How much will a new DTT BILLET Torque converter, BILLET OUTPUT SHAFT, BILLET INPUT SHAFT and valve body support as far horse power on a 2004.5 truck with the 48RE tranny. I was thinking around 550-600 ponies and being semi reliable compared to stock. I pull lightly around 8-10k about twice a month. No boosted launches occasionally race ferds and chevs. I have no engine modifications on the truck completely stock but want to address tranny first.

Thanks in advance
David

 

Simple question simple response, any helpful info?

 

A well built DTT should be able to handle over 650hp with no issues the way you describe. Shafts become a concern on boosted launches and shifting with TC locked. If your TC is a triple disc, it will handle the power you describe. That same tranny should be MORE reliable than stock.

One note though, why billet output and not intermediate? The intermediate will fail before the output and the output is much easier to replace. Also, the stock shafts will do nicely at 550 hp as long as you are not doing boosted launches or locked TC shifts under power.

 

Thanks for the info Soulezoo

 

Intermediate shafts dont typically break without high psi boost launches. Like 30+psi. The output will break way lower.

 

Like Nathan said, it's actually the other way around. The output will break before the intermediate. The stock intermediate is by far the strongest of the three shafts. The output is the easiest to replace though and if your intermediate does break it can/will destroy the trans.

David, you're a wise man for taking care of the tranny first. The DTT parts you mentioned will hold the power with no problem, but definitely make sure you also add a laminated or billet flex plate to that list. The stock FP is a joke and can be broken with stock power levels. Are you planning to get a whole tranny from DTT or just installing the parts into your existing one?

 

if you plan on launching in 4x4... you better get the intermediate along with the rest. It not such a big deal in 2wd but 4x will destroy the intermediate.

 

That all depends on how much power and what boost you're launching at in 4wd. How many broken intermediates have you heard of? I know there's been a few, but I've been told most (if not all) of them were used for heavy towing with an exhaust brake. I've actually heard more stories of the billet intermediates breaking than the stockers. Dave Goerend told me the intermediate is more susceptible to breakage from towing heavy with a lot of power.

 

When I got my tranny from Dave and was questioning me for the build, I at first asked for billet intermidiate, with the understanding that my primary goal was heavy towing with power. Dave steered me to a new stock shaft and felt it was plenty strong enough for my application. Emphasis on MY application. Everyone else will be different of course and I certainly don't want to sound like I am putting words in Dave's mouth.

 

I've only seen one broken, personally. It was Jeff Garmon that told me about the carnage that can happen because of the weight the 4x has and using 4x to launch. Makes sense to me. There's all kinds of variables anyway you look at it

 

jrussell I'm probably going to beef up my existing transmission because I知 not planning on going over 650hp and the guys at DTT said if your planning on going over that into the 700 or 800's hp range then you would need a new fully built tranny which is in the $6000 area. I'm hoping to get every thing done next month for around 3-4 thousand installed. I think I know the answer to this one but I知 just checking the billet flex plate is better then the laminated one, but how much better. Is the billet one worth the extra $$$. The reason I知 going to DTT is because they are closer then I imagined there in Canada right off the border and I知 in the Seattle are which is about 90 miles away.

 

This is only my opinion but, I was going with billet flex all the way until I read about some stories about TC trashed because the flex plate didn't flex. Don't know if that is true or not. By the time I got to buying stage, I was convinced by the tranny builders that a billet flex was not needed until 800 hp or thereabouts and for me the laminated was more than enough. And it is $100 cheaper.

 

Will DTT sell/install the parts into your existing trans, or do you have to buy one of theirs? I thought I heard something about them only selling whole trannys?

 

When i talked to them they told me they would sell me the parts and install them on my exsisitng tranny. After that is done they said the would test it and drive it before sending me out with it. They seem like a good group of people. They would only sell me a tranny if i wanted to go into the 750-800+ range because it would be more benefical for me in the long run.

 

That's cool. DTT is definitely a solid company. You can't go wrong.