Pulling the trigger this week on my transmission build. I've been looking at valve bodies, and was wondering what the difference if any there is between ATS and BD? Also looking at rebuild kits, and looking for suggestions. I'm picking up a used 47re for the valve body core exchange and  to build then swap to decrease truck down time, and while its on the bench figured I'd go through it so I know whats going back into the truck.  Plan for the truck is right around 475 horse. Other parts I'm considering are a Mag Hytech tranny pan,  ATS input shaft, and BD low stall torque converter. I only want to do this once. 

 

 I'm open to suggestions.

For billet goodies go here.  http://www.opieparts.com/

 

I had great luck with my BD VB and converter in my 02. Here lots of horror stories about bad customer service and warranty after the sale with ATS but no actual experience with them personally, this even comes from other diesel and non diesel forums I am on.

For billet goodies go here.  http://www.opieparts.com/

 

I had great luck with my BD VB and converter in my 02. Here lots of horror stories about bad customer service and warranty after the sale with ATS but no actual experience with them personally, this even comes from other diesel and non diesel forums I am on.

 

 Some shiny parts on their website.

Did you ever talk to the guy in Zimmerman I suggested?

TCS Arizona (not canada) input shaft is good too, got mine from DAP for $675. Don't forget heavy duty flex plate if you're doing a triple disc and billet input shaft. Do some research on low stall converters. I have one with 100hp injectors and it stalls my truck out when put in gear, I have to swap it out for a higher stall/looser converter. What gears do you have? 3.55s? 4.10s? You might be OK with 4.10s and a low stall converter. I would call a torque converter place and pick their brains. I don't like mine, it shifts way too soon for around town driving but it's great when you're heavy on the throttle.

upgrade from 4 pinion planetary to 5 pinion too, maybe 6

 Some shiny parts on their website.

For internal Billet parts I would not run anything but his in my own personal rigs, put his billet output shaft in my 02 after I snapped my stocker at 1/8 miles drag races. I did manage a 7.86 second first run that day with an asleep at the wheel reaction time, second run left me sitting at the line at launch.

I met Opie at the NHRA drags in Billings years ago and had lengthy conversations with him, he is very picky and precise about his stuff as is normal with someone running his own company besides his day job as a machinist at Boeing and making these things himself.

Stay away from purple parts

I would suggest goerend parts if possible

Just built mine with Goerend tripple disk converter, Goerend valve body and pan and a TCS Canada input shaft. I'm very pleased with it so far and have never heard anything bad about Dave Goerend.

Thanks for the inputs guys, and Tom no I havent talked to that guy yet. I was hoping to get some part suggestions here then give him a call. You guys have suggested quite a few upgrades. Price wise am I better off buying a built transmission or buying the components and having it assembled?

Depends a lot on the tranny shop you have to work with and if they are comfortable warrantying others carry in products in the tranny they will build for you, lots of variables there, definitely shop around.

 

Just got off the phone with the tranny shop that's going to do the tranny in my 2010 Hemi next week, he charges a set price of $2395 and it comes with new improved clutches, shift kit and other VB mods & new heavier duty TC set up for ones needs and use, then he charges $700 to R&R and testing & calibrations afterwards.

Josh in Zimmerman only charged me about $900 for a reman pump, new bushing, and new front steels plus completely dismantling it to make sure the rest was OK. I wound up sending the converter back to Goerends for repair (hub had a groove in it because of the bushing failure) and that cost me about $350.

Pulling the trigger this week on my transmission build. I've been looking at valve bodies, and was wondering what the difference if any there is between ATS and BD? Also looking at rebuild kits, and looking for suggestions. I'm picking up a used 47re for the valve body core exchange and  to build then swap to decrease truck down time, and while its on the bench figured I'd go through it so I know whats going back into the truck.  Plan for the truck is right around 475 horse. Other parts I'm considering are a Mag Hytech tranny pan,  ATS input shaft, and BD low stall torque converter. I only want to do this once. 

 

 I'm open to suggestions.

I use TCS shafts exclusively. Their quality is top-shelf... I also use their billet servos, band lever/strut/anchor and accumulator piston in most builds as well.

 

I recommend running 5 discs in the direct, 5 in the forward, 6 in the OD brake, and the stock 10 disc stack in the OD direct. Run full thickness stuff (I prefer OEM Borg or Raybestos)...no thin Alto stuff, or setups that run forward clutches in the direct. I also prefer and recommend the Raybestos Pro Series intermediate band.

 

Make sure whatever kit you get has EVERYTHING you're going to need for a proper build...ie. sprags, OD thrust bearings, output bearing, stuff to setup end play, etc. Many "kits" are really good about selling you fancy clutches and a paper/rubber set, but fail to provide the rest of the stuff that wears out, too.

