Hi everyone!

I am new to this site so bear with me.

I am towing a 32ft travel trailer that weighs about 9500lbs fully loaded.A 8ft box fully loaded.Total combined weight of about 17,000lbs.

Towed it with a ford diesel,was not impressed with power or mpg.

Towed it with a chevy 454,great power terrible mpg.

I am now looking at a Dodge 1 ton diesel auto 4.10 gears,4x4.

My big concern is the tranny! Just how bad are they?Can they be rebuilt to handle 300 hp and 700tq.I plan on installing a power pack on the truck.What tranny is it?

I want to be able to utilize the full power potential of the cummins motor,but not have to worry about the tranny!!

Any suggestions or comment would be helpfull.

Thanks.

 

Are you buying a new Dodge CTD? The 48RE transmission starting in 03 is stronger than the older models with the 47RE. The 47RE definitely will not do the job. You will need an aftermarket replacement, not just a TC and VB but the whole thing swapped out with the replacement built to handle your power. With that load an exhaust brake would be nice too.

Others can tell you how long the 48RE will last.

 

Tapper:

Welcome to the website!!

You didn't list what year Dodge 1-ton Cummins Diesel 4X4
you were going to buy. If it is a 94-2003 you will have the
47RE transmission. If it is a late 2003-2004 the newer
transmission is the 48RE. Both the 47RE and the 48RE
use the exact same torque converter and IMO, that is
where the problem is. The 48RE is already having some
minor problems (do a search on this website) so they
are not bulletproof either.

However, I disagree with "Rare 1" that either the 47RE
or 48RE "will not do the job. You said in your post you
wanted to be around 300 H.P./700 Torque. When you
buy your truck I would suggest having a good transmission
shop install either a "Trans-Go Shift Kit" or a complete valve
body from one of the major diesel transmission performance
shops. I use ATS in both of my trucks but there are others
available such as: DTT, Suncoast, BD and others. What the
shift kit will do, is raise the line pressures in the tranny to
give you a firmer shift and help the clutch packs hold better.
I ran my 1996 Dodge CTD this way with the "stock" tranny
and the Trans-Go Shift Kit for over 90,000 miles with no
problems. I was right around the H.P. you listed at that
time and was towing pretty heavy myself.

If you go much over 350-400 H.P. then I would say you
need something better. As "Rare 1" pointed out, a better
TC, valve body and upgraded clutch packs bought as a
complete unit would be the best way to go. You can go
to this website to learn more about a good upgrade for the
Dodge 47RE or Dodge 48RE transmissions. www.atsdiesel.com.

Good luck and let us know when you get your truck!

----------
John_P

 

Tapper:

Go over to the "3rd Generation Engine and Drivetrain"
Section in this website and on the first page is a thread
titled: "New recall out there....48RE related." As I said
earlier, they are having some problems with the newer
automatics.

---------
John_P