Metalbender
-=WTF=-
I am thinking about going away from stick to an auto. What do I need to do to do to have an auto perform excellent off road. Manual valve body? Shifters? Clutch disk
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Help Support Hardline Crawlers :
Automatic Transmission Tech
- Thread starter Metalbender
- Start date
I'm in the middle of an auto trans project with some similar dilemnas.
I got a 2wd TH350 and picked up a 4wd output from JB conversions and a B&M transkit from Summit Racing. http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Bu...GMC-Olds-Pontiac-87-93-TH-700R4-not-for-4L60E
In order to have a full manual valve body and reverse shift pattern you need to buy an aftermarket valve body. I wish I had known this to begin with because I would have gone a different route with the parts I ordered. Lots of auto trans stuff is drag racing oriented. Art Carr is who I should have called to begin with. They know off roading and if you tell them the details of the rig and how you intend to use it they will set you up with the right parts.
A good torque converter is important as well, something I always kinda overlooked. Art Carr does custom torque converters made to spec for your vehicle.
I got a 2wd TH350 and picked up a 4wd output from JB conversions and a B&M transkit from Summit Racing. http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Bu...GMC-Olds-Pontiac-87-93-TH-700R4-not-for-4L60E
In order to have a full manual valve body and reverse shift pattern you need to buy an aftermarket valve body. I wish I had known this to begin with because I would have gone a different route with the parts I ordered. Lots of auto trans stuff is drag racing oriented. Art Carr is who I should have called to begin with. They know off roading and if you tell them the details of the rig and how you intend to use it they will set you up with the right parts.
A good torque converter is important as well, something I always kinda overlooked. Art Carr does custom torque converters made to spec for your vehicle.
PORTER
Well-Known Member
Take it to Scotty, transgo stage 3 Shift kit along with the rebuild and an Art Carr shifter and your set. Full manual operation, nice shifts, and not too much out of pocket. Manual VB's only advantage off-road will be reverse is closer. Been there done that with the 350/400 so if you have any questions pm away.
I ran an auto years ago...but a 727...best mod was AmsOil...and one quart over full for those ledges
we ran RV converters, like a 900 stall, buddy had a chev, he ran some "welded" converter and it worked nice...high stalls build way too much heat in my opinion
we ran RV converters, like a 900 stall, buddy had a chev, he ran some "welded" converter and it worked nice...high stalls build way too much heat in my opinion
whatthe?
Well-Known Member
A good tranny cooler with it's own fan will go a long ways. Get the TH400 if you can. Low stall speed, deep pan with an extended pickup.
Big Red 88
Well-Known Member
second that vote... i can help you out with that when your ready to do it, whatever trans you choose, i work at a trans shop in snohomish. pm me if you wanna
Metalbender
-=WTF=-
I have called a couple of times and Scotty has been out, i will try again...
Metalbender
-=WTF=-
What is an HD case th400??
Also I dont under stand how converters work and how to pick a stall speed and why...
Big Red 88
Well-Known Member
Go to the link http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=856805 he shows all the differences in th400 cases, or at least most. I didn't look through the whole thing. No you don't NEED straight cut planetarys, like crazy daze said for what you have a mildly built th400 with a big cooler would do just fine. As far as converters go personally for a crawler think lower stall speeds work great IMO. The stall speed is how much rpm's the converter will go up to before engaging, high stalls are good for racing because you can get your rpm's up to say 3500 and get a better launch because of the rpm's you're running, or diesels take low stalls because of the low rpm's they run (just a quick example, not too much detail)
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Quick Question
Would these trannys hold up to being a daily driver with the manual valve body? I am only talking maybe 10-20 miles a day or a trip over the pass on the weekends. Anybody see a reason the trans wouldnt be streetable?
Would these trannys hold up to being a daily driver with the manual valve body? I am only talking maybe 10-20 miles a day or a trip over the pass on the weekends. Anybody see a reason the trans wouldnt be streetable?
whatthe?
Well-Known Member
It would hold up just fine, you're going to be harder on it in the hills (I hope) than you will on pavement.
They come in the newer (1980s+) 1 ton 4x4s and motorhomes/commercial vehicles.
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another thig: most manual valve bodys dont do compresion brakeing. tci makes a rock crawling valve body.
i belive most guys will be happy with a stock converter. if you want beter lock up and more compresion brakeing you can use a rv or towing converter. the downside is if your geared real low you'll have issues driving thru the brakes.
i belive most guys will be happy with a stock converter. if you want beter lock up and more compresion brakeing you can use a rv or towing converter. the downside is if your geared real low you'll have issues driving thru the brakes.
Personally I dont like manual valvebodys. They cost more for something that is not needed IMO. My TH400 will stay in 1st until I upshift or in 3rd it shifts through 1-2-3 like normal and has compression braking. A reverse shift pattern is not needed either. I run an Art Carr shifter with a couple blocks cut out and I can shift 3-R with my foot to the floor and the tires will spin both ways, there is almost no hesitation. My trans builder is Dirty Dan in Tukwilla, his number is 206-431-8769, tell him what you are building and he can hook you up and answer your questions. He has been building my transmissions for a long time.
TreeClimber
Well-Known Member
For what it's worth: Art Carr shifters are not manufactured by Art Carr, but simply repackaged and rebadged. I bypassed Art Carr and saved a few bucks. (It's just I cannot remember the actual manufacturer's name right now)
PORTER
Well-Known Member
I run a Transgo stage 3 shift, costs about 100 dollars and it will give you full manual shift with compression braking cannot beat it for the price and it has worked great. I would rec it over a manual valve body any day of the week. Me, Troy(Roccrawler), as well as many others run this setup. That being said I also run a stock converter and have had no issues, for those that dont know I currently run a 400, but in the last rig I ran a 350 with the same setup.
Binder
Well-Known Member
Turbo action cheetah......
I wouldn't trade my manual reverse valve body for anything. I guess it depends on what you're used to or have used. Most guys who don't recommend one have never used one.
PORTER
Well-Known Member
You are prob correct Rick, do I have to have one no but would I even be quicker when reverse is needed yes. I dont run one, but would agree that it would help getting the rig faster into reverse before a backwards rollover occurs. With an Art carr shifter knotched finding reverse is pretty easy, but having rev next to 1st is a no brainer reaction time wise.
