what all is needed to hold up to the punishment of adding a box capable of an extra 100-150 HP. ive read the 48RE can hold 75HP easily enough without having to upgrade anything but what about if i want to start getting higher up there? is a fully built transmission 100% necessary to run 150HP? the truck wont be a drag racer or sled puller...more of a way to keep the other diesel guys in town in the black smoke and to show off a little once in awhile

 

Could you fill out your sig, please?

 

I'll give you the standard answer. The 48re is not bad stock, but it's far from bullet proof. You can tear one up in stock form if you're hard enough on it. Mine is showing signs of sickness at 43K and I am stock and rarely pull anything but atv's.

If I were adding a 150hp box, I would not expect the transmission to have a long life. It might hang in there for a while, but then again it could go pretty quick.

I think the best advice I can give you is to start from the ground up. Fix the weak spots first before you add power. Build your transmission, get a better fueling system, gauges, and probably a better turbo. If you add power first then your weak spots while fold sooner than later.

 

if i had the truck i could do that for ya! im workin on getting the truck right now...ive been trying to find the perfect one and i cant seem to find one anywhere. will be an 06 2500 4x4 with an automatic

 

As they said earlier, the tranny is the weakest link, then the fuel system, and eventually the turbo. Take all the precautions necessary if you want the truck to survive. For 100-150hp IMO a 6-speed would be less expensive to mod and give you just as much control as a fully built tranny.

 

At 150+ over stock, a fuel supply pump like the GDP Walbro kits, or FASS will take care of the fueling. Stock turbo on the '04.5 and newer CTD are fine also at that level as long as you stay sane and watch the egt's. Tranny only needs a shift kit/valve body work and torque converter, again, as long as you stay sane and only run the max power settings with caution, and not all the time.

 

I would say converter and valve body would help out alot. you may add a flexplate in the mix, but you dont need thousands in the tranny just to hold a fueling box. alot of guys run them anyway with no tranny upgrades, but its risky

 

thanks for the help guys! i wont be on it all the time but i do want to be able to get on it once in awhile without worrying about breaking lots of stuff.

 

..........And thats where everybody starts. Just get yourself a loan for an extra 20 grand and you'll have a good start. We'll help ya spend it.