Help prove me right or wrong, but I call a HUGE BS on this. Local shop with a tranny guy claims our 47re & 48re have a 5th gear capability but you have to take it to the dealer to have the truck programmed for it. Supposedly it programs the truck to engage something with the planetary gears.

I had to bite my tounge pretty hard when I heard this

 

i call it bs

 

Total BS!

 

Haha... Don't let them touch your truck with a 10 foot pole!

 

The fact that it is a tranny guy that supposedly said this is disturbing for customers of that shop.

I have had salesman tell me this same thing but salesmen you expect nonsense from.

 

The transmission behind my dad's 4.7 in his 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee is capable of that.

 

That is what started the conversation actually, but it was on a Durango. Then was led to that the trucks have the same capability. I still think it's a TQ lock-up that makes them think it's another gear, but I am open to this crazy feature and how it actually works?

 

The transmission in a Jeep or Durango is a totally different animal. All these gassers have the 545RFE which is analogous to the 68RFE in the diesels. Both of these are 3 pinion transmissions and the earlier 545's were a 4 speed only. In those units adding the other gear just meant activating a pinion and band combination. They had to change ratios because the original ratios did not have enough differential to make 5 speeds.

These are totally different form the 47\48RE units which are nothing but a beefed up 727 3 speed with an OD hung on the back. All they have is 4 gears. No way to add or activate more.

 

I guess if he counts reverse it does have 5!
Although I heard rumors that for $5 Dodge would install a special super secret decoder switch next to thechrome plated muffler bearing that when activated would engage the option gear stretcher.
Is this what the trans guy was talking about??

I have never heard so much BS in my life!
He'll ()probably tell you that your '68 VW bug needs a new upper radiator hose too!