Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) transmission rebuild kits??? suggestions

[RDuncan]

Going to rebuild my 47re trans and want any advice as to type of kit, there is alot of companies selling kits but I just want to do it once. I was leaning towards a mopar master rebuild kit, but would like to beef it up abit so not sure best route. I see that most of the kits include the same kinds of parts but the claims and prices are all over the map. Borg warner, alto, red alto???---thanks for your imput once again--RD

 

[WilsonF]

You need to do some research, that question has been asked many times, I asked it myself, There is no one size fits all. It depends on what your plans for the truck are and what you do with it.

Floyd

 

[WilsonF]

I don't know if you are still reading your post, I ran across this.

Proper Upgrade List for Transmission - Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum

Floyd

 

[JMcCoy]

I would only go with one of the know "performance" transmission companies like Goerend, ATS, or Suncoast. There are a few more. I would stay away from stock rebuild kits. As far a Mopar goes, they didn't build the transmissions very good to begin with. Why trust them to do it again?

 

[Bob4x4]

The Mopar kit is a good one very complete,but for added power you will need more friction area,presure and a beefier t/convertor,The Valve body is an art as much as a science,I would recomend driving different brands to be sure you will be happy with what you choose

 

[WilsonF]

Going to regret this.

I would only go with one of the know "performance" transmission companies like Goerend, ATS, or Suncoast. There are a few more. I would stay away from stock rebuild kits. As far a Mopar goes, they didn't build the transmissions very good to begin with. Why trust them to do it again?

I disagree, that trans is their 727 that has been in use since the 60s and 70s. I rebuilt mine @200K (miles)and it could have gone more. I have read posts about 300K transmissions. Its when we add more power with engine mods is the problem, and when service has been neglected.



Floyd

 

[Bob4x4]

You hit the nail on the head Floyd.

I see 3rd gens over 100k all the time with

Their Oem trans still working fine. I have a friend

with an 03 with 180k on his Oem and has had an extra 90hp

over stock

 

[guldam]

I had my transmission rebuilt at 190k. Only reason is I kept increasing power until it started to slip while pushing hard on the go pedal. Before the power upgrades the transmission was fine and dandy. Left Coast Diesel in Concord, CA did the work and I ended up with a heavy duty transmission good for perhaps 700hp. I have all Goerend pieces and parts, and I'm a happy camper. The guys at LCD all have very fast trucks and they know what they are doing to get the power to pavement.

 

[JMcCoy]

I disagree, that trans is their 727 that has been in use since the 60s and 70s. I rebuilt mine @200K (miles)and it could have gone more. I have read posts about 300K transmissions. Its when we add more power with engine mods is the problem, and when service has been neglected.



Floyd

I have also read posts about people having stock hp and have the transmission go out at 30k. A buddy had his go out at under 20k. He no drives Chevy.



Auto manufacturers have ALWAYS built the transmission with at least a little cushen, so modification didn't grenade them. You never had to worry about the old TH-400s, C-6s, and even the TF727, which is the platform for the 47re. They were built to handle way more horsepower then the engines made. Sure, if you really hot rodded the engine, you had to address it. If you added 100 or even 200 horsepower, it was fine. That is the problem I have with the MOPAR 47re. If you don't believe me, try reading this site or others. The stock 47 re, at stock horsepower would: slip on a regular basis, shift at he wrong time, hunt for gears, and had poor lock-up. Ford and Chevy owners arn't wiring up mystery switches, piecing together potentiometers (since the tps doesnt work well), and adding expensive lockup controllers. The 47re probably would have been ok for a gas powered 1500 (not V-10). Dodge/Chrysler was famous for having bad transmissions for many years. People still make comments about not purchasing dodge due to their transmissions, even though it appears they have corrected the problems.



So, if your suggesting to go with Mopar rebuild, you are also suggesting to keep the truck stock. The reason the "performance" transmission builders are successful is because they addressed the problems with the Mopar design. They mill the drums for additional clutches, re-work the valve body, boost line pressure, add billet parts, and many other tricks. I do believe a properly built 47re is a very strong and reliable transmission. With so many improvements being made over the last 20 years and so many quality companies out there, why recommend going backwards with stock parts? He has an opportunity to own a very good transmission, steer him in that direction.

 

[Bob4x4]

Something to consider... ... . Most post here are to ask for help with a broken truck,yes????

Those who are not broken do not post. Reading these forums is not the way to determine the ratio between broke and not broke.

With that said,I have put shift kits in every auto equipped rig I have ever built.

Chevy,ford,or mopar. All of them can be improved. adding 200 hp to a gasser is not the same as adding 200hp to a diesel. if you want to talk about other brand diesels they have all had trans issues

 

[JMcCoy]

Something to consider... ... . Most post here are to ask for help with a broken truck,yes????

Those who are not broken do not post. Reading these forums is not the way to determine the ratio between broke and not broke.

With that said,I have put shift kits in every auto equipped rig I have ever built.

Chevy,ford,or mopar. All of them can be improved. adding 200 hp to a gasser is not the same as adding 200hp to a diesel. if you want to talk about other brand diesels they have all had trans issues

All valid points. I would just spend a couple extra dollars on a little insurance. Bob, I can't help but notice your 95 is a 5 speed and your 2005 is an auto (48re). :-laf Sorry I couldn't help it. LOL!



