spuds

OK,I see all these tranny threads,but specifically,what did you have done,cost,and miles now on your rebuilt auto tranny?

Next Q,I slip in all 4 gears,but when t converter locks in 3rd and 4th,no slip.

Do I need a tranny or t converter repair?

Thanks very much,BTW,Im a 1997 CTD 4x4.75,000 miles on current tranny with billet converter but not sure what kind.

Robert Rausch

I went to ATS in Denver in 2001 and got an ATS Stage IV rebuild. I got the TripleLok converter, and the trans itself was rebuilt with many, many stronger parts than factory. It is quite capable of shifting locked if I want to, and I have done so many hundreds of times. I got a TripleLok Commander box, so I can lock the TC up at any speed from about 20 mph-up. This comes in handy if I want to lock it up in 2nd gear while descending a steep mountain blacktop. I believe I paid about $3,600 for the rebuild. I've never, ever had a problem that I knew about--that said I had stopped by ATS a couple of years later--I had stopped by on a Friday afternoon about 5:00, and was mentioning to one of the guys that I had recently noticed a strange thing--my truck seemed to be shifting a little late, but only part of the time. I had noticed this, but just ignored it, since it had happened infrequently and really wasn't a big problem. After I had told Clint he had one of his guys take my truck out for a drive (by now it was after 5:00 pm). The guy was gone about 15 minutes, returned and drove the truck directly up on a lift. He called a couple of guys over--I stayed out of the way. They put the truck in the air, drained the fluid, removed the pan, removed the valve body, carried it up to the rebuilding area, messed with it for a few minutes, came back with it, bolted it back into the trans, installed the pan and lowered the truck and refilled it with trans fluid. By now it was definitely after quitting time. Clint told me a small spring in the valve body had been broken, and the guy who drove it figured it out from the way it shifted. Total time spent--about 45 minutes. Total cost--zero. I hadn't even asked them to fix anything, I just mentioned it, and... bang... it got driven, diagnosed, and fixed. THAT IS GOOD SERVICE!

I've got 148,000 miles on that rebuild, and it still shifts perfectly. It's never slipped one time. While I was there I also got the driveshaft balanced--that sure helped eliminate vibrations above 55 mph.

I sometimes tow.

justme-

Mad mine rebuilt at 50K- they added clutches and steels to the pack, custom shift kit and VB mods, changed the sprags and added the 4th- essentially made it a 48re, and remanned TC. Cost me around $800 for the upgrades after the Wynns warranty covered the basic rebuild.
Just had to do it again last winter- 140K on her, so about 100K on it and the TC lockup let go. TC rebuilder ate the cost of the TC and I got the upgraded HD version (2 disc I think) for the difference ($250), rebuild cost me $1300 total (wholesale) including R&R. Mind you I plow with it every year. When I add more coal they will adjust the tranny as necessary.

spuds

This is helpful folks.Look forward to more stories,especially the out the door repair price and miles.

Also,anything on my slipping question?

Thanks again,really appreciate the info. I want to build this into a 200,000 mile truck,in fact leaving right now for the DT trackbar install and front end overhaul.

ironman

7 years and 150,000 miles no issues since rebuild. Go Gorend

Robert Rausch

That's not slipping. That's normal functioning of the automatic.

spuds

You mean it revs up to 2000 rpm and the truck moves out really slow,but once that TQ locks up it takes off like a scalded cat?

Im not hurting the tranny with 1750 -2000 rpms to get moving?

Im going up a hill and only going 15 mph at 2000 rpm at times?

patdaly

Totally normal with a stock Converter.

Scary, but that's the way they are.

justme-

check your fluid should be red and not smell burnt.

spuds

Fluid looks,smells great.

So go figure,it just tachs up to 1750-2000 then truck moves out like a cont variable tranny?

Never would have guessed that.

Is that only on our dodge trucks?

Going up the hills,high rpm,no speed,I start to overheat,doesnt do that any other time.Guess a electric fan might be called for.

How about that TC lock up switch add on,could I lock it in in second or would the 3rd gear shift,with those rpms,cause me trouble?

Thanks folks,new to diesels but of course lovin' that cummins,what a motor!

Oh,and Im seeing 'stock converter',supposedly this converter built with kevlar clutches,that mean anything regarding this rpm issue or only in lockup.Is this also a valve body issue,or just TC?Oh,and previous original owner says they 'drilled out' some part in valve body? What does that most likely mean?

So we can assume tranny is good,what converter would be more efficient and durable,yet reasonable cost if thats possible?Sure would like to put those rpms to rear wheels,sounds like tranny is fine so I could just do a converter,would that be correct?

Thanks for bearing with me folks,i REALLY appreciate it. I sooooo want to make a reliable truck,long miles,that can handle going up a 5000 foot mtn 3 x/week to work for now,and do a little towing,nothing overly extreme,small travel trailer,rare car or tractor on trailer type stuff.

This is to be our off road,off grid retirement home truck.Some mud,some snow,some ice,but mostly just some plain old dirt into the property.

LOL,only 207,000 miles,surprisingly clean,yep,just a puppy!

spuds

signature test,cool,it works

Rare1

Same here, except my little spring didn't break. My ATS has been going strong with zero problems for 9 years. All my up- and down-shifts are locked up. Pak Brake works great with locked up tranny coming down a Rocky Mountain pass: OD to 3rd to 2nd with Pak Brake and I don't need my service brakes for the next hairpin turn. Truck with Lance camper and boat total weight 14,000 lbs.

Robert Rausch

Yep. I got my ATS rebuild for the same reason I bought Milwaukee power tools--they are the best on the market.

spuds

Yes on tools.

Rare1,what did that cost you,locks in all 4 gears??!! That must really put all the power down to the wheels,right? That must be a very nice driver!

Rare1

It's like driving a manual transmission when you need it. To take advantage of the compression braking provided by the PacBrake you have to row the shift lever while watching the RPMs. Same deal going up, upshift manually at the proper RPM, but I have to lift my foot for the 2-3 shift or it will bang too hard. Do this on the steep and heavy, but otherwise just let it shift by itself at the normal shift points. The Commander controls the minimum TC lockup speed, adjustable by the driver. It can be set as low as 8 MPH but I always have it higher so it unlocks before the engine stalls, if i forget to downshift. Consequently, my 1-2 and 2-1 shift is not locked up because it occurs below the set lockup speed. If I turn off the Commander it shifts just like stock, with lockup at 44 MPH.

The ATS/Commander/PacBrake combination makes it all possible, and creates the transmission Dodge should have provided (for much less money). Doesn't the current Dodge CTD have these features, to compete with Duramax/Allison? ATS installed the whole thing for $6000, road tested and adjusted until perfect. This happened 8 years ago when my original started to slip after I bought it, used with low miles, because I loaded it with camper and boat. I knew before I bought it this would be necessary, and the cost was factored into the total for the rig. Is $6000 too much? Not for 8 years, and I expect more, of dependable and worry free operation, East and West, Canada and Mexico, without a single stop for repairs. Plus I have my 12-valve CTD which I prefer over any 24-valve, and which has been equally trouble free. I'm retired now and I don't see any other truck in my future.