swap my 5 speed for an auto transmission!!??

[rraulston]

can anyone tell me how hard it would be to swap my 96 5 speed transmission for an automatic. My knee is on the out.....

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1996 3500 diesel 5 speed 2wd BONE STOCK 20 mpg

 

[My 6 Eats V8's Old File]

I just got almost finished doing this, after 5 transmission's and 4 clutches 3 of which were evem mccleods I know have a bd auto and tc. its not hard at all really
flywheel to flexplate
tc, transmission, you need a different crossmember bracket, not crossmember thow, you need a different 4wd linkcage for auto, you need drivshafts, throttle valve controller, its best to do a pre 97 47rh not re for the rh is manually controlled. The re needs the pcm. Then oil cooler and shifter. If you take out the clutch peddle you need to wire in the nutral saftey or patch itself together. You also have to get an auto brake peddle they are different on top. If you wanted to do factory it would be alot more work, prabably not worth the effort. You'd be better off starting over with a auto truck.
Hope this helps.

 

[Koa Man]

I want to convert my auto for a 5 spd and would swap all the parts except for 1 thing, I cannot down my truck for more than 3 working days max. Would be great if our trucks were side by side and made the swap. rraulston, want to take a vacation in Hawaii and ship your truck over?? My trans is already beefed up.

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1996 3500 Clubcab SLT, auto, 4. 10 limited-slip, TST #5, 370s, AFC spring kit, Psychotty, Dunrite converter, Trans-Go, DiPricol EGT, boost & trans temp. gauges, 9 ft. aluminum flatbed and tool boxes with Venco dump. Custom front bumper, Hadley air horn, PowerVision mirrors & 4" Stack Exhaust.

 

[Sled Puller]

Now that sounds like REAL BOMB session!
If you guys do that, please video tape, it will be great entertainme... er I mean, educational!!!

Gene

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1997 Cummins Dodge 4x4 Bombed & Amsoiled. Amsoil Premiere Direct Jobber, Member of: NRA Business Alliance, GLTDR, WANTED: Wrecked Dodges.
www.awdist.com

 

[Bryan Brenneman]

I know when my knee gives out, and I know it will (hereditary issue), I will be designing some sort of electrical mechanical system to supply the fluid to my slave cylinder. Maybe a power trim pump from a boat or something will work. All I know is I will try something before I submit to a slush box. Will probably much less work than an automatic conversion anyway.

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[illflem]

I think Bryan is on the right track, you should check with a place that does conversions for handicapped rigs, I'm sure they can provide something or give you an idea how to do it yourself. Sure would be cool to have a motorcycle type clutch lever on the steering wheel.

 

[rraulston]

you know, you guys are great. I was, honestly, thinking of a way to shift clutchless. Listen to my idea. I got the grainger catalogue and found an Air cylindar. Working with Caterpillar trucks for a while, i remember i once seen a solenoid activated dump valve. Make a bracket and mount the air cylindar and put a switch on the shifter. Hit the switch and dump air to the cylindar. Cyl activates the shift fork and there you go. Not sure about a hydraulic version though. A hydraulic cylindar could give much more pressure/force than air of equal size. I wonder if you could power it off the power steering pump?? Might be easier to just swap trucks with someone... ... RRR

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1996 3500 diesel 5 speed 2wd BONE STOCK 20 mpg

 

[Bryan Brenneman]

I found several things on this with the idea of handicap in mind. One looks like something that operates the pedal rather than replacing any components of your current system.
See it here.
I also found another page that lists many distributors of such products.
See this page.

 

[illflem]

RRR, I thought of the same idea for you as what you are talking about. Use the PS pump pressure via a solenoid valve to activate the clutch slave cylinder. I have bought several hydraulic 12 VDC solenoid valves for use on farm equipment from http://www.northern-online.com/, they are around $100.
The only problem I'm thinking of is that you wouldn't be able to feather the clutch engagement for taking off from a standstill. May not be a problem for a Cummins as they are hard to stall, but might make for a jerky take off. People would think that you were just learning to drive a stick!!

 

[Jeff Burke]

If you had some type of hand operated needle valve in the system, again like a motorcycle, that might allow for the feathering of the cylinder actuation.

 

[rraulston]

everyone has great ideas, the wife said that it might be easier to just get a new knee??!!! Man, that woman is smart. . HAHA RRR
ILLFLEM, you are right, feathering is very important. Might have to think on this a bitt... ... . RRR

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1996 3500 diesel 5 speed 2wd BONE STOCK 20 mpg

 

[illflem]

RRR, my neighbor got a new knee a few years back, Teflon socket with stainless steel ball, used to have a horrible limp, now walks fine. Has a lot of trouble with airport metal detectors though. He wasn't laid up all that long, maybe two weeks, if you have good insurance it might be cheaper than fixing the clutch, listen to the wife she knows what she's talking about. -Bill