My ATS opinion after 1 week

[StakeMan]

Everytime I get out of my truck I have to stop and make sure its mine. It drives so much better than anything I have been in. The shifts are nice and crisp, and lock-up is solid. Were it use to be 2100 rpm launches and slow accelleration(sp?), is now 1600 rpm with excellent accelleration even with stock HP. The Torque multiplication is unreal.



Service has been perfect. I wanted a shift point changed and they opened up thier shop on a day when they are normaly closed, and made sure it was exactly the way I wanted it before I left.



I am expecting to see an increase in MPG, but with the winter weather it is hard to tell.



I am very pleased with the ATS setup. Thier products and services have been simply awesome.

 

[Strick-9]

Great report!



Congrat's.



-Chris

 

[DRR-24V]

StakeMan Glad to Hear It !

Good deal. There is room in the Auto Trans World for 2 good setups.

 

[Cummins Corvette]

Thanks for the update!

 

[mlockner]

StakeMan,

Glad to hear the ATS stuff is doing good and you are satisfied with your choice. The Customer service part is especially good to hear about as that is sometimes more important than some other things when building a reputation and relationship with this club and it's many members. Keep us informed on how you are doing.

 

[TxDieselKid]

darn you Stake....

Man the choice is just getting harder with your posts Stake.



TDK slaps Stake



lol,

Andrew

 

[StakeMan]

LOL@TDK

 

[Dixie Dawg]

Gotta get mine done now!

Aiight... that's it. Gotta get mine done. What is all this talk about stall speed, lockup, etc? I'm new to the diesel world, so still learning. I will not be towing anything large for the near future, but who knows, that might change one day. Thanks for any help!

 

[KGoode]

Stakeman, glad to see you went with ATS's t/c. Feels good doesn't it. Lockup Rocks!



Kevin.

 

[Cummins Corvette]

Ya know....

It is nice to not NEED lockup!

 

[KGoode]

It's nice to have both



Kevin

 

[StakeMan]

I don't need lock-up either. But lock-up is better.

 

[phoekema]

another happy ATS customer!

Just got my truck back after having the ATS converter and valve body installed this week. It is GREAT - the lockup clutch is now SO solid. Don and Clint really know the transmission. I had a minor problem with the computer going into limp in mode due to a wiring harness that had to be changed, but after a call to Don with the code, he talked me through an easy fix (adding a 100 ohm resistor in one line in the wireing harness) the problem has not come back since. I pulled a friend's 11,000 lb fifth wheel for him about 100 miles this weekend and the transmission performed without a hitch.

 

[THerman]

I'd like to hear from someone that has just the T/C and the stock VB... .

 

[phoekema]

converter w/o valve body

THerman,

Of all the converters, the ATS would be one of the best candidates to try by itself without the valve body, I would think, due to the fact they don't need to turn up the pressure to get a good, firm lockup. Being able to lock up in all 4 gears certainly in nice in some cases, though and the shifts are more positive than they would be with the original valve body. Don at ATS can give you more info re: this.

 

[THerman]

Thanks phoekema,



I am trying to up my HP just a bit more... and would like to go to DDII's, but I pull horses so I don't want hard shifts. I've talked to Bill a good bit on this, but to be honest I just can't afford to do the full upgrade yet. And until I am, I'll keep looking for possible things I can do to help out. I'm not a racer, I do like to be able to pass someone acting stupid on the road tho'. Got used to having a 350HP '69 Mustang... . I know I could trash my transmission if I up my Power and use ALL of it, but from what I'm reading, there should be some middle ground somewhere... . If stock handles the EZ, Even though it may be borderline, than another step shouldn't require a transmission able to handle 400HP... . I nee only another 80HP worth of transmission to have what I started with... .



I am unhappy with the slush in the stock transmission, but not necessarily the shifting.



Thoughts?



Tod

 

[StakeMan]

I got the ATS VB so I could use the lock-up clutch for engine breaking. The is the only time you would want to use 1st and 2nd gear lockup.



I do not have an e-brake yet. But just being able to use the engine for braking makes a big difference when slowing down with a load.



I have my shifts set a little firmer than stock.

 

[pwr2tow]

Being able to use lockup means you will be putting at least 10% more HP to the ground Verses a TC designed not to use lockup. On a stock engine or one slightly modified, 10% more ponies to the ground can make a difference in pulling a hill with a load on.



Ron

 

[THerman]

Ron,



Not to stir things up, but I've seen this comment a number of time... . and I agree with it, Only problem I see is that, (from all the looking I've done), No-one offers a T/C that does not have a lock-up system on it for our rams... Even our POS stock converter has lock-up...



I am interested in the ATS converter if slipping the lock-up clutch is the problem people are having with mild bombs...



But then I see upgraded clutch packs, V/B's, etc. I'm trying to figure out if each of these systems is operating at their max designed load in stock configurations... if so then all need to be upgraded... .



I really need to get neck deep in the archives, because I am sure that there are many here that went through all of this. The only problem I'm having, is that most of them (from what I can tell) have gone past mild bombs... Which could be why they swear by the transmission mods they have...



I am very open to everyone's ideas and opinions... I consider myself smart enough to weed things out from there.



But as a design and testing engineer, I know how marketing works... . Because they drive me mad with the spin they put on stuff. I designed it, I know what it can do, what the limits Actually are, and these BS artists can take that am make is sound like NOTHING can break it... . I've been brought to several trade shows (salesmen apparently can't lift, or plug in anything) and had to feel my stomach turn everytime they would give their pitch.



It may seem that you are fighting a battle and that no-one listens at times, but there are people out there watching/reading the whole thing and putting things together.



I have no opinion on anything, until I form one. Noone forms it for me.

Tod

 

[StakeMan]

My stock lock-up was slipping. I believe it started back when I had the PE EZ. After I switched to the PE Comp, anything above level 3 and the clutch was like butter.