Swapping out 48RE for Aisin????

[Wingate]

I bought the 06 truck because I Did NOT want the headaches of the new emissions engine that was coming out. The only thing I regret was the 48RE. At the time, I had made up my mind that if the transmission culled out, I'd just pull it myself, crate it up, and send it to somebody that could make it bulletproof. I justified this to myself and decided that then I would have the perfect truck.

Not having transmission issues yet, but it makes me wonder if anybody has, or is working on a way to swap in the Aisin transmission where the 48re currently resides???

Seems you would have the advantages of an extra gear, closer ratios for pulling, more durability... etc. .

 

[sag2]

Although it sounds like a great idea the Asin uses a separate controller and is way more complicated than a 48 as far as control is concerned. I'm sure there is interaction between the transmission and Cummins controller to make it all work smoothly. So until someone gives it a try there is no way to know for sure, but I doubt you would get the shift quality the factory set up provides.

 

[WoodChuck]

An extra gear? How about two extra gears, your 48RE is a 4 speed.

The 727 - 48RE are great transmissions, it's been around for almost an eternity and there's tons of aftermarket parts out there for it.

There's an article in the latest Diesel Power Mag (March, pg. 107) about a guy with a 1,300HP Duramax that broke 40 Allisons. Guess what the solution was? You got it Suncoast built a 47RE "Full Metal Jacket, Duraflite". As if that wasn't enough on pg. 49 is another 1,200 HP "Duraflite" equipped GMC.

I love it when I hear people who think their in the know proclaim that Dodge makes bad transmissions. The 727 is legendary.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

The 727 family may be legendary and buildable to bulletproof status, but the gearing really comes up short. Too tall of first gear, too big of gap between drive and OD. I would love to stuff a 68RFE or Aisin into my '98 12-valve for the gearing (which have better ratios IMO than the Allison), and since I'm not building a race or pulling truck it would have plenty of strength & durability for what I'd be using it for.

 

[JimB1]

x2 for 68RFE or Aisin retrofit behind 5. 9's.



Since they're both built to endure all 6. 7 configurations, you'd think they could handle 5. 9's that stay in the hp/tq neighborhood of stock 6. 7's.



Given the 5. 9's that'll be operating for many years to come, I would hope an aftermarket software outfit (Marco @ MADS) and transmission outfit (Bill @ DTT) could put a package together OR maybe cost estimate and minimum number of orders they'd need to try it.

 

[WoodChuck]

I agree six gears would be better than four.

The Powertrain Control Solutions controller should be able to control the new six speed auto.

 

[Wingate]

Woodchuck, No doubt the 48re will probably be ok for awhile... But with the loads I pull, and in the heat of the summer here in Texas, its just a matter of time b4 I think it will give up. More than likely, it will be the convertor that will go first. I know there are people that can build it where it can take the abuse... . I'm offering up the idea of the Aisin as a possible alternative to the 48RE. The 48RE has a shift strategy that leaves alot to be desired, ESPECIALLY when pulling!. The idea of an extra gear or two means that the lower gears are closer ratio, which is PERFECT for heavy pulling. I've driven an 08 model and it really seems that Dodge got the shift logic right on that transmission.

I really think that somebody in the aftermarket will come up with a controller and necessary swap brackets to make this conversion possible. Its just gonna be a matter of when. I'd never consider the Allison, have one in my service truck and i'm really not impressed. If the engine made decent low-end torque, it would have blown up by now. Not only does the D-max not make any low end, they de-fuel it so much at shifts, the truck slows down at gear changes... aarrgghh... Try that going uphill from a red-light!!

If/when mine gives up, if there isn't an alternative such as the Aisin conversion, i'll just send it to somebody like Suncoast and have it built... Too bad Dodge didn't bring out the Aisin b4 the 6. 7 and give us 5. 9 owners the option... .

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

My thing with the Allison is the first OD is geared too high, leaving too much of a gap between it and Drive. The 68RFE's first OD is 0. 83

 

[Cattletrkr]

The G56 bolts up to both, but are the mountings different?

