Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Transmission Cost?

[SSage]

I've been thinking about upgrades on my 95 and its getting a bit high. My local shop recommends DTT, with new lines, TC, billet shafts, fluid, the price is close to $6K. $5100 OTD without the new trans lines if I bring my own ATF.



I'm trying to justify the cost, I bought a 43' toy hauler this year and I doubt the trans is going to last long. I've got 57,000 miles on the truck with mild bombs, I sure wish I had a 6 speed. The prices have me looking at newer trucks with 6 speeds too. If I wrecked the thing, I would still be paying for the trans since I can't pay cash for it right now. New Truck or New Trans? #@$%!

 

[JFaughn]

I one of those that favor the 12v , I would need to have too money to buy any new car or truck [ working mans view ] .
I'm in the same boat , also my truck is got a little rust & a few dings , but that could mean I do not have to worry any more .
I'm going for a Gorend trans. , he has basicly 3 levels [ but I'm sure your could get variations ] I am going for the 1st , mild mods , not more than about 350-400 HP , his site says the 1st level is $3,250 , I read a lot of good things about his trans. , but the same with most all the know builders for these trucks .
I think that with mild mods you maybe able to for go the billet parts .
For me I think that is more trans. than I would need .

 

[Nate]

I'm figuring about $3000-3500 to do mine with all the fancy stuff other than a billet intermediate and output. Labor is free though.

 

[MrDiesel]

What's the Gorend web address?

 

[SSage]

Well, I've gotten a price of $3600 with billet shafts from DTT. $490 labor for install which includes the labor for changing out the lines. $750 or so for the DTT converter. The rest of the $5100 is tax. Not included is the trans lines and the ATF which the shop prefers I supply???? I've seen on here that the dealer parts probably won't work well and they run over $500 for lines and adapters????????? Thats a bit much, kinda hurts thinking about it.

 

[mjoppie]

thats the same boat i was lookin at, to handle big power it cost, so i did a 5spd swap. for my daily driver i love to have the auto though. so my big mudtruck will be a stick, but my daily drivin work truck will stay a auto, with some upgraded parts. without a doubt daves prices and service is hard to beat. give dave a call and he will get you headed in the right direction. i wish the best of luck to you.





matt

 

[JFaughn]

http://www.goerend.com

 

[Ahopper]

i got my new dtt trans in november by desert diesel parts here in az. i broke my input shaft on the stock one so i decided to go full bilit everything except the out put shaft. the only reason i didnt do the out put shaft is that if it does go u dont have to take the whole trannie off to put a new one in and i can get a used stocker from fred for $50. mine out the door with fluids and labor cost me $4200. also i called dtt a few times befor and after getting the trannie,and they are just very helpful and great customer service.



i would definetly get a new trannie. that truck has barely any miles on it at all. my truck seemes to pull much stronger than my dads new mega cab. its just personal preference but i love the 12valves.

 

[bmoeller]

HIGHLY recommend Goerends. Great product, and price. If Dave wasn't around, I'd probably still be limping the POS stocker along, and running fewer BOMBs.

 

[GTaylor1]

Count me in the Goerend fan club. Dave is very helpful and offers a great product at a reasonable price.



Having a 1996 model truck, I had to weigh out a new truck vs new transmission as well. After looking at the prices of new ones, I called Dave in a hurry! I installed it at 136,000 miles and plan to keep the truck until it falls apart.

 

[SSage]

Count me in the Goerend fan club. Dave is very helpful and offers a great product at a reasonable price.



Having a 1996 model truck, I had to weigh out a new truck vs new transmission as well. After looking at the prices of new ones, I called Dave in a hurry! I installed it at 136,000 miles and plan to keep the truck until it falls apart.

Yeah, I looked at the newer trucks last night and they are not giving them away. A new trans is looking better now.



I think the prices I'm getting for the DTT is in line with what is posted on here. The installer says to go all billet since I'm towing heavy. The issue at hand now is what to do with the crappy cooler lines, it looks like most people are using rubber hoses with various types of connectors. My factory cooler lines use rubber hoses with regular hose clamps up front near the cooler, the rubber has gotten hard and one of the suckers won't stay tight no matter how much I tighten the clamp. So, if they stayed on there all these years, new hoses all the way to the trans with barbed fittings seems to be the best approach. How do you support the new hoses under the truck? Big metal zip ties, plastic ties or something else?

 

[abranz]

Why not replace the lines with the factory upgrades and be done with it?

Anthony

 

[y-knot]

It really doesn't matter if you do it now or latter, because pulling a 43' trailer will definitely kill the stock unit. i went with a ATS transmission several years back and have never regretted it once. You can buy some toys and a big honking trailer for them but you can't afford a new transmission?? If you can't afford a trany how does buying a new truck equate?? Or is it just easier to put everything on credit and make payments for ever??? sad story.

 

[SSage]

You can buy some toys and a big honking trailer for them but you can't afford a new transmission?? If you can't afford a trany how does buying a new truck equate?? Or is it just easier to put everything on credit and make payments for ever??? sad story.

Thats a bit harsh for someone not walking in my shoes. Dumping thousands of dollars into a 12 year old truck is not a good money decision in most cases. Its not a matter if I can afford a trans and the trailer is not a toy, I do not play with it. I have it because of my work since I travel doing construction. If my 95 gets totaled today I would never recover the cost, not even half of of it.



