Transmissions make my head hurt
 

I have been looking for methods/alternatives on putting lockup in the old 92. A 47RH would be easy if there where any around. Parts to convert my 518 are also not locally available. I can, however get my greasy frost bitten bear paws on a 47RE. Peroozing the archives I did find one old thread about converting an RE to an RH. The thread said all that was needed was an RH throttle body and an RH OD piston retainer ring, besides a bushing for the electrical connector. I already know about the thicker adapter plate, TC, and rear mount mod. Anyone have any knowledge on the subject? Can a 48RE be modified in the same way? I live in Alaska, parts are hard to come by and expensive to ship in.

Hi cougar! Years ago I bought a DTT torque converter (and valve body). It was described as a 91% converter. I think that means it is 91% hooked up before you push the go pedal. The truck will creep forward if you lighten on the brakes at a stop, but I love it. IWhen you give it any gas, it's just like a manual transmission - no slip (There is some - 9%). That truck is a 91 W250. Recently the 518 in my 93 failed (my fault - low fluid). Anyway, I asked on this forum who made the best converter, and Goerend seemed unanimous. I contacted him andf told him I wanted him to build me a torque converter like the DTT 91%. He said he knew exactly what that was and offered to build it. He said it was quite different from modern units in that it had steel stators etc. etc etc. It is now in my 93 and it is boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What I am saying is keep your 518 and upgrade your torque converter and you'll bee near lockup withou all the complications. If you want, you can get a 93% converter (DTT use to sell it and I'm sure Goerend could also make that). DTT discouraged me from buying the 935 BECAUSE MY rearend ratio was 3.07. Once I had to pull a buddy out of mud and had to use 4wd low, so I think DTT was right. Anyway, this is just a simpler way to make your truck a tow monster, and off the line monster. Good luck. Goerend Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!

I have a custom built ultra low stall TC from a local transmission shop in my 518 along with some other upgrades. It requires a heavy foot on the brake to keep it form driving off. So I always put it in neutral at stop lights. I liked it so much I had one made for my 01, with lock up of course. The side by side difference is I am loosing about 200 RPM without the lock up in what are otherwise equal in power, axle ratio, and tire size trucks. I want that 200 RPM back and the fuel it waists. That is why I want to do it.

If you have a 47RE than you already have all the parts you need to convert your 518 except for the valve body. The good news is you can use a valve body from a 46 RH from a gas engine truck as long as it has the boost tube.

The trouble is, I have to buy the whole 47RE. Fortunately I know the history of this particular one and he'll sell it to me for $600. It would not be cost effective however If I can't use the rest of it. The problem is there is no parts pool up here. Thanks Obama. A 47RH can only be had if you buy the truck it is in and they want a premium for even a damaged truck. Any parts I would need to convert, I'd have to buy the whole transmission and they are not a dime a dozen here. Average wrecking yard price is $950. Privet sales are asking the same kind of money. Shipping parts, if I can find just the parts I need up from the lower 48 isn't much cheaper.

Not to be discouraging,

But I believe the 47rh's are not common here in the lower 48. You can build a 48RH also. I'm no trans expert, but don't you need the governor in the tailshaft housing also??
There maybe an aftermarket control which will work the 47re. It needs to be a cummins one as the bellhousing is different than the gasers

Michael

Well, if it's the same price for the trans or buying the parts then what's the problem? Looks like you'll have to pay anyway. The RE has a shorter output shaft and tail housing if it's 2WD and no provision for the governor or speed sensor. You would still have to use the 518 O/D assembly on it and converting the front case isn't going to be feasible or cheap. You still need a valve body.

I looked around for a long time for a 47RH before I did my conversion and they aren't plentiful or cheap, 2 year only deal.

Buy the RE, convert your 518, sell off the valve body and O/D unit. Then get a salvage yard valve body from any pickup. van, or even a Dakota (92 to 95 I believe) with a 46RH in it.

It is a 4X4 RE. What do I have to do to the front case? One thing I've noticed in my searches is there may be a difference in the input shafts with 46RH's. Looks like the 3.9 and 5.2 are different than the 5.9s. True? Just trying to identify what parts from what transmissions I can use to build/achieve my goal.
What parts and modifications are needed to convert:
An A518 to lockup. (This part I already know, but others may be interested in knowing)
A 47RE to 47RH.
A 48RE to 48RH.

To convert to the RH, you need to use the 47RE front case, your tail section due to the mechanical governor vs the electric. I would use all of the RE internals except the VB and OD section. You can steal internal pieces from a gas job, but...the clutch packs are weak, you would need to convert them to diesel spec. While you are in there I would upgrade your OD section too! You would need to use the pump from the RE and the input shaft, the non-lockups are different. I've built a bunch of 49RH's and RE's from 48RE running gear.

You can use a VB from a gas job, BUT you will need to enlarge one of the VB to case bolt holes if I recall. By enlarge I mean slot it out about the width of an extra bolt. I think it was the front center one, I cannot remember for sure.

The 47RE I can get is from a 4X4 diesel. So,
Use the front case and internals minus the valve body. Bolt my A518 OD unit to it. And put a 46 or 47RH valve body in it. Correct?
That may be doable. The only thing I will have to ship up will be the valve body.

Correct BUT you will either have to use the RE solenoids and plug to fill the hole in the case or have a bushing machined. If you use the RE solenoids you will have to get the truck side of the RE plug also.

A bushing is easy and using the RH solenoids eliminates the unused wire the RE has.

Why would you even bother with the RE case? It doesn't really offer much improvement over the 518 case. The only real difference is some ribs at the rear of the case and different reverse band style.

The valve body bolt hole shouldn't be an issue, it is slightly elongated on some because of the difference from a 904/500 to a 727/518. It's the middle bolt at the rear of the valve body. If you get a valve body from a 46RH and not a 42RH there won't be an issue.

Look through my thread in the sticky, it shows you what you need from the RE and why you can't use the 46 input and such.

I'm sorry but it just seems like you are trying to make this harder than it really is.

use the RE case, the triple wrap reverse band is MUCH stronger than the single, the ribbing in the case hakes it much stronger.

You will need to use the OD piston retainer from your case, it has the holes for the governor tubes that send pressure back to the governor. The RE's OD piston retainer block off those holes and send the pressure to the electronic governor in the VB

As far as the bushing, some of the later RH's had the larger three wire plug that fit perfectly into the RE style 8 pin connector plug hole