I am looking to upgrade my tc.My driving habits vary quite alot thru the seasons.I have a regular job at a scrap yard which i drive my 96 4x4 2500 empty daily 60 mile round trip,most of the year.I also have a 14,000 lb gvw dump trailer that i am starting to use more frequently to haul srap when i go to work.The trailer weighs approx 4000lbs,the heaviest load 7000lbs.I also have a 5000lb skid steer I load on the trailer to do landscaping with thru the summer and fall.Currently I have 285/75/16,s ,k&n filter,4'' bd exhaust.I had the trans rebuilt 2 years ago,the shop said the installed a hipo tork,but i think different,this doesn't lock up til 48 mph,the old one seemed to lock up around 30mph.i bought the truck used and was told the pump was tweaked,and had an expensive torq.I'm on a budget and seen a new TCI for $460.00 new? i don't think i need a triple disk,any expierence with TCI any better suggestions.Sorry for the long winded question,thanks for any replies.

 

Not sure on TCI, but whatever you get just make sure it's a low-stall billet tc. The name brand single disks usually run in the $800 range. I've got a local shop here that said he can hook me up with one for about $700 + labor. I may go that route as he explained the TC to me and it sounds like a good piece.

 

I'm not sure if the tci is billet,I guess a phone call is in order.At $460.00 I guess not,thanks for the reply ,maybe i could contact you or your shop if that torq works ok?what kind of mileage do you get with #10 fuel plate?

 

i guess they reommend a shift kit as well?

 

Standard Billet TC's for our trucks run in the $450 range. Dealer cost is about $375 so it all depends on how much they mark them up.

 

Most do not need a billet cover. But that's just my humble opinion....

Dave

 

The speed when it locks up is not influenced by the TC but is controlled by the PCM. So if you change the TC this will not solve your problem.
I'd go over the electrical connectors with some contact cleaner and dielectric grease before going for a TC.
IMO the billet cover isn't necessary, also the triple or more disk TCs offer no advantage over a good single disk TC for moderate HP (up to 800 or so )

Just my 2c

AlpineRAM

 

Don't mean to hijack, but why do you guys think that a billet cover is not necessary?? I've always been under the assumption that a non billet front cover can warp or distort (from heat) when under heavy use and can lead to TC shutter and possibly slippage under hard pulling/higher heat conditions, for example, like when you're towing.
Is this (billet covers) more like a myth or marketing hype?? This is the first time that I've heard someone say that a billet front cover is not necessary.

Not arguin, just wunderin.

 

If you're changing your TC, I don't see any reason not to put a billet one in. Like mentioned above, it's a much stronger piece that won't distort and lose surface area over time.

Yeah, you will need a shift kit or upgraded valvebody. If I had to pick between a VB and TC, I'd do the VB first.

 

I agree. It's been awhile since I looked at them, but you used to be able to pick up a Transgo shift kit fairly reasonably ($). I had pretty good luck with a Transgo kit and a upgraded VB in my 97.

 

Are you near Bakersfield? Mileage didn't change with the #10 plate. It just allows you to fuel more at will.

I think you can still get them for under $100 with a new separator plate. I've developed a lot more faith in shift kits. If installed properly they'll work just as good as a pre-built VB. They're not really a "band-aid" fix as a lot of people refer to them as.

 

I'm running the TCI for about 2 years now and no problems & it has the Billet cover. Make sure you get a new VB to go with it. See my sig.

 

what your describing with the lock up sounds like in overdrive its supposed to lock up around 48mph and out of overdrive some where around 30 so, that is normal im pretty sure. and if your on a tight budget then i would assume you don't have money to throw away so i would spend the 7 or 800 on a full billet torque conveter from pro-torque,dtt,suncoast,or anything other bigger name in diesels. do it right the first time so you don't have to go back and do it a second time cause you didn't buy parts that were good enough.

 

There has been tons of debate about the value of Billet covers.
I always ask the question, why are they needed?

I am not a transmission designer. Nor an expert. But the sales literature about the value of a billet cover makes me wonder.

Basically, the billet cover is supposed to be able to stand up to the excessive heat and stop deflection and warping. In other words, the clutch cannot hold, slips, creates heat and distorts the front cover. This is to combat that.

What I wonder is why the lockup clutch is slipping in the first place. If you look at the mechanical advantage of he TC clutch, it's one of the strongest clutches in the trans.

Many, many trucks out there have run many thousands of miles to hundreds of thousands with a standard cover. These examples have a good lockup system, otherwise the cover would distort, the clutch would lose surface area for apply and the slipping would become worse to the point of failure.

So, unless I am missing something, why are they needed in a properly designed system? Is it simply a $$$ upgrade for the word "billet".

Again, I am not an expert. Maybe some of the trans gurus (manufacturers/ rebuilders) could chime in to give some to the point answers.

Dave

 

Yeah, that's what I got out of it. If the non-billet cover warps then there isn't as much surface area holding the lockup clutch. Since the pressure on the lockup clutch is the same, that leads to slippage.