Is there much difference in fliud coupling between the ATS stator and the factory stator? Can you try to explain the motion, speed, rpm, get up and go? I understand the locked to locked, I want to know of the inital excelleration before the first shift to locked. With the stock tranny its high rpm and small movement, 2nd more noise more movement, 3rd noise, rpm, movement, lockup and you are gone. It sucks but its what I have.

 

I wondered the same thing when I was looking at the trannys. I'll try to help you out a little. In my driveway I have a hill that before the ATS the truck would rev to 1750rpm to go up it and all the while going slow like 5mph. Now I can coast up the hill without giving any fuel, but real slow. To go up at the same speed I seldom need any more rpm than 1100-1200. This makes for a much quieter escape at 4:00am. Without the torque commander on the tranny shifts and locks just like stock as far as speed. But the fluid connection is much tighter, it is very easy to spin tires while taking off from stop lights. The shifts are much firmer even while not locked up. The converter is nothing like stock it has a lower stall so it doesn't take as many rpms to get the same motion. But when locked up that is where the thrill is, there is no wasted power. All the power you have is going to the ground and no slipping at all. I keep my torque commander set to lock up at around 25mph. The truck is pretty fast up to that point but after 25 it is gone. I think I made the right choice going with the ATS but probably would have been just as happy with one of the others. Howerver I do like being locked up. It's a personal choice. Hope I helped you a little.