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stay with 700r4 or go with th400

stay with 700r4 or go with th400

  • 700r4

    Votes: 46 53.5%

  • th400

    Votes: 40 46.5%
  • Total voters
    86
If I *had* to throw large coin at a "TH400-strength" auto it would be 4L80E.
You can get the control boxes or a full manual valve body. AFAIK, most hard parts for a TH400 cross over (low 1st gear, etc.) I've driven enough TH400s... the ratio range on them sucks, and there's no lockup. Just a big hydraulic heat pump.

What about the whole OD transfer case business? Wasn't Stak making one?
 
I believe TCI makes a stand alone so you can run a 4L60E or 4L80E in any vehicle. There is even one for the HMMWV available, but it is 24 volt(came on M1113 and M1114 trucks).
 
yellowK20 said:
...and the r-4 can be built nearly as tough...
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How do you figure this? There is no way you will ever be able to build a 700R4 anywhere close to the strength of a TH400 without using unaffordable 1 off high strength alloy parts made from Titanium or something like that... Then the weak link is still in the # and size of the clutch packs.
 
kennyw said:
How do you figure this? There is no way you will ever be able to build a 700R4 anywhere close to the strength of a TH400 without using unaffordable 1 off high strength alloy parts made from Titanium or something like that... Then the weak link is still in the # and size of the clutch packs.
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you are really against the r4. The r4 2wd version is very popular in hot rods and mild drag cars. Granted a 400 can be rebuilt for less $, a r4 can be built to handle decent hp.
 
mostwanted said:
you are really against the r4. The r4 2wd version is very popular in hot rods and mild drag cars. Granted a 400 can be rebuilt for less $, a r4 can be built to handle decent hp.
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Building the 700R4 for a car is a completely different animal than a truck. A car will see mild/short blasts of actual abuse compared to loading down a truck and taking a 5000 mile road trip. I've seen how long "built" 700R4's hold up to real 4x4 use and it isn't long when they get used and abused.

In a street rig and mild wheeler you will get a few years out of the 700R4, twice that with a TH400 and a lifetime out of the SM465...
 
I ran a 700 in my camaro w/about 500hp and had no problems. The catch is to get a 700r4 from something newer than 1987. Before that they had a problem with the front pump shaft seal pushing out w/ too much power. They fixed it after 87. Only mods I had were a B&M shift and an upgraded 1-2 band. Never had any probs and it's been 5 years.
 
Redwookie said:
I ran a 700 in my camaro
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Again, thats a lightweight car. Not a 5500+ lb truck. There is no comparison to the actual load the tranny will see between the two.

Hook that car up to a drag sled and lets test how long that tranny lasts :whistle:
 
well heres a test on a 85 long box with 3.08 gears, 38.5 hawgs, fresh rebuilt 700r4 pulled out of a parts truck i aquired that i built for a friend that went to a blazer instead, behind a mild 327 and do you really wanna know how long it lasted, i know with the gears no auto tranny will last but can i say this 700r4 was great for the low 1st gear but it wasnt like two, oh it was three play days in just only mud and i lost all gears but reverse which soon went too just from backing it of the trailer. i have had my th350 in it for about 6 months now and is holding up pretty good, i ran it about as hard as i could for about and hr and half hard and it never got hot. the 700r was rebuilt but it was just a stocker, no tricks. same as the 350. if i had my choice it wouldnt be a 400, it would have the number 465 in it
 
kennyw said:
Again, thats a lightweight car. Not a 5500+ lb truck. There is no comparison to the actual load the tranny will see between the two.

Hook that car up to a drag sled and lets test how long that tranny lasts :whistle:
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I also have a 700r4, the original in my k5, and have towed my boat with it for years w/ no probs and done plenty of hard wheeling soo...
 
wraenking said:
im still up in the air on what i should do. ill be doing some offroading and some around town driving. no long trips.

keep in mind, i have access to anything i need to complete the th400 swap for a good price. i also have 3/4 tons with 4.10's if that adds into it.


also, is there a good write up on doing the th400 swap?
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Well any update on this?
 
Redwookie said:
done plenty of hard wheeling soo...
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What do you consider hard wheeling? Looks like you have 31" tires on your K5 in your avatar pic right?
 
kennyw said:
What do you consider hard wheeling? Looks like you have 31" tires on your K5 in your avatar pic right?
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33" Not the largest, but it's also a daily driver I have to fit in a parking garage. And I do a lot of the hardest trails in Az with it. But I have a friend with 44" and few tranny mods still running 700r4. no probs.
 
I'm all about making it home under my own power, and my 700 left me stranded on a few occasions. I never really wheeled it, just towed a 12' uhaul trailer a few times. Never used OD when towing, no big power plant, before the bigger tires. I just wasnt satisfied with it. Swapped out for a 465 and been happy and driving ever since. Ran 4 months with water in the trans and t-case. Not intentionally, found out after a hard freeze and couldnt use 4hi. Trannies prefer 100% oil, not the 4:1 water oil mix I had going!:D

I f I had to stay auto, it would be a 400 or 4L60/80. I wouldnt even take a built 700. Just my .02
 
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