Dodgezilla

Alright! I'm tired of whining about my crappy transmission and I'm not going to buy a $4000.00 built one when I'm capable of rebuilding one myself for half the $$$! I am going to buy all the good parts to beef it up but I have one question. Is the expensive valve body from DTT or ATS worth the money or will I get the same result by installing a shift kit? I can save a nice chunk of $$$ if a shift kit will work fine. I'm not racing my truck and I only tow on occasion with a max load of about 12000lb but most of the time around 9000lb. <br>As always, the input from you board members is greatly appreciated...<br>Anybody got an extra trans laying around that they want to get rid of?????????<br><br>Mike L.

hellotbone

DTT is worth the money the shift kit will only take so much power. When you realize you needs more then you need a new VB cause now you have modified yours and it cannot simply be upgraded.

berner

Dave Goerend explained to me that with a stock valve body you get about a 50% increase in pressure from idle to WOT, about 60 psi to 90 psi. With a shift kit, you start with more pressure but still only get a 50% increase. He builds his valve bodies to give a 100% increase in pressure from idle to WOT. I imagine DTT and ATS are similar.

Stamey

As others have said, you have to consider if the kit will give you enough pressure increase in the VB. This factors into the clutch packs everywhere, AND the TC lockup, so even if you get a good TC (you really should), if you don't have enough pressure you're gonna slip the TC or other clutch packs. Of course, this is all relative to how much bombing you do to it.<br><br>The other thing you should consider, is the fact that you do all the internal work yourself and you are your own warranty station. You may not mind, but something to think about.<br><br>Chris

1dslram

A good shift kit is going to cost $100. or more I would be afraid of a $50. kit. ATS has a kit I believe it is $160 or you can find the TransGo kit for about $100. these are both reliable suppliers. The bottom line is this will only last a given amount of time depending on your HP and how you drive. We all will buy a preformance trans. at some time.<br>Bruce

misterKTM

I put the trans-go shift kit in my '97 about a year and half a go. I was really happy with it. It is a pretty good kit, you do a lot of mods to the valve body - and there are a couple of options on a few things as you go.

Dodgezilla

Thanks guys. I had read somewhere about the Transgo kit costing $50.00. I've looked at a couple of places and they do cost $100+. I think I will go with a better valve body...

WTTD

I had Dave Goerend, send me his version of the Dunrite shift kit (same kit just changes the directions a little). It went in a 98 12 valve a while back and is a huge improvement over stock. Had a local tranny shop install it with Goerend tc and new soft parts. I have a full DTT setup in my 2002, and was still impressed with the Goerend setup. Call David, before you buy anything.