Looking for a reverse manual valve body for my TH400. I have read somewhere that alot of them DON'T have compression braking. Anyone know which ones do or don't? I have found Houghs and TCIs and Art Carrs and none really list it.
CK5
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reverse manual valve bodies
- Thread starter MNorby
- Start date
BigOrange90Jimmy
1/2 ton status
Mine only has compression braking in 3rd, which is essentially pointless. I wish I could remember the brand so that you could strike it off the list, but since I trusted the builder, I just told him to put it together. It's working flawlessly so far.
do you notice not having it or is it definately worth the extra for it? I am thinking ante up for it
perp
1/2 ton status
My ArtCar has full compresion braking in all gears. i will try to find the part number for you
BigOrange90Jimmy
1/2 ton status
When I'm at home, it doesn't bother me, but up here in the mountains, I would like to have it so I can keep a lot of unneccessary wear off my brakes.
It is nice to be able to throw it up in second or first and not have it throw you in the dash though.
I will warn you though. If your shift kit is anything like mine, going from 1-2 or 2-3 WILL be quite a jolt. It makes my entire truck jump and buck if I don't back off the accelerator.
And two more benefits......NO DETENT CABLE!........NO VACCUUM LINE!
It is nice to be able to throw it up in second or first and not have it throw you in the dash though.
I will warn you though. If your shift kit is anything like mine, going from 1-2 or 2-3 WILL be quite a jolt. It makes my entire truck jump and buck if I don't back off the accelerator.
And two more benefits......NO DETENT CABLE!........NO VACCUUM LINE!
mtnman210
1/2 ton status
I don't mean to hi-jack but I'm thinking of doing the same thing. What is compression braking? Is it just using the trans to slow the truck? I'd guess I'd better do some research before I go looking 
perp
1/2 ton status
IIRC ArtCar model 14006
do you remember about what it cost ya?
Compression braking is basically coming down a hill and dropping a gear and the engine slowing you down. W/O you are basically free-wheeling.
Compression braking is basically coming down a hill and dropping a gear and the engine slowing you down. W/O you are basically free-wheeling.
BigOrange90Jimmy
1/2 ton status
Yes. It is hydraulic pressure in the transmission being placed on the engine, which is essentially being used as an air compressor, which slows the truck down.
mtnman210
1/2 ton status
thanks for the info on that---hijack over
I bought my full manual valve body from these guys, good guys too, shipped quickly and answered all my questions very quickly. I havent had any problems with it yet and it was much cheaper than an art carr. It does have compression braking and the install was very easy. Came with everything you need to do the whole installation. All the valve bodies with compression braking are very expensive as compared to the ones without.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-TH400-OFFROAD-FULL-MANUAL-VALVE-BODY_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33727QQitemZ8035754320
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-TH400-OFFROAD-FULL-MANUAL-VALVE-BODY_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33727QQitemZ8035754320
Check with MiniWally....I'm pretty sure he's got the compression braking setup (1st and 2nd) IIRC.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention that mine is compression braking in all gears too.
I have a TCI valve body in my TH350 that does have full compression braking in 1 and 2 and maybe 3rd. I don't know about 3rd because I rarly use 3rd gear in situations where I need it to compression brake.
Full Manual valve bodies are not for everyday use in my opinion. They are the greatest thing since sliced bread offroad but you have to drive them correctly.
Remember that they run full line pressure on every shift up or down. I have almost put myself through the windsheild hole several times on a downshift with the doubler in both low gears.
Full Manual valve bodies are not for everyday use in my opinion. They are the greatest thing since sliced bread offroad but you have to drive them correctly.
Remember that they run full line pressure on every shift up or down. I have almost put myself through the windsheild hole several times on a downshift with the doubler in both low gears.
miniwally said:
Yeah no kidding, its easy to forget what your driving sometimes and end up smirring your nose on the window. However, it is alot more difficult to find the full manual compression braking valve bodies for a th400 as compared to the 350. I dont know about the TCI one having braking in 1st and 2nd for a 400, but I do know when i was calling around there were not many places had compression braking in all gears, and it does seem to me that TCI did not have braking in 1st and 2nd for the th400. This might not be the case, but thats what I remember.
NEK5
3/4 ton status
holy old thread batman!
this seems very usefull thought, MiniWally, when you said they arent made for everyday use, was it because of the compression braking? or just they way it will shift, and when you say you have drive them correctly, how so?
this seems very usefull thought, MiniWally, when you said they arent made for everyday use, was it because of the compression braking? or just they way it will shift, and when you say you have drive them correctly, how so?
I am not a tranny guru at all. My opinion is just that. I have limited knowledge as to the internal workings of a tranny.
The reason I say they are not for everyday use is that the tranny runs full pressures all of the time so it is really a shift thing. There is no problem with shifting up but the down shifts are so harsh you have to be going very slow to not have a shift be so harsh that it wants to put you through the windsheild. I think they shift so hard you are putting undue stress on everything in the drivetrain every shift.
I have broken the tires on the buggy loose on asphalt in two wheel drive on down shifts before. It hits that hard.
To correctly shift them up is easy just move the gear shift, to shift down you have to be going slower than you think to make a nice smoth transition from the higher gear down to the lower gear.
There is no "down fall" to the reerse manual valve body as long as it has compression braking in the lower gears. I just think they shorten the life span of the drivetrain with how they operate.
With my buggy it's not a big deal since it gets torn down every few years for routine work anyway.
The reason I say they are not for everyday use is that the tranny runs full pressures all of the time so it is really a shift thing. There is no problem with shifting up but the down shifts are so harsh you have to be going very slow to not have a shift be so harsh that it wants to put you through the windsheild. I think they shift so hard you are putting undue stress on everything in the drivetrain every shift.
I have broken the tires on the buggy loose on asphalt in two wheel drive on down shifts before. It hits that hard.
To correctly shift them up is easy just move the gear shift, to shift down you have to be going slower than you think to make a nice smoth transition from the higher gear down to the lower gear.
There is no "down fall" to the reerse manual valve body as long as it has compression braking in the lower gears. I just think they shorten the life span of the drivetrain with how they operate.
With my buggy it's not a big deal since it gets torn down every few years for routine work anyway.
