Allison 545 Swap

[ARMLESS71]

Has Anybody Swaped A Non Electric 545 Allison Into A 1st Gen. If So How Good Of A Swap Is It. lookin For A Good Overdrive transmission Not My 727. Thanks For Any Help.

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

In the early 1990's I worked with Cummins to spec the 5. 9 into on airport fuel trucks - in the 2500 to 4500 gallon range. At that time we looked at the Allison 545 and they were rated at 650 lb/ft of torque. You would need the right SAE bell housing, torque converter and other misc. parts for the hook-up. We never did the conversions because I could not convince the company maintenance manager that the Cummins was a good reliable engine - go figure!!!!



The 545 has been described as a throw away transmission - once it gave up the ghost.



I think it would be a doable swap.



Bob

 

[Philip]

A 545 trans does not have a OD. Here is a spec sheet with the gear ratios.



Transmissions << Atlantic Detroit Diesel - Allison

 

[MMeier]

After reading through most of the descriptions... I have to wonder, is there an Allison available that would actually hang in our trucks?

 

[DVolk]

The AT 645 would go it has 6 gears , but ive been told its wider than the truck frames talk to a Allison truck trans distrubor



Like Pac Trans in Woodland, Wa there honest and up front

 

[Leper]

Someone has already done it. I can't remember if he is a member here or on another board. I will try to find him.

 

[JFaughn]

Most of the Allisons upgrades I've read of were new computer controlled .
I've got 545 in a bus I thought of , but without the OD , I questioned the value of the swap .

 

[Don Tanklage]

A 545 trans does not have a OD. Here is a spec sheet with the gear ratios.



Transmissions << Atlantic Detroit Diesel - Allison

with a 3. 45 low gear and 4 speeds you could run a really tall ratio in the rear end

 

[DonTX]

Scrap the 545 idea, Allison don't even support it any longer. I had one in my CTD motorhome, failed at 40k to the tune of $5k!. It has no overdrive, the gearing is horrible, you can get more modern overdrive Allisons to serve you much better, several options are out there. .

 

[Jgolden]

The 6 speed Allison has a double overdrive, the 5 has one.

Maybe some one makes a kit to replace the electronic controls. They move good sized Motorhomes at good speeds. A Pickup could fly, or get great mileage. Forgot about the speed limit thing.

Maybe they put them in school buses.

 

[MMeier]

Regarding my earlier post, look at the HP and TQ ratings, nothing there that would hang with a tweaked Cummins in a first gen, much less a newer truck. :{ Anyone have info on the Roadranger line of transmissions, tried but came up empty handed.

 

[cerberusiam]

The Allison 1000/2000 series trans comes in a MH behind a 275 HP Cummins. The conversion in a 2x4 is realtively easy, not so the 4x4 as you would need a custom adapter for the t-case.



There are 2 really big problems putting an Ally in these trucks; computer controls and cost.



The Ally is all computer controlled, period. You need the electronics to get it to work and there is now way around it. Trying to find a reliable person, business, shop, etc, to get the controller programmed is a real pain. It is relatively easy to tune controller if you have the equipment and the knowledge but it is definitely a niche market.



Cost is a killer on these units. There are finally some uprated and billet parts available but they are spendy. Just the trans with enough good parts to hold the power is gonna eat up most of $8k, less if you can source a rebuildable unit to start with.



Suncoast is offering a conversion for the later trucks but, Oh My! $12-$13K and they won't deal or break the kit apart.



Backto the old question, how fast do you wanna go? :-laf:-laf

 

[KOG]

The 3060 and MH3000 used in motorhomes are fine transmissions. Getting them into a Ram could be trouble, but they are often bolted to a 5. 9 in the MH application.

 

[HFletcher]

The Allison MT643 can hold a built cummins. Piers has this done before. You might inquire there.

 

[RDupree]

i have a 545 in a 1st gen truck. so far so good.

i did have to lift the cab 2'' to get it to fit.

i know its not the best transmission,but it was on the engine i bought to swap into my 83 crewcab. i have a 3. 54 gear with a brownie overdrive behind the allison.



Randy

 

[MMeier]

How fast does it go... RPM's at , say... . 70 MPH?

 

[Jgolden]

Whats a "brownie overdrive" ?

 

[DonTX]

I hope he is not referring to a GearVendor overdrive, I had one of them on the motorhome, really a poorly engineered POS.

 

[John Martines]

I believe he's referring to a brown/lipe unit.

 

[JFaughn]

I thought the trans in my 73 bus was a 545 , then I went to the link on 1st page & it said 4 spd , mine is a 5 spd & 2 spd in rev. , anybody have any ideas as to witch Allison it mite be ?
The bus was a Cal. forestry fire crew bus , has a non turbo Cat 3208 , National chase , Carpenter body .
Thanks John