So I wanted a lockup converter in my 1st gen but after pricing 47RH's the cost seemed pretty steep. Even a used a transmission with hundreds of thousands miles on it was $1200. Of course I didn't want to trust that so I would be buying a kit and a converter on top of that. Reman units are a minimum of $2000 and since I'm really only looking for fuel mileage it just didn't make sense.

So I'm going to show you what you need to convert the 518 you already have into a lock up and what I spent. Now granted I'm in the business so I get some price breaks on parts but if you shop around you can duplicate much of this.

The 3 pieces you need are the input shaft and reaction shaft, also known as the stator support or a pump assembly from a 47RH or a 47RE, it doesn't matter. I bought the input shaft assembly on ebay used for $30. It doesn't matter if it's gas or diesel as long as they are matched with stator support and I'll show you what you need to look for later.

You will also need a valve body from a 46RH or a 47RH with 2 solenoids and the boost tube. Gas or diesel it doesn't matter, they are the same. I had my original valve body, a 47RE diesel valve body and a 46RH gas valve body and there is no difference between the diesel and gas versions.

I bought a reman valvebody for $146 from a company called "What Ever It Takes". I also purchased a reman pump assembly from them for $172 and a stock reman converter for a 95 Ram, 47RH for $155 with a $175 core charge and turned in my old non lockup converter for the core.

You can go crazy here and buy a billet cover converter or triple disc or whatever you want but I don't work my truck hard so for now a stock reman will suffice. Remember the theme is cheap.

You also have many options to beef up the transmission while you're in there. I opted for a Superior shift correction kit for the valve body, a kickdown band super strut and a 5.0 apply lever all purchased from PATC where I also got the 3 prong connector you'll need for the solenoids.

This picture shows the lockup input shaft on the left and non lockup on the right. The screwdriver is pointing to the area of concern where the input shaft fits into the stator support bushing. This is where your pump and input have to match. You can see the nonlockup is smooth all the way down from the seal rings and the lock up has a step, it's 1.25".

 

This is how you identify a non lockup from a lockup stator support. The non lockup has 2 check ***** with an open hole like the one pictured. A lockup will have 3 check ***** with no open holes.

 

This is the lockup valve body. Two solenoids and the boost tube for lockup.

 

OK, so far I spent

$172 for a pump
$30 for a input assembly
$146 for the valvebody and
$155 for the torque converter for a total of $503, less than half the price of a used 47RH.

You still need to do the conversion to the truck which for me was a bit more involved as my truck is 2WD and I didn't have the luxury of slotting the crossmember.

So I redrilled all the crossmember mounting holes in the frame 1.125" rearward as well as the shift linkage pivot bracket mounting holes.

Next up I bought the 2nd gen adapter on ebay for $187, a new starter from CarQuest for $132. The Superior shift correction kit was $58 from PATC as well as the 3 prong connector for $20.

So now that is,
$187 for the adapter
$58 for the shift correction kit
$132 for the starter and
$20 for the connector. (You could source this from a salvage yard from any Jeep, Dakota or pickup with a gas engine and a 500 or 518 from about 1990 to 1995.) For a total of $397.

So that's $397 plus $503 equals $900 plus fluid which you would have to buy anyway. Still less than just the price of a used 47RH.

I also decided that since I had the trans out I would just go through it. It was done before but by whom and when I didn't know. I had a 48RE overhaul kit already that I got when I had my '06 2500 so I used most of it. You cant use the rear clutch frictions from that set however as the tooth count is different. You can put 21 out of the 23 single sided friction discs in the OD unit though.

After that I installed the 98 style OD on/off switch in the shift lever which is documented on here already and then wired the lockup ground wire from the solenoid to a on/off rocker switch that I installed where the old OD off switch was, then to the OD ground wire. This way if the rocker switch is on the LU engages with the OD. If the rocker switch is off you will still get OD but not lockup.

I took my vacation week to do this but I did it at work where I have a lift. It took 2 full 10 hour days to accomplish the entire process.

I didn't go into the steps of rebuilding the trans because that is documented here as well and elsewhere like youtube. That's it I guess, if you have any question just ask. I'll check in from time to time but I do work 6 days, 62+ hours a week.

 

SAWEEET!!

Stuck!

 

That's for sure!! I've always read on forums and such that you can't convert a diesel 518 to lockup. Guess I know the truth now

 

Nice swap.

I was tempted to convert my 518just now, but Id prolly be better off to just sell it and rebuild the $200 47rh.


On my other truck I moved the cross member back a set of bolt holes. It worked out really well for me. I hadda redo my exhaust, but it need to be redone anyways.

Now to get rid of the 3.07's

 

This is fantastic. Wonder why it took 20 years to think this up?!!?

How's does she drive now? What mpg gains can be expected?

Johnny you should get an award for this one!! Great work!

 

Ok, Angry Johnny...

What part of the country are you in, as I'm sure that there are folks here who would love to bring you some beer after rebuilding their trans for them, and doing this swap..

 

Thanks guys, I've learned a lot on this site and just wanted to give back some.

The truck drives awesome now, I love it. I have heard before from factory engineers that the lockup is worth 3-4 MPG on the highway. I don't know yet what it's done for my truck but I should know something in the next few weeks. I commute 80 miles a day back and forth to work with about 50 of that being on the highway. In the evenings though it can be slow heavy traffic for 10 miles or so depending. I'll let you all know how it does.

And I live in central Florida, beer is always appreciated.

 

How far from Jupiter ?

I may come down there, drop off the truck, spend a few days at a buddies house goofin off, and drive back home with a new transmission rebuild that has a lockup final gear..

 

Pretty far actually, I live halfway between Daytona Beach and Orlando.

 

3 hours or so.


Sounds good to me... Now All I need to do is find the money to bring it down there and get r done....

'
Oh yeah,

Permission from the wife to go, as well.

 

That will be EZ she'll be happy to be rid you.

now ask your dogs Oh here is their answer

 

I have NV4500...so not necessary for me. But I can appreciate the knowledge, and work you did to make all this work together.

Well Done!!