@Dynamic This one is seeking your advice. I can't afford one of your valve bodies or a converter right now so its time for a shift kit. Transmission was rebuilt to factory specs by Cottman Transmission about 25,000 miles ago, before i bought it. Works fine, no slipping or other issues. I use it for a daily driver with occasional hauling/towing, max load of 10,000lbs. I have installed Sonnax accumulator piston, second gear super servo, billet band strut and anchor, Rostra transducer & OD/TC solenoids, Borg Warner pressure solenoid, LPW deep pan, and adjusted bands and TV cable. I do not like how these transmissions shift. To me they shift too soft. I like a trans that shifts firm to hard. In my toys i always run a manual reverse valve body or a trans brake. I don't want a manual VB in the truck but i would like much firmer shifts. What shift kit and/or other mods would you recommend? Please keep in mind funds are limited. Can't do a VB or converter at this time. Trying to stick with pan off stuff. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

If it were mine I'd put a gauge on it and see what pressure it's making. And then turn up the pressure some.  A bump in pressure may be all you need.

You could also tighten TV cable a smidge to make it shift under alittle more pressure.  

 

May not need to spend any money

 

Cottman didn't do anything with the valve body?

Cant find my gauge but im still looking. Just have bill from Cottman not sure what upgrades they may have done. I have a small spring putting a little tension on the cable to up pressure. That did make it feel much better.

Set TV cable to have just a fuzz of slack at wide open throttle. 

I bend the bracket the cable goes through before it attached to TV lever to adjust it.

 

You talking about the TV lever return spring? If so that wont do anything unless its not returning before you messed with it

No. spring hooked to bracket pulling up on cable. Pulls tv open a little. At wot spring stretches and cable is straight. Ill take a pic later. 

Wedge the throttle to wot. Truck off see how much play the TV lever has till it seats. Adjust cable from this point to just a fuzz of play in the lever. 

Then drive.

 

You need to set so 1-2 shift is happening at about 2800rpm at wide open throttle .

There is room for fine tunning characteristics. Small cable adjustments go a long ways

 

 

 

Theres a plastic cover over the cable pull it off so you can see the cable slack

I adjusted TV cable to factory spec. Then put this spring on. This holds TV open more at light throttle increasing line pressure. When at WOT the spring is stretched out but it takes up all the slack in TV cable. Notice 2nd pic at WOT cable still has very slight bow. Lever on trans all the way back, throttle wide open and not limited at all. This helped the feel of the 1-2 shift at light to part throttle most.  Eventually i will figure out who has my pressure gauge and can check line pressure.

Haha that is pretty slick. 

I'm thinking about welding a extension on my TV lever to take up slack at idle. 

 

But damn that spring is crafty. 

@Evan Yes it is.  I can say that because it wasnt my idea. I stole it from someone else but don't remember who. I just found a random spring in the garage and used it.

Wait. That's at other end.  

 

Crawl under the truck visually see and feel that TV lever is opening all the way

I have. Did that when i first did it.You can also pull on the cable at the engine end and get no additional movement. It doesn't take much force to move the lever.

  I guess what I'm really wanting to know is should i use a Transgo TFOD-DIESEL shift kit or something else? Anything special i should do? Anything to definitely not do? I know i need to get a gauge on it and check line pressure. Stock rebuild, stock replacement converter as far as i know. 

I'm looking for a spring

thanks for sharing that 

No problem. Lowe's home depot napa all have things like that. About 1 inch long i think.

If i could remember where i saw it i would give the guy credit.

I remember seeing a post on a forum somewhere about adding that spring but I think they were talking about it helping the downshift when slowing down and coming to a stop.  My transmission is not downshifting and I wanted to give this a try and I was trying to find the post again but I never did find it.  Thanks @Gregturley for the picture and info.  Off to ACE hardware... 

I know dynamic it esnt huge on shift kits. Theres a ton to know about these valve bodies

The guy that did my tranny did the tfod kit. Me being me I disabled it with a tfod kit on hand I up the 1-2 and 2-3 shift ports and made sure all the tfod kit was installed 

 

I think a shift kit is better than nothing to increase pressure and lockup

 

The transgo kit does have good directions took me about 4 hrs to do it.  I think if I can come up with a core and 500 bucks I'll try dynamics valve body.

I want one of his VB's and a good converter. I can afford a shift kit. I used one years ago in a 47rh and it did help. i am trying to figure out if i want to do a kit now or wait till spring/summer and try to save up for a VB from dynamic. I know i should probably just wait and get a VB but im pretty impatient.

@hdpwipmonkey only thing i had to do was drill a small hole in the bracket where i wanted to hook the spring.

@Gregturley Does the cable rub against the spring hook when it travels back and forth? If so I'd be worried about the cable wearing and starting to fray. I like the idea though.

If your confident do the shift kit

 Them youl find out what's been down innit

 

 

 

It does rub

I think I've seen some tiny cable clamps somewhere one on each side to hold it.

 

Honestly I think my spring stretches to much.

@kzimmer Yeah it rubs. Spring is smooth & cable justs slides through it. Haven't seen any signs of fraying yet. Don't expect to either. 

@Evan Cut the spring and bend a new end on it. I've done quite a few shift kits in old cars and 3 or 4 in the 47rh/re's. They are all simple as long as you follow directions. Mainly wondering if the Transgo kit was still one of the best for these or if there something better now. Also want to know if i decide to get a VB later if i can use a shift kitted VB as a core.

I wouldn't say transgo is the best. It includes thecdivider plate springs and directions

 

You can do alot without the kit.

 

I have alot of slack due to where I have my TV stop set. I did cut spring to length set only to take up slack. It may be doing alitt but it's so minor I cant tell I may make it slightly shorter

 

I to wondered about a modified valve body as a core.

 

Surprised dynamic hasn't been here yet to drop his wisdom 

Edited September 19, 20195 yr by Evan