im considering going with a trans

ckruzer

Infidel
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Location
asheville nc
th350, th400, 4l60e, or 4l80e? (the 4L's would get manual valve body conversions)

My axle gears are 4.88. i like being able to cruise on interstate at 65mph. Can any of yous offer any tips as to which one to start looking to purchase? Will be mated with my 5.3 LM7 and will have an atlas behind it. too many keyboard gurus on the webz and getting mixed knowledge of which to choose. i trust many of you moreso than @billybob5729

id like to acquire whichever cheap, rebuild it with known improvements, and rock it out

pic for attention

4l80e-4l60e-compare.jpg
 
I like the winters shifter but the rad design has the line pressure issue right?

What is availability of the 6 over the 4?
 
The 6L electronics are somewhat finicky. Just saying. I'm also not sure that you can run them without a bunch of electronics. It sounds like to me that you want a standalone transmission without all of the electronic controls.

Do you already have the Atlas? If so, that would be my deciding factor for which transfer case to use. The TH350, 700R4, and 4L60E are all 27 spline outputs and the TH400 and 4L80E are 32 spline outputs.

I'd definitely go with an overdrive transmission with a lockup converter...so 4L60E or 4L80E. The 60 having the lower of the first gears at 3.06:1. I think the 80s are 2.48:1 or something like that. Both have the same OD gear at .73:1...most GM stuff used that same OD ratio for a while. Also, building a 4L60E is probably going to be cheaper....but a bone stock 4L80E would take a LOT of abuse.

Not sure what size tires you're running, but at 65mph with 4.88s and 37s, you'd be running right at 2100rpm in OD with the converter locked. That'd be a pretty happy combination...hell, it'd probably be pretty easy on gas to boot!
 
Last time I bought a 4l80e was for the tj buggy. It's was the factory match to the 6.0. That pair with harness cost me $2200 (with warranty) about four years ago, and that was for a 4x2 model which comes in handy for using a np205 because it opens up a lot more avenues for adapters with its fully splined output shaft. You can run practically anything behind them as long as the tcase is 32 spline female and have to common mating surfaces to build an adapter off of with whatever clocking you want. MPASCINO on pirate can build a killer adapter and mail it right to you. The 80e above anything else my favorite part of that entire buggy, which my belief is its the heart of any vehicle.
Nothing wrong with a 60e either. Hell I'm driving around with one now that's never been touched in 210k miles and works perfectly in a big heavy yukon with a 5.3lm7 and 35s.
Either way, a 4x2 is always gonna be the cheaper, and works out great since you don't have to accomodate a separate vss into the tcase. They're both in the trans.
 
There are numerous people running the 6L with raddesigns/winters shifter setup. That’s what I was told by Rory.

A guy in Richmond has that combo in his ultra 4 rig and seems to work well.

I’m not sure of specifics by any means, just would I would look at for low gearing for trail use and two OD gears for good highway manners.

Not sure about availability as I would guess far more 4L80 being parted than the 08 and up stuff. I would thing cost would be similar between a rebuilt 4L80 and a good low mileage 6L80/90.

When I was initially looking at that option briefly,

There were deals for 6.2/6L80 combo with harness and computer and accessories for $2500-3500 depending on miles.
 
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TH400s are pretty straightforward and low-tech.
 
Now. Let's talk about the thread title.
I'm considering going with a trans......
My opinion is,
It's 2017. Go for it! It's only considered "GAY" if yer balls touch his or eye contact is made during sex.
WTF ever, to each his (or it) own.
 
Now. Let's talk about the thread title.
I'm considering going with a trans......
My opinion is,
It's 2017. Go for it! It's only considered "GAY" if yer balls touch his or eye contact is made during sex.
WTF ever, to each his (or it) own.

when i saw the title my first thought was he's in the right town...
 
Lmao. Paul the title was intentional. My *attempt* at humor.

Thanks guys! Yeah definitely wanting to steer clear of electronics for the trans. Also very much so want OD.

So. Realistically. The 80 makes most sense. A lot more mvb aftermarket support too.

@XJsavage so your saying the 2wd trans will have the vss in the trans - I see the benefit of that. But if I was to use my current Tcase or the atlas both would support the vss, so wouldn't a 4wd trans make more sense? In my head I'm thinking a 2wd trans will need the cone removed and a shorter 4wd shaft swapped in...

I like the idea that the 80 would be good right out of the box
 
If you plan on using a 241 or an atlas with a vss built into it, then the 4x4 model trans is ideal. If you use the old school transfercases like the 205, 203, etc, then having both vss sensors in the trans comes in handy because it saves from having to retrofit a tone ring and sensor into the tcase tailhousing of the older tcases that were never originally outfitted with them (albeit very feasible to do so using salvage parts and sensors). With only having the VSSs in the trans, your whole powetrain and drivetrain operates as if it's in 4x2 all the time instead of shift points adjusting for differences in pulse reading through the gear reduction of the tcase. Basically your PCM wouldnt know theres a tcase back there, and in my experience, there's really no negative effects to that.
No need to change anything on a 4l80e once the cone is removed, only that there is a fluid weep hole that must be capped that used to supply fluid circulation to the rear output seal. If not blocked, you'll have trans fluid mix with gear oil and vice versa. No shaft change. Just adapting mating surface to mating surface and sleeving in the correct distance between the two components.
 
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If funds are available: I'd do a 4x4 4l80e and a 3.0 or 3.8 Atlas and you'd have a setup that would be absolutely sick.
 
Thanks for the info @XJsavage

I've compiled everything and def going with the 4L80 with mvb. Now time to go find one haha
 
No need for full manual conversions on 4l, you can use a raddesigns/winters shifter for full control.

What about a 6L? Just thinking about a deep overdrive and low first gear and pretty much same cost as 4l stuff


waiting on their call back.
 
i knew when i saw the thread title this would go to shit soon
 
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