Once I put a trans in it, I'll have about $18K in it total from when I bought it 19 months ago. So, the cost ain't bad really considering some of the cost is from bombs. After looking at new trucks, I'm still putting more money into it for now since I don't wan't the big payments. My 95 needs new hoses on the engine, the front end needs new ball joints etc, the rubber dust seals are long gone and everything is grinding. In the long run its more fun to keep the old girl but the cost is not far from a newer truck with a 6 speed.



I'm putting a DTT trans in it hoping some average driver doesn't nail it. So far, my 95 has not been in a collision. This 95 is my work truck and now it looks like its going to be my hot rod or money pit once the trans is in. It could be a boat I guess.

 

[rvaughn801]

With $18k in the '95, you are still 1/2 of a new one. If it gets wrecked, you could buy a '95 with a bad transmission and swap it.

If "Dumping thousands of dollars into a 12 year old truck is not a good money decision in most cases. ", then maybe it makes sense to stay in cheap motels on the road until a transmission can be bought with cash.

 

[SSage]

With $18k in the '95, you are still 1/2 of a new one. If it gets wrecked, you could buy a '95 with a bad transmission and swap it.



If "Dumping thousands of dollars into a 12 year old truck is not a good money decision in most cases. ", then maybe it makes sense to stay in cheap motels on the road until a transmission can be bought with cash.

Nah, cheap motels are not cheap when you stay away from home 99% of the time.

 

[fortunate1]

SS, you also could look into the price for a "master upgrade kit" from DTT. That's what I ended up doing when the price for a complete unit gave me sticker shock. Mine went in before any transmission failure occurred, so there was not any "cleanout" work involved. A lot of your OEM transmission parts can be used in this kind of upgrade; usually you only need to change out the TC, VB, clutches & soft parts, and the planetary carrier in a '95. Chip's Transmissions in Sevierville, TN did a fantastic job on the install.



You have VERY LOW mileage (I now have 6 times that, others even more), so you may want to consider the "upgrade kit" to save some money. You're only going to spend more money on parts that are still perfectly good in your existing transmission if you buy a complete unit. BTW, I did check out Goerend and ATS too when deciding on what to do. Prices for the complete units seemed to be within a few hundred dollars of each other. The deciding factors were: saving money on the kit, same warranty as a complete unit, and a manufacturer-approved & qualified installer within driving distance.

 

[SSage]

SS, you also could look into the price for a "master upgrade kit" from DTT. That's what I ended up doing when the price for a complete unit gave me sticker shock. Mine went in before any transmission failure occurred, so there was not any "cleanout" work involved. A lot of your OEM transmission parts can be used in this kind of upgrade; usually you only need to change out the TC, VB, clutches & soft parts, and the planetary carrier in a '95. Chip's Transmissions in Sevierville, TN did a fantastic job on the install.



You have VERY LOW mileage (I now have 6 times that, others even more), so you may want to consider the "upgrade kit" to save some money. You're only going to spend more money on parts that are still perfectly good in your existing transmission if you buy a complete unit. BTW, I did check out Goerend and ATS too when deciding on what to do. Prices for the complete units seemed to be within a few hundred dollars of each other. The deciding factors were: saving money on the kit, same warranty as a complete unit, and a manufacturer-approved & qualified installer within driving distance.

Yes, I was thinking the upgrade kit might work for me if I can find an installer close by. I'll give DTT a call Monday to see if there is an approved shop around these parts. The local guy I'm talking to now only does swaps at his speed/off road shop.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

SS, you also could look into the price for a "master upgrade kit" from DTT. That's what I ended up doing when the price for a complete unit gave me sticker shock.

That's an alternative I wasn't aware of before. I need to upgrade the transmission on my '98 but the cost is what's holding me up. I may be a candidate for the "master upgrade kit" since the shop that just serviced it said my trans is in great shape, despite having 159k on it. I'm not planning on running more than 350hp or tow much.



At the moment though I'm planning to have my transmission done by Rip (Source Automotive) with the Dunrite converter when I get around to it.

 

[tgrfan2]

I've been thinking about upgrades on my 95 and its getting a bit high. My local shop recommends DTT, with new lines, TC, billet shafts, fluid, the price is close to $6K. $5100 OTD without the new trans lines if I bring my own ATF.



I'm trying to justify the cost, I bought a 43' toy hauler this year and I doubt the trans is going to last long. I've got 57,000 miles on the truck with mild bombs, I sure wish I had a 6 speed. The prices have me looking at newer trucks with 6 speeds too. If I wrecked the thing, I would still be paying for the trans since I can't pay cash for it right now. New Truck or New Trans? #@$%!

I had the same tough decision on my 98 so I know what you are going through. I even tried to talk my friend out of his 2003 HO 48re by pushing mega cabs every chance I got before I did the DTT!

You might be falling to the "sorry transmission" talk a bit too much though. No doubt the DTT or other upgrades will make a world of difference, but I bought my 95 at 112K thinking I would need a transmission to pull my 9k TT. I towed with it to 170K with a #6 plate and am still driving it at 240K with the same transmission and plate. I still tow a 4 ton skid steer occasionally with it.

I bought the 98 with 47K on it and put a #6 plate in it at 116K when we bought the fiver. That transmission gave up at 185K!

Do what I did and check the pressures per DTT and adjust them if needed. Drive it like a manual in that you keep the rpm up to keep the pressure up and the TC locked as much as possible. Keep an eye on the transmission temp, service often, and use Lubegard. That has worked for me on the 95 to 240K, on the 98 to 185K, and a 2000 to 110K when it was traded for the 06.

Good luck.