 

[Paddy McMahon]

I agree six gears would be better than four. /x2 for 68RFE or Aisin retrofit behind 5. 9's. Amen to these! It's all about being in the sweet spot and my truck is perpetually lugging up hills which just throws higher egt's. My only experience w/ a six speed is thousands of miles driving a friends duramax which seemed to hunt for gears far less than my truck under the same conditions(towing).

 

[opjohnny]

Sag2 I would think you would want a seperate stand alone controller like the Aisin has and use a manual/NV5600 engine computer. I sure it would just take money to work it all out. I bet less trouble on the 03,04,05 trucks (no two bulb tail light system).



John

 

[JamesStevens]

Sign me up for a 6 speed auto!!I would prefer the Dodge auto, but they say destroked.com can put a allison behind the 5. 9 now. If my 48re blows up I will be looking for more gears wherever I can get them!

James

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

How about finding a complete 6. 7L with Aisin or 68RFE and swapping the whole works into a 2nd Gen? That may be more doable than attempting to mate a trans to a 12 or 24-valve. And lose the emissions equipment in the process of course. Sometimes I wish I'd gotten a 24-valve 2nd Gen, then that way I could do such a swap without "desecrating" a '98 12-valve!

 

[ColoradoKing]

I like the PTO capability of the Aisin, and the fact that there's already a computer controller and housing that interface with the 5. 9 makes it a good choice. Still waiting to hear from someone who has made the swap. Anyone have any experience with the Aisin in the chassis cab?

 

[Cattletrkr]

Anyone have any experience with the Aisin in the chassis cab?

I do. I hate mine. Shift pattern is assinine. It will try to upshift pulling a load uphil when it can't hardly hold speed in the current gear. Then it bogs down, waits for me to floor it, then downshifts twice. A couple weeks ago it almost stranded me. Driving home in a snowstorm I managed to find a road that hadn't been plowed yet. 30-35mph in 4wd up a fairly steep hill with 6-7 inches on snow on it. Dang thing decides to upshift to whatever gear puts it at 11-1200rpm. Almost died before I slammed the lever down. Not cool. If I would have stopped there I would have had to wait for a tow 'cause there was no backing down in that mess and trying again.

That's an extreme scenario. Usually it will do the same thing, just without all the snow factors.

It's been to the dealer to check for updates/flashes. No help.

It has a shudder at 50mph in 5th gear when accelerating. That's been there since new, but not bad enough to do it all the time. Since it's got a 180K warranty, I'm waiting until it's bad enough to do something about it.

I've heard almost no one else complain about theirs. I've seen a few comments from guys who decided against the Aisin for gearing reasons, but no one else that owns one hates theirs as much as I hate mine. It might be a great transmission and last 500K, but not mine.

I'm going to have a hard time buying another one.

 

[HBarlow]

My C&C with Aisin has 41k miles on the odometer and I am completely satisfied with it. No complaints whatsoever. I use the tow/haul mode most of the time if towing my fifth wheel RV and the shift points are fine for my driving style.

I have not experienced the surprise or unwanted upshifts that cattletrkr described above.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I have not experienced the surprise or unwanted upshifts that cattletrkr described above.

I know. No one has. Mine's just "special".

I will say that if I drove a lot harder, and I mean all or nothing on the go pedal, then it's fine. But I literally have to have my foot on the floor. I've been hoping someone will come out with a transmission controller/programmer, but I don't think there's much chance of that. The other option is if it wants to shift, I'll give it enough power to do so. I kinda like that idea.

 

[Wingate]

The idea of having a better suited transmission came to me after driving a buddys new truck. Of course, he was having a software issue out of the regen system that has since been corrected. Thants when I started thinking, hhhmmmm, if I could only steal his transmission one weekend and put it behind my 5. 9, I would be the perfect truck! I wounder if he would notice????. In Dodges defense, when the transmission (48RE) really shows its short-comings is when I have the truck REALLY loaded up. Truth be known, sometimes its beyond what Dodge has the truck rated for.

Economy permitting, I will hopefully be building the shop of my dreams late this year. When that happens, maybe I'll get a chance to get my truck in there and do some looking around and measuring, then get his truck in there and do some comparing just to check the mechanical/physical differences. Software will be a different issue, too bad its not a Cat transmission.