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Just a matter of Time/ auto transmission

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Trans Upgrades

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Just a matter of Time

Well my 96 has finally climbed up to 155,000 mi, and I know that sooner or later the stock auto trans will certainly go. I fell luck to have gotten this far. So I'm looking for opinions/prices, so I can start saveing now. I am basiclly stock. I do have a # 4 plate begging me to put it in, so I will get to it sooner or later. I did contact a transmission guy in Temecula, that quoted me $3,500 for what he called a "Heavy Duty" trans. I only tow occasionaly, just mostly drive the freeways back and forth to work. And of course I want the best for my money. Any advice will be helpful. :)
 
Not to start a transmission war but just read some of the other threads on them. Then make some calls to DTT, BD, Suncoast, ATS Goerend to name a few. All the numbers are listed in the "links" page. Maybe try to hook up with someone in your area and ride in a few different setups. Lastly go with who you feel you can trust with a couple thousand of your hard earned dollars... .
 
Did someone say transmission thread? Oo.



Seriously, don't fork out that kind of cash for a generic don't know what you're getting transmission. As mstimac just gave you a short list of who's who on aftermarket trannys. I'm a DTT man myself but I'd go with any of the companies listed before I'd go with a "heavy duty" transmission of unknown origin.



dan
 
My brother was in the same boat as you were dphillips. He had over 175k on his stock transmission. His problem was it would not shift very good 2nd to 3rd and OD. He had so many internal leaks that it had hard time building pressure to shift. The clutches and TC were ok just too many internal leaks.



If you can stop ALL internal leaks you will have a rock solid transmission. Not bullet proof but solid.



He went with a North American transmission dealer and installer. :D



Like every body else is saying, do your homework... .
 
I'm sure there are many good sources all claiming to be the best. I will want to find one here in so cal, as I won't want to tow if cross country looking for a place to have it done.
 
Re: Just a matter of Time

Originally posted by dphillips

I only tow occasionaly, just mostly drive the freeways back and forth to work. And of course I want the best for my money. Any advice will be helpful. :)



dphillips,

Just to let you know, tomorrow morning there will be a gathering in Tustin,CA and there will be a few trucks with modified trannys there. It is at 9 am.



Now to the transmission.



If you want the most for your money, call the "Man"

www.dieseltrans.com

and a local installer www.desertdieselparts.com



If you want to drive a built up truck to see where you might be heading, I would be willing to meet you and let you drive a " bulletproof" transmission.
 
Stakeman, I have to give Greg credit. He has literally tried to destroy his transmission, not just street racing, but off-road wheeling, hauling ridiculously heavy and turning the juice all the way up (5,5)and out pulling other truck brands up grades where he lives.



I wouldn't call him a cheeleader, he's a perfect example of someone that has put his transmission to the test, which in his case is anything imaginable. And although he has tried, has not had one single failure in well over a years time since I built his transmission.



Granted anyone trying to decide on what best suites their needs, has to look long and hard and try to pull the facts out. Sometimes this can be clouded, and sometimes its right in front of you.
 
Fred,



I wasn't talking about Greg. Just letting dphillips know that it is very hard to get good information from a transmission thread here. What works for one may not for another.
 
Here is a little some thing I wrote up for some one else.



Remember, take anything anyone says with a grain of salt. study, study, and then study some more before dumping that kind of cash into somthing this complex.



Installer, Installer, Installer, all the products are great but they aren't worth any thing unless you have a good installer or can do it yourself. There is a lot more to fine tuning these aftermarket transmissions than just installing some parts.



My experience:



1. If you are going to do engine power enhancements that increase HP more than 60 HP than It is advisable to upgrade the transmission with a Torque converter and Modified Valve Body, I also recommend a pressure lock from BD along with who's ever upgrades you go with, this is advisable towing or none towing.

2. If you are going to the extreme HP's of approximately over 350HP to unlimited rear wheel HP than I would recommend an exchange transmission with the upgraded internal parts, most all exchange transmissions come with the parts listed in #1 but it doesn't hurt to ask just to make sure. If you can do transmission work on your own than you could get by a lot cheaper as no labor would be involved. With an upgraded transmission you should be able to tow in OD, be it an exchange (which is better) or just upgrade with TC, valve Body, and pressure lock.

As far as whose parts you use, I really have no preference, my setup works really well but others have good parts too. I will list in preference what I would do if I had to do it again, the only reason I list bd-power fourth is I have already used their parts and am very happy with them but I would like to try somebody else's, keep in mind if this BD transmission goes more than say 200,000+ miles it would be mighty hard to go with some one else as this would already have been a proven setup.

www.atsdieselperformance.com

www.suncoastconverters.com

www.gbtransmission.com

www.bd-power.com This is my setup and very good.

I should explain why I think bd's setup is very good.

There is a stretch of road we travel every weekend that is 70 miles long and we have to stop or slow down and turn 9 times within that 70 mile stretch. On the return trip we do the same thing. That's like stopping every 7. 8 miles and racing nine times, Add in the return trip and in 140 miles we stop and race every 7. 8 miles for 18 times. A lot of people on the TDR claim there transmission will hold up to all kinds of HP while racing, but the abuse I put mine through is nothing compared to them, Why, because I go from 0 to 65 MPH with my foot close to the floor using 300+ RWHP pulling 21,000 to 22,000 pounds in tow. These guys racing with High HP are not towing anything and I doubt they race 18 times a weekend.



I buy all my own parts, I am not affiliated or sponsored by anyone or any company. I buy what I feel is best for me from who ever I want, when I can scrounge enough money together.



Hope this helps,

Ron
 
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dphillips



I agree with ronsram1999 in that you should investigate all avenues. His exclusion of one of the major players (DTT) has become an ongoing mystery to me though as he touts other vendors other than BD and PDR - CONSTANTLY - that he appears to do little, if any, business with.



Do yourself a favour and call Bill K. at DTT (1 866 504-4002) and/or visit their website at http://dieseltrans.com . There is a goldmine of information available. If you're going to do research, you might as well have ALL the information and if there are others that I'm not aware of, check them out as well.
 
dcochran,

I exclude DTT in my posts because I will not support anyone or venture that I feel is not worthy of such. I have researched all the companies that I put into my posts and the ones I include are the only ones worth mentioning in my opinion. Some times it is best not to say anything, some advice you could learn from.



Greg Boardman,

That was a cheap shot what you did to my post and subsequent my quote in your post, adding something to a quote that wasn't even there to begin with. Another reason I do not support DTT and their supporters, nothing but dirty tricks.



Most of the people come on the TDR to learn and help educate others that want to learn, If What Greg Boardman has done is the kind of thing the TDR is all about then we are all in for a rough ride. I demand retribution of some sort.



Greg Boardman, do not ever respond to one of my posts again. I do not consider someone that relies on trickery and deception to be much of a man and I can definitely do without you.



Ron
 
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