DynamicalyUnstable

Ok, so it's looking like transmission time is almost here. I just have no clue about this aspect. Which one? I don't know what additional parts to go with or which company or where I would even buy it or have it installed.
I tow around 8000lbs sometimes but I want to be confident in towing, bombing, whatever I throw at it.
I also have 3.54 gears and don't want to change them as I love my RPMs at speeds, and I have 38" tires so there is a bit more load on the trans.
Please educate me! ;D
Thanks in advance!!!

TxDieselKid

Here we go again. ;D

There really is no wrong choice, becasue anything is better then Stock.

I went with DTT for several reasons that I won't state becasue I want you to find the reasons you would want to buy from them.

Hope you understand,
Andrew

pappyman

I agree to check around and find the tranny that you like best...I had mine built by a discount rebuilder but it was built to my spec's.....I didnt get a big name builder because of the cost....its been one year now with this tranny and I am very happy with it even when I am loaded heavy 30,000 GVW it still performs well

There are many fine tranny builders and each one has good points and bad points do a search to find one you like....stock trannys are one of the few weak points of our great trucks

John_P

Dynamically:

I went with the ATS Transmission in both my 96' and
2002 Dodge CTD Trucks for several reasons. First, I
like the fact that the ATS Torque Converter has
the "triple disc square tab" lock-up clutch packs
which gives you three times the holding power
of the stock design. As I recall, the ATS TC has
around 119 square inches of lock-up clutch surface
area versus 34 for the stock converter. Their valve
body and controller allow you to "set" the speed
at which lock-up occurs, which I especially like
when towing my heavy trailers. They also offer
a three (3) year, 100,000 mile warranty on their
transmissions. The entire staff at ATS (Clint, Ranee,
Mike, Brandy, and all the others) are great people
to deal with!! I have over 60,000 miles on the
ATS Stage IV in my 96' with no problems at all!
FYI, I am a little over 500 RWHP and run my truck
very hard! Many of the members on this site will
verify that! ;D I would suggest visiting their web
site to learn more about their transmissions:
www.ATSdiesel.com. Or you can call them toll
free @ 1-800-949-6002.

Good luck!

-------
John_P

DynamicalyUnstable

Thankyou for the input John. Did you also go with the lock-up controller? What is that for? I assume to lock the converter but what purpose is that for? I don't understand AT's but I am trying to learn.
I sure wish I knew the DTT reasons. I'm not looking for a "mine's better" match, just the reasons why you went with what you went with. I don't know how to "check around". I don't know what to look for...
"oh, that one's nice, it's gloss black" :

PourinDiesel

The lockup controller from ATS is great.
You can adjust at what speed you lockup your torque converter at.
Around town and on the highway, I lockup around 50mph.
When drag racing, I lock up around 35-40mph.

The advantage with this device is that it loads the engine, and then your boost goes through the roof! along with power, if your modified.

--Justin

Don M

I went with a DTSF tranny. It is not the most user friendly thing to speed shift...hence the name DTSF. (Difficult to shift fast.) But it will tow a trailer very well.

Of course I had to upgrade the clutch and boy was that a hot topic. ;D

Seems to me we have a bunch of choices and this is a good thing...No monopoly on trannies.

I can lock mine up at any speed The only drawback is I cant hug the wife and drive like I could with the slushy trans in traffic.

Don~

billg

Here are a few place to start, visit their forums, read their sites, and call them and ask a lot of questions? Then get lots of money ready. :-
http://www.atsdiesel.com/products/pr...nsmission.html
http://www.dieseltrans.com/
http://www.gbtransmissions.com/default.htm
http://www.suncoastconverters.com/

I'm doing this very same thing. I'm leaning to Suncoast but as stated earlier they are all better than stock.
Good Luck

Jim Fulmer

DTT converters have the best fluid coupling out there on the market, they don't rely solely on lock to move the truck but they use it in normal fashion, any other converter out on the market uses a totally different stator (usually a milled stock on) to gain a little better fluid coupling then they lock it up. Put a lockup switch on your stock tranny and drive around in different gears locking it up and you'll have a good idea what it's like. I've run a DTT tranny for nearly two years now an have nothing negative to say but it's your money.....you decide and I'm at a little over 700 RWHP.

Jim

pappyman

Here's a writeup on ATS trannys by Diesel Truck Resource

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...s/ats/ats.html

StakeMan

Just so ya know. Tranny threads seem to turn nasty at some point. I have no problem with the question. Some people like to post about tranny vendors and parts that they have no experience with.

For what its worth. I have an ATS stage 4 that I beat the crap out of everyday. Never had a problem.

I will be keeping an impartial eye on this thread.

OPIE

[quote author=Don M link=board=7;threadid=22721;start=0#msg212813 date=1069531069]


I can lock mine up at any speed The only drawback is I cant hug the wife and drive like I could with the slushy trans in traffic.

Don~
[/quote]

Don, once again you have surprised me as I didn't think manual guys where into that kind of stuff.
One of these days your going to cave in and go auto! Pulling G's is more fun than sleds! And with the right auto you can do both!

Don M

Nathan is supposed to build me a tranny : I check the mailbox everyday..No tranny. :P

I guess a free turbo is all I can expect this year. :'(

Don~

John_P

Dynamically:

You are welcome! Yes, like Justin and "Stake" I also
have the ATS lock-up controller. Justin explained how the
the controller works very well so I won't add anything to
that. I would suggest giving Clint, Ranee, Mike, Matt or
Brandy a call @ ATS and have them give you the names
of some ATS installers near you. You can then go by those
businesses and possibly drive a Dodge CTD with an ATS
transmission to see how you like it. If I lived nearer to
you I would be happy to let you drive mine.

-------
John_P

Shovelhead

I've seen John P's truck in action.
It would be worth the price of a plane ticket to drive that truck, or his son's (Banshee)

Ed