Bob, I sent you an unrelated pm regarding your suspention.

 

[Bob4x4]

All valid points. I would just spend a couple extra dollars on a little insurance. Bob, I can't help but notice your 95 is a 5 speed and your 2005 is an auto (48re). :-laf Sorry I couldn't help it. LOL!



Bob, I sent you an unrelated pm regarding your suspention.

Yea on the 48vs 47 but the 47 trucks were built with less power :-laf

Pm answered

Upgrading the trans is almost always good,but I have seen a few who found out they did not have enough torque to launch a trailer uphill with a lower stall speed. So I guess I should say be sure to build your trans for the power you have not how much you think you have :-laf

 

[BIGNASTY]

Im not qualified to make a decision on what and when to use what. But if your looking for a kit look at DTT those folks are among the best people that I have EVER dealt with for any thing I have done for ANY vehicle.

 

[KB0OU]

Over 300,000 miles ago I built up the transmission in my PU, put the DTT TC in it. Made a huge difference and is still going strong.

Good clutches, good pressure, and a good low stall TC makes it drive like a different truck. Those DTT guys know what they do real good!!

 

[Cosmo]

Jim - Dodge put cheap torque converters in because it saved them a lot of money, and in the end it made them a lot of money on service parts from people fixing broken transmissions just outside of warranty. Save some money now in order to make more money later became more of a Big 3 attitude once the Japanese manufacturers started cutting into their sales. Rather than continuing to build trucks that will last forever, they implemented planned obsolescence so that owners would buy new trucks sooner.

I don't like it, I think it's a ****-poor way to do business, but that's the truth of the matter. They cut costs so you have to either repair your truck or replace it more often. It's a win win for them.

Having said that, it's not like GM and Ford don't have their own problems - even the "bulletproof" Allison (roll eyes) behind the Duramax has been known to eat itself at stock power levels. Torque management on stock trucks these days completely neuter their power at low speed low rpm, in an effort to save the transmissions.

 

[Cosmo]

Oh, and apparently Mopar makes some pretty sweet clutches that are a blue color. I went with reds when I built my trans, that and a double disc converter. And an aluminum kickdown accumulator piston.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Jim - Dodge put cheap torque converters in because it saved them a lot of money, and in the end it made them a lot of money on service parts from people fixing broken transmissions just outside of warranty. Save some money now in order to make more money later became more of a Big 3 attitude once the Japanese manufacturers started cutting into their sales. Rather than continuing to build trucks that will last forever, they implemented planned obsolescence so that owners would buy new trucks sooner.



I don't like it, I think it's a ****-poor way to do business, but that's the truth of the matter. They cut costs so you have to either repair your truck or replace it more often. It's a win win for them.



Having said that, it's not like GM and Ford don't have their own problems - even the "bulletproof" Allison (roll eyes) behind the Duramax has been known to eat itself at stock power levels. Torque management on stock trucks these days completely neuter their power at low speed low rpm, in an effort to save the transmissions.

I dont see it as a win win. I look at it as a loose for them . I WONT TAKE MY TRUCK BACK to the ones that did shoddy work in the first place. They put the screws to us once why then would I go back for another screwing. The ONLY REASON I bought the Dodge was because of the Cummins period!!!!! I think that the truck part of the FORD or CHEVY is better constructed and better thought out than the Dodge. But then again they didn't have the Cummins. I haven't had the problems that I read about on the site but I dont have the HP so jacked up that it rips the trans and rear end out of the truck either or blow the injectors apart because the pressure is so high. Not that the motor cant take what can be done to it ,its more than able to handle the HP than even a built trans can take and still stay together . The truck isn't bad for what it was intended for and as you say they could have done a better job on the trans. Why does it take some independent to make things right. I would have paid the extra to have a trans like the DTT in it when it was built. But no they had to CHEAP OUT and put something of good design in and want you to spend MORE money to have THEM fix it AGAIN!!!!! I DONT THINK SO JMO

 

[Bob4x4]

Something that is often overlooked is that the OEMs build for the masses-not the enthusiast. Grandma driving it doesn't want to feel the shifts,Grandpa doesnt give a hill of beans either way but johhny making money towing wants it be cheap to operate and on and on. So in the end the bean counters get a big say in how it is built

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

Dodge put loose convertors in the transmissions to help turbo spool and reduce particulate emissions so they could meet EPA standards. Not saying it was a good solution, or at least a good execution, and I know every manufacturer of any product makes the product as cheaply as they think they can get away with for its intended use.



The Allison won't live mostly because buyers won't accept the shift quality needed to make it live. You can say the same about Dodge trannys too, and Ford I'm sure.



Edit: My Dodge is the first diesel and the first Chrysler product I've personally owned, but I've owned many Chevy gassers and managed a fleet with 30+ PSDs, a few Cummins Dodges and a couple of 6. 5 GMs. Other than the cracked dash in my Dodge, my personal truck has not caused me any more trouble than any other 200K mile truck I've owned. In my fleet work, I've seen plenty of failed Ford transmissions, a split 7. 3 block (8 months old with 75K mi, stone stock and meticulously maintained, outside of warranty and not covered), the usual 6. 0 PSD issues (though not as bad as some folks had), etc. I love my Dodge and my Cummins. I'd consider a Fummins swap in an OBS F350 to get a 4-dr cab and the better 4x4 Ford front end, but I'm in no rush to do it...