 

Your stock gear train is good for well past your hp goals.

 

The best valve bodies that I've seen (that I didn't build myself) were done by Dave Goerend or Tony Garcin (who, sadly, is no longer with us...). I'm not going to mention names, but I've seen some pretty crappy stuff from some of the "bigger" companies come across my bench over the years...

 

Just my .$.02...

 

 

 

 

The best valve bodies that I've seen (that I didn't build myself) were done by Dave Goerend or Tony Garcin (who, sadly, is no longer with us...). I'm not going to mention names, but I've seen some pretty crappy stuff from some of the "bigger" companies come across my bench over the years...

 

Just my .$.02...

 

 

I had the distinct pleasure and honor of not only meeting and working part time for Tony Garcin, I also counted him a personal friend.  We actually did not live very far apart.  Unfortunately Jon (Dynamic) is right, Tony was unfortunately to become a victim of cancer. 

 

I built about 30 VB for Tony over the course of a summer.  He also shared many insights about not just Dodge trannies but had a very intimate knowledge of almost every make/model you could imagine and would chat some about other brands on occasion. He said he was trying to educate me enough that if I were somewhere in the country and had to have work done I would have some understanding of what was going on and I am thankful to him for that.

 

Since Tony is gone I wanted to find someone I had the same confidence in since my tranny was in need of some help if I was going to tow or even use full power on occasion.  Jon had been here for awhile and I liked what I was seeing here, so I PM'ed him a few times,chatted a couple times on the phone and a few texts and the answers I felt were what I was looking for thanks to Tony's sharing.

 

I had Jon do my rig a couple weeks ago and so far everything has been 100% up to snuff and just what he said it would be and I expected.  I haven't towed yet and not very many miles but that is coming soon! 

 

HTH

Thanks guys for all your input so far, I've got some homework cut out for me over the next few weeks.

Well I talked to Josh at http://jagsprotruckshop.com/home about transmissions today and he pretty much said its a wash between buy or building one. They build 3 different autos, the heavy hauler good for 500 to 550 horsepower, street series good for 900+ horsepower, and full blown competition good for 1500+ horsepower. You also have the option of changing and upgrading parts if you like. His installed price out the door for a heavy hauler is $4800, and the street series is $6700 that comes with a 3 year its beaks he covers it warranty, as long as your within the limits of the transmission.  My goal is 475 horse, but I'd rather be on the safe side and have my transmission over built in  case I want to do twins someday or tease the 700 horse mark. 

 

       For those of you who've had or built a transmission these prices seem fair or way out in left field?

It really depends upon what he's putting inside of these builds. Does he offer any kind of build or spec sheet on these packages? Those last two horsepower numbers seem a little arbitrary and perhaps a little on the optimistic side to me.

 

A transmission that will hold well north of 550 hp can certainly be built for $4800 out-the-door...including a billet flex plate.

It really depends upon what he's putting inside of these builds. Does he offer any kind of build or spec sheet on these packages? Those last two horsepower numbers seem a little arbitrary and perhaps a little on the optimistic side to me.

 

A transmission that will hold well north of 550 hp can certainly be built for $4800 out-the-door...including a billet flex plate.

 

 I'll shoot him an email and see if he can get me a spec sheet on the heavy hauler and street series transmissions. He did say the heavy hauler had a twin disk converter, and that the competition series was all billet. To have the 727 rebuilt for my hot rod was only 800 with a converter and thats right around 420 horse. I understand diesel is another ball game but 5-7 grand for a transmission is crazy.

I'd be curious about the converter, too. Usually, they're either a single disc or a triple disc (ATS also builds a 5 disc, but it's not a very good setup). I only recommend and use triple disc converters behind the Cummins, regardless of its power output.

 

Yeah, a lot of the cost in the 47RE/48RE builds is in good converter, input shaft (or other shafts), and many other hard parts that need upgrading. Yeah, I still occasionally build a 3 speed (TH350/TH400, 727, C4/C6) for guys around here. They're typically in the $700-800 dollar range, including a converter. But, they don't deal with anywhere near the same torque numbers that the diesels do...!

I used to see a couple twin discs conveters, but nothing recent. 

 

Dynamic,

 

Assuming the twin disc is built well, wouldn't that offer a good low/middle ground converter for a mildly built cummins without needing a billet input? 

 

doubling the fiction surface is always good right?

I just replaced my 47re with a Revmax signature series. They had great customer service and I'm very happy with it so far. I'm not familiar with the other brands so I can't comment on them.