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TH400 Torque Converter

skyhigh4by

1/2 ton status
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Jan 20, 2014
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Nanaimo BC
Anyone have any experience with the Hughes Tow Master converters? Particularly the GM4Tow and GM5Tow. Are they considerably better at putting power to the ground than a stock converter? It would be going in to a trans with a TransGo 1-2 shift kit. Is it worth the couple hundred $$..?

Also is there any way to identify a stock Th400 converter if you don't know what it came out of? Some way to tell what the stall range might be without installing it?
 
I would like to hear some input on this as well, I just spent three hours researching TC's yesterday and I have it narrowed down to 2 the Huges XTM and the TCI maximizer street. Here is what the websites say about both.




HUGHES

A New Generation of the Torque Converter

Hughes Performance would like to introduce you to the XTM & XFM series, torque converters. Simply put . .
There is no other like it!
Let's first understand the main objective of the converter: A fluid coupler designed to allow the engine to idle smoothly while in gear and transfer (convert) the maximum amount of torque (power) from the engine to the drive wheels. A torque converter designed to operate in a light duty 3/4 ton vehicle should not be the same as a converter used in a heavy duty 1 ton dually or even a class "A" motor home. But . . . that is exactly what the industry has dictated to us for years . . . until now!

This "New Generation" torque converter is available for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler transmissions. The "XTM" is slightly higher stall for gas engine application and the "XFM" is a lower stall for diesel engine applications.
Stronger Than Stock or Heavy Duty
Built with a heavy duty one piece hub and balloon plate, heavy duty sprag, silicon spot welded fins in turbine and cover, providing strength beyond compare.

Longer Lasting
Because of the increased cooler flow, the transmission and converter will operate cooler, increasing the life of the transmission and converter.

More Power
The combination of the stator and specific application fin angles applies maximum power to the wheels. This allows you more available engine power.

Operates Cooler
You no longer need to be afraid of the "long grade" with the "heavy load". The XTM and XFM series converters run 7 quarts of fluid more per minute than original equipment or stock application.

More Efficient
This new generation stator (torque multiplier) transfers power from the engine to the wheels more efficiently.

XTM/XFM
These units comprise our finest tow convertor technology. All units are designed with Heavy Duty use in mind. From extra brazing to greater fluid capacity, bearing assemblies. special stator configurations and design increase torque multiplication, allowing more towing capacity and in most cases, increased gas mileage.

For the most significant towing by way of diesel engines that have their output increased, Hughes also offers the super-duty XFM series for the Ford Powerstroke, the Dodge Cummins and the GM Duramax. These units are built to take all the punishment these engines can create by using billet steel covers that cannot flex or distort even under the most challenging situations. Instead of trying to "lockup" the converter for increased efficiency and fuel mileage with any type of single disc, we have replaced it with a triple-disc design, which significantly increases the converters ability to endure the increase in torque and horsepower and still deliver top performance for your diesel application.


TCI


This Maximizer™ Street Torque Converter has much the same performance characteristics as our standard Saturday Night Special® series for cars, but with extra reinforcement and thicker mounting surfaces to withstand the additional load and vibration put through the drivetrain by a truck with performance modifications. By providing additional stall, your truck will see better initial takeoff and will not lug the engine when using big tires. Special attention is made to match the converter to the power range of most trucks that do double duty as an off-road and daily driver. Improved rear wheel horsepower and elapsed times are a result.

Built with anti-ballooning plate
 
I might be wrong but I'm almost positive that you can tell a th350 and 400 convertors apart by looking at the holes where it bolts to the flexplate. A th350 will have 3 brackets for bolts to go through and put nuts on the other side and a 400 will have just 3 threaded holes, so no nuts are used with a 400, just bolts.
 
TH350 and TH400's can use the same converters,so that isn't always a good way to tell...
 
Not so much concerned about th350 vs th400 converter so much as being able to get an idea of what the stall might be without actually having to go through the trail and error process.
 
What I meant was both TH350 & Th400's use the same converters ,so someone may have stuck any old converter in either,making it difficult to rely on external differences to identify them..

You can tell a low stall speed stock GM converter used mostly in diesels and some heavy duty gas applications by the number of bolts,the low stall ones have six bolts instead of the usual 3 bolts to attach it to the flex plate..

I think I read somewhere original converters are marked with some type of "code" using punch marks or dimples,but I dont remember where I read that..or if any "chart" with code breakdowns exist (maybe a GM parts book,aftermarket converters probably have their own "secret codes)...
 
Not so much concerned about th350 vs th400 converter so much as being able to get an idea of what the stall might be without actually having to go through the trail and error process.

Stall speed all depends on your setup. Engine, gearing, vehicle weight, tire size, etc,etc. the list goes on and on. This why the TC makers list a stall range and not a certain rpm.

I think that it would be worth the money spent to put a towing converter in if your building a tow vehicle. I am switching mine....
 
Later on GM was using a printed tag stuck to the converter to ID them, not likely still there if it was even used initially.
 
I understand that many things can effect stall speed. I more so just want to know if I can tell the difference between a converter that came out of a diesel vs the higher stall small displacement unit.

I know that in my duramax a triple disk sun coast converter alone made a pretty big difference. Can I expect similar from upgrading a stock th400 converter to a towing unit or are the stock converters pretty efficient?

My truck isn't built for towing but it does have 37s, mildly built/cammed tbi, and sometimes haul a fair bit of weight in the box.

It has a standard trans right now and I can feel when the motor really starts to wake up around 1800rpm
 
Hughes builds a nice converter, I think you will be pleased with the product. If there is no tag on the converter it will be hard to tell the stall speed but most gas low stall converters ( late 70's and later) were stamped with a D4 along the outer perimeter. These are about 1500 stall in most applications and have metric mounting pads.
 
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