Talked to Dave for about 20 min today about a new TC and VB for my truck. Like everyone on here has said he is a great guy totally willing to take the time to talk to me about what I was looking for. He said that he is having trouble getting the 05+ trannys to shift right if he does a valve body upgrade on them. He said the governor pressures are all over the board and there is now way to "map" the pressure and adjust the valve body accordingly. He recommened that if I am going to keep my truck stock to replace just the TC and leave everything else alone. I have no plans to upgrade the power anyway, so is it worth getting just a new TC? I was also thinking of getting a lock-up controller as well.

Also I was thinking of installing the TC myself, Dave said it wasn't any harder that replacing a clutch in a manual which I have done before. Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated. I have to say that when I am ready to buy it will be through Dave! Thanks!


P.S. Also wishing I had just bought the six speed!!!! Oh well...




J

 

you will definetly notice a drastic change in your truck with just a converter install. Anyone else out there that has one will agree. Its like getting a new truck - only better. You actually notice a rpm drop when it shifts and feel the truck accellerate when it shifts. And part throttle accelleration is actually noticable - not just rpms rising. I would reccommend it to anyone. And it isn't very hard to change it out either, its just nuts and bolts.

 

If you have a transmission jack it's pretty easy.

 

Thanks for the replys. I don't have a tranny jack, but I'd be willing to buy one. I really don't want to pay a shop $500-700 for something I can do myself.

 

you should be able to rent a tranny jack.
I know sunbelt has them, alot cheaper than buying one.

 

I took off the round insert - or pad on my 3 1/2 ton floor jack and then found an old 1 1/16" socket I never used anymore that fit into the hole nice and tight and welded some tubing onto the socket making a "cradle" that fit the trans pan. And used a tie down around the top of trans connecting to my homemade cradle and it worked fine. The only part of it that was a little awkward was lifting the trans onto the jack once under the truck without the converter falling out. I just took a piece of 1/8" x 1" strap about 16-18" long and drilled 2 holes and attached with nuts and bolts thru the 2 bottom bellhousing bolts holding the converter in until I got it onto the jack. It may have been easier with a helper but I did it all myself. I then positioned my jack so the handle pointed at the rear end and used my feet to pump handle while I looked and wiggled the trans into position. Worked for me anyway.

 

I was one of the first ones to have a problem with Dave's VB. Him and my trans builder were on the phone several times trying to figure out the problem. It was shifting into 3rd gear by 15mph. Dave was great about it, paid for my trans guys time to re-install my Vb and re-imbursed me for his Vb. Anyway, whatever my guy did to my Vb worked great. Shifts good, firm and on time, all the time. I know my guy has been doing this for 30+years, but I do not know what exactly he did... I know he used parts from a kit that Dusty from HTS recomended and didn't exceed 165psi at wot.

 

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like I'll just replace the TC and leave everything else alone. At least until I can afford to add power some years down the road.

 

You won't be disapointed in Dave's stuff, I promise you that!!! Great thing bout his warranty, is that if you find another vendors VB that works great in your truck, your conv. is still fully warrantied by Dave. No worrying about doing this, or trying that-will or will not void or diminish the warranty.

 

I'm not sure who Dave is but I'd like to take a look at his product, I read a post that says He has a reason why other tc's break the flex-plate, I'm not going to go over 450hp but I do want to put what I have to the ground..Any links or pm me... thanx

 

one tonne
You can get a hold of Dave here:
http://www.gbtransmissions.com/default.htm
mishkaya

 

Thank-you I'm checking it out

 

bldrman,

I've been running DAve's TC for 20k miles now.
When I talked to him last year he also recommended to go with just the TC (single disc) At that time I wanted to keep the truck stock.
I have since put on a 100hp Quad and TC and tranny are holding up fine=no slipping (I run 60hp 99% of the time and don't tow)
The TC is really what changes the way the truck drives, ie pulls strong from 1600rpm and tach drops bewteen shifts.
The VB only allows to hold more hp/torque without slipping.
In my case when I get on it hard, it's the tires that slip not the cluches in the tranny