whiteVLX

Well I slipped up to Abbotsford a week ago Monday and got my DTT workover. I got there about 8:30 and they welcomed me right into the shop, even though they officially didn't open until 9. Shanti introduced me to Stefan, Bill, Darren and Tiny. These guys jumped right on my truck even though it still was before shop hours. Tiny being the biggest guy in the shop got saddled with pulling my old unit while Bill built the main unit and Darren built the OD unit. It was pretty impressive to watch, both Bill and Darren knew the units like the back of their hands. They never consulted a manual, they just started building the core and fairly short order Bill had the main unit done and not long afterwards Darren was mating the OD unit to it. In the meantime Tiny had my unit out an was tearing it down. They took the time to go through what I had torn out in my old trans and explain why those parts failed. All thoughout if I asked a question, they stopped and took the time to explain to me what was going on. They even double checked my driving habits and consulted me when it came to firmness of shifts. As a result they added a clutch pack to the OD unit and pulled the spring out of the accumulator. Once they got it in they took it for a road test and ran it through all of the levels on the Juice mod. As a result of going the extra mile they picked up on a shudder and Bill had the guys pull the trans and put in a different build TC. Then it was game on, they took me out and told me to drive it like I normally do so I promptly stood on it and rode it hard. It shifts firm, especially from 1st to 2nd but with a load on it or under a heavy foot you hardly notice it. It even barks the tires shifting from 1st to 2nd now.

So far it's got 950 miles on and other than one issue that I think is related to the brake controller which I need to work on with Bill it's the best trans I have ever driven. I'm definitely way happier with it now, the shifts are firm but not tooth shattering and when towing or under heavy load there is no sign of slip. Also with the brake controller on to control lockup, I'm easily able to maintain speed on steep grades even without an exhaust brake.

I would seriously recommend anyone considering a built transmission to consider DTT, they have a great product and great customer service.

SSweeney

What did it cost, if you dont mind

Timberman

Way to go! I've got about 2500 miles on mine now, I think I'm gonna have the shifts firmed up some more. Mine is set like yours, which I think is as soft as it goes, still really noticable. I don't bark the tires when shifting though, but that would be a nice effect. Go tow something heavy with it. I can break loose while towing just over 10,000 lbs if the road is wet.

whiteVLX

I was towing pretty heavy, but no wet pavement was involved. I usually run my cabover which is 4K and my boat runs around 5.5K, GCW is real close to 17,000. I don't think my shifts could get a whole lot more firm for 1-2 shift, 2-3 is pretty smooth and because of the extra clutch pack in the OD there's a noticable bump on the 3-4 shift.

I had a billet input, all new electronics which is more than some of their competitors do, the 4.4 ratio lever, billet accumulator and servo's, labor and I bought the DTT brake controller (I installed) it ended up running $6400 CDN including GST. With the exchange rate and the GST rebate I got the cost down to $5300.

SSweeney

One more reason I should have got a 6 speed. I paid 20k for my o2 auto with 66k. That is 1/4 of the total value extra for tranny for me. I would probably sell and by 6 speed before I would speed 5k on just the tranny. I am sure it is good. Hope you have a 100,000/5year warranty.

whiteVLX

Actually it's a 1 yr/unlimited miles on parts&labor. And another year/unlimited miles on parts. That's better than most of the rebuilders in my area. In regards to the cost, yes it's steep, but when I weighed the cost of either selling my truck and having to discount it for having a bad tranny and then having to buy a used truck that has god knows what wrong with it or just buy a new truck it definitely made more sense to just pay for the trans that I'll NEVER replace.

RowJ

WhiteVLX
Nice report! I have 90,000 on my DTT and 3 things are true...
1- Still remember the amazing difference the first day I drove it home (which only got better after the clutch faces wore in)...
2- Still drives today the same way it did then...
3- Have not had one problem, of any kind, with my DTT in the 3 yrs (next month) that I've had it.
That includes heavy hauling, medium wt. towing and ocassional Drag Racing.

I would love to see Abbottsford, just to meet everyone and see their operation. Mine was done by James Northum, the DTT installer in the Dallas, Tx. area, and I could not be happier

RJ

Tiny

Mine has been in for over 2 years, and I still smile when I get on it. Most of the power is reaching the wheels, not fading in a poor tranny that will not hold the power of the Cummins. Money well spent on my end.

BigBlue

ARGGHHH. Don't tell me this. It makes me want mine even more.

jimk

Did you ever find out the reason the the shutter in the converter? I have read on anougher site that a fellow has a DTT converter with a multi- disc converter in his DTT transmission. Is that even possible?
My friend had James in Dallas rebuild his transmission and he has never broken it. He did have problems but is was not James work. Parts were warrenty I think. It just proves that things can go wrong some times. James is very good at building transmissions. Jim

SSweeney

Here is the thing. We pay 35-40gs for these things new. Yet they dont even come prepared to do a diesel engines payload. If I buy a motocross bike that you can hardly hang on, the tranny "comes" build for that. If I buy a large peterbuilt rig 18 the tranny comes designed for that. Why is it that diesel trucks cost more than any and yet are always full of weak links for actual work. Sorry, I love my cummins just tired of seeing a christmas list of things needed to make it meet basic expectations. New tranny, LP, FP, track bar, power chips and then maybe it will meet your expectations until they fail again. Now I have steering issues and squeaks. My God the things only got 67k. Anyway, quess I will start saving for tranny rebuild so I can get the power to the wheel that should already be there.

BigBlue

You've also gotta remember that the forums represent an extremely small population of the diesel market. Think of how many thousands of trucks that are out there that aren't having problems. Heck, look at mine. I'm still on the stock VP and stock tranny and they've both got 106k+ rough miles on them and are still clicking along good. Every brand of truck has it's weak link.

whiteVLX

IIRC Bill doesn't favor the multi-discs, at least that's what I read somewhere. There was no definitive reason for the shudder, they just indicated that once in a while you get a converter that doesn't agree with a certain application. They said they've seen it several times and said that the very same converter that failed in my application would more than likely work in another. I assume it probably has to do with my speciifc build on the trans coupled with my particular power levels, is all. They put what appeared to be an identical converter in, albeit with different build numbers and it works great. I never asked Bill specifically what the difference was between the two so beyond my assumptions I really can't comment.

Ans all I can say is Wow, 90K on an auto behind a cummins is doing pretty darn good. That makes me feel even better about the choice to see DTT.

funcruise

I got the boys from Abbotsford to build up a tranny which now has only about 15,000 miles on now I think. Anyway there is no comparison to the origional Dodge one. The best mod I have done to the old girl. Still smile with satisfaction every time it shifts, and I haul a three horse gn trailer most of the time. There is probably other tranny builders out there just as good as DTT but I picked them because they are in Canada so was no problem with customs duty, money exchange, and all that good stuff. Only thing I wish I had of kept the old tranny as it was working ok and put it into my old 92. I read with a little change here and there it would have been nice to have the tq lock up in it but thats history........

Mike Holmen

My stock tranny lasted 155k, with a BD tranny converter and valve body. It would have lasted longer if I did go 60psi blasts with my new setup. My tranny is sweet. Its way better than the last tranny. These are great trucks once you get a built tranny into it. All the manufactures are the same, so why buy a new truck just fix what you got. It still burns me to sit in a new rig and almost have to floor the throttle to move the truck forward.