hp and torque & use it a transmission built to hold & transfer the power will cost $$$$$$$$$, but it can still be torn up as anything can



I just got a new turbo, not for more power but to lower my egt's when pulling, that added benefit is a slight touch of the pedal and I no longer hear my wife

 

[Harlacher]

I have an ATS stage 6 and I love it. My truck makes over 900 hp and 1800 ft. lbs. and the transmission runs great. I also dyno it and race it several times a year. The warranty is the best and the service is good. I had a small issue and they got it resoved right away.



They pile on depending on what brand of part they sell or who they are friends with. For my two cents ATS is great.

Johnny,



Thanks for the post, it helped a lot. I am really leaning toward the stage 6 from ATS. I want to be able to dragrace the truck once or twice just for bragging rights but most of all I just want a truck that is dependable. The weak spot in my truck has always been the transmission and I am tired of it. The money is a lot but I like my truck and plan on keeping it another ten years at least.



Did you install the stage 6 package yourself? I am a fair mechanic and my son said he would help me. I am worried that getting the package to work with upgrades I have will be over my head. I want to get rid of all the switches and controllers I have now and go use the controller that comes with the package. I am hoping I can do it myself but want to be sure it is within my capabilities. What do you think?



Paul

 

[JRamirez]

Johnny,



Thanks for the post, it helped a lot. I am really leaning toward the stage 6 from ATS. I want to be able to dragrace the truck once or twice just for bragging rights but most of all I just want a truck that is dependable. The weak spot in my truck has always been the transmission and I am tired of it. The money is a lot but I like my truck and plan on keeping it another ten years at least.



Did you install the stage 6 package yourself? I am a fair mechanic and my son said he would help me. I am worried that getting the package to work with upgrades I have will be over my head. I want to get rid of all the switches and controllers I have now and go use the controller that comes with the package. I am hoping I can do it myself but want to be sure it is within my capabilities. What do you think?



Paul

My brother put it in for me. He is an experienced mechanic. If I were you I would get a buddy to help like I did. The output shaft for the t-case is the only part that I would be concerned about. The unit comes with full instructions and testing procedures. If you can put in a transmission you can put in this one. The Co-Pilot is simple to install. I run 11's in mine on a 7" lift with 37's so you know the transmission is tough.

 

[AClayton]

I feel the need to clarify my postings and correct any misunderstandings that may have surfaced.

1st-Originally... . I spoke with Eric at ATS about 6mos. ago when I started to notice problems with my transmission. I was quoted a price at that time for a complete transmission with new convertor and was even going to reimburse some money back for the VB in my transmission also..... which I thought was extremely fair!Unfortunately the price I was quoted was a little more than I could and/or wanted to pay. The Mos. went by and the problem grew worse to the point that forward motion was a very painful task. I am not going to nor have I, aired out any DIRTY laundry between myself and ATS. This largely due to their performance parts installed in a 100K old transmission. The twin turbo's that I had installed added about 50horse and aggravated the transmission combo further... . which I expected.



2nd..... There was a thread on TDR about 2 mos. ago regarding ATS warranty and many members had really bad things to say. I am not one to judge prematurely,but many of the issues that these guys were talking about,I had with my transmission. End result was that the warranty was denied for some reason or another. IMHO,after reading the OP position on things and how he handled himself on-line on another Cummins forum,I have to say that Eric at ATS went above the call of duty to serve this guy and ATS still got pounded on.



I did not want to place myself in a lose,lose situation regarding warranty and I guess... thinking back... . the reason I chose to not bother with ATS on a new transmission was that my installer was a Goerend Dealer also and even HE had problems with ATS merchandise over the years. You can only read so many negative comments and you start to draw your own conclusions.



I will say that I that I cannot prove that my TC was bad nor can I prove that I would not have gotten warranty from Eric at ATS. His post suggested that I could have easily obtained some sort of warranty... . I,I repeat... . I, did NOT give him the chance to serve me with a warranty arrangement.





I want to further state that I did not belittle or bash ATS but did share my problems with my TC... . again,I cannot prove that my convertor was bad because ATS never tested it..... But a transmission pro did,and he said it was my TC. I chose the quick,easy and expensive way out and decided to not take a chance on ATS saying that they wouldn't warranty their parts because they were installed in an old transmission. That was MY decision. I needed my truck and I was hassled enough by my better half because June has been a bad month for my truck..... Injection pump and transmission for a grand total of $6500.



I will continue to use ATS as a parts supplier if and when I need or want to upgrade my truck. I have had no problems with any other items purchased from them and never gave them a chance to warranty my transmission... . based on several sources AND my own personal need to get my truck running. Every day that my vehicle was off the road,I lost money and upset my customers with delays..... so I justified what other members consider a poor business decision,to get my truck running . That is NOT ATS's fault.



I will send Eric an E-mail to explain my position just as I have done here on TDR.







Alan

 

[LBARTLETT]

Alan, I never felt you were bashing ATS, your thread is titled Goerend, I responded and I love mine, I've explained I went with Goerend due to the nearby location of a trained installer



we all have different kinds of luck with different kinds of things but I never got the feeling that you were bashing anyone! just wanting to know how we like our Goerends



let us or me by pm know how you like your Goerend after you've run it for a while

 

[AClayton]

LBARTLETT,



I hope other members share your opinion of me NOT bashing ATS... . that was not my intention at all. I am not a drag racer or sled puller but my truck tows a 6K lb trailer daily so if that is abusing a vehicle,then I guess I did. Occasionally I'll act like a teenager and blow a Ford away in a stoplight to stoplight type of race but certainly not all the time.



The new transmission shifts like a stock one when accelerating easy but as throttle pressure increases,so does the intensity of the shift. What I like the most is when the convertor locks,it doesn't shock the drivetrain like the 5-Star did. The ATS is clearly a drag style convertor because it locked in such a violent manner. One other thing I noticed is that when my ATS Co-Pilot said to lock the convertor,the VB in my old transmission didn't allow lock-up until I lifted..... Goerends locks as soon as it is commanded to and without hesitation.



Anyway,I've only logged about 500 miles so far,but it is nice to be able to accelerate from a stop without manually locking my convertor to be able to move.



Alan