TH400 & US Gear Overdrive

[PsRumors]

Kind of thinking out loud. '85 k20 Burb w/ 700r4. Am currently doing a 454 swap. This will be a tow vehicle and pack mule. I have read all I can read about the 700r4s and lack of abilities and strength, the 4l80e coversions and built 700r4s.

With the cost of a 4l80e and then a controller you can be @ $4k quick. So, I was thinking, why not go to a TH400 with a US Gear Overdrive. Since it's a burb I have plenty of wheelbase, coverting to a 400 should be real easy, strength would be greatly increased, and would still have overdrive. Could do all this for $3k.

This would also open my transfercase option up greatly.

Thoughts?

 

[muddybuddy]

im converting to 4L80E in my k5. ive collected most of the parts, and its not even gona cost me $1k, cheaper than the cost of replacing the existing 700r4 with a built one.

 

[PsRumors]

No one else has any thoughts?

 

[HEAVY METAL]

wicked setup just sold a turbo 400 with that gear vendors over/underdrive for 1000.00

 

[PsRumors]

boy did I miss out. You don't seen the US or the GV come up for sale often. Hope to use the US Gear though as it can be used in 2 & 4 wd.

I wonder what the length differences are between a 400, US Gear, NP 208 as compared to a 700r4 & Np208.

 

[Greg72]

Tell me more about how a 4L80E with controller costs $4000.....???

I played around with some of these ideas a while back. The GearVendors units are cool, but unless you can find one used they will NEVER be an economical alternative to a regular OD tranny. Last time I priced one they were something like $2500 for the kit.

I thought 4L80Es could be had in the $2500 range, and the good GM standalone computer was another $700 or so??? It's been a while since I explored pricing.....

 

[ntsqd]

Last time I talked to GV @ SEMA (was a while ago) they didn't offer an OD to fit btwn the trans & transfer. They only offered one to hang off the back of the t/c.
So the only way to get OD in 4wd would be to go to a divorced t/c.

 

[PsRumors]

Tell me more about how a 4L80E with controller costs $4000.....???

I played around with some of these ideas a while back. The GearVendors units are cool, but unless you can find one used they will NEVER be an economical alternative to a regular OD tranny. Last time I priced one they were something like $2500 for the kit.

I thought 4L80Es could be had in the $2500 range, and the good GM standalone computer was another $700 or so??? It's been a while since I explored pricing.....

Well, I checked with Bowtie Overdrives which is what seems to be the recommended choice around here. $2k for the trans, $500 for the TC, $1100 for the controller comes to $3600 before shipping, before cross member, before etc. Close enough to $4k in my book to call it $4k. Used 4l80e at the local junk yard is $1500.

At those prices is either really cost effective? Even if it is even money would either REALLY be cost effective. Which would be stronger?

Last time I talked to GV @ SEMA (was a while ago) they didn't offer an OD to fit btwn the trans & transfer. They only offered one to hang off the back of the t/c.
So the only way to get OD in 4wd would be to go to a divorced t/c.

The GV wont fit between the tranns and TC but the US Gear does.

 

[muddybuddy]

instead of gettin a 400+ od unit, why not just get a built 700? you can get one that can hold up to 600hp for like $1500 or so. if you did go to 400, u still gatta get 32spline t-case which is more money as well.

 

[PsRumors]

instead of gettin a 400+ od unit, why not just get a built 700? you can get one that can hold up to 600hp for like $1500 or so. if you did go to 400, u still gatta get 32spline t-case which is more money as well.

True.

Bowtie quoted me $2100 for a 700 and you can't tow in OD.

In my thinking here this would be the strongest setup for the money. Or would it?

 

[muddybuddy]

i believe built 700 is the best way for the money. the 400 would rob more power as well and would cost more. plus everything will bolt right up, instead of needing new cross-members and such for the 400 combo

 

[uao85]

You can have a few mods done to the vane pump(I think thats what its called) and a few other parts I cant remember to be able to town in Overdrive.

Remington

 

[Greg72]

True.

Bowtie quoted me $2100 for a 700 and you can't tow in OD.

In my thinking here this would be the strongest setup for the money. Or would it?

Gripes! That 4L80E does get expensive.....it's easy to forget that a TC is needed (which adds $$$), but their controller seems to be awfully expensive. I thought I'd read that the GM Performance computer was one of the better ones and was priced more like $700, quite a bit better than the $1100 that you are being quoted??? Either way, it's serious bank for that OD solution.

I'm in about the same boat as you....I need an OD tranny for my 2WD Burb so that I can tow my 7500Lb trailer setup (I had assumed that I could ONLY do this in "D" not "OD").... yet still turn low enough RPMs with the OD when I wasn't towing to save some fuel and not be spinning my BBC so fast that I'm just wasting the life out of it.

A really built 700R4 could be an option....but it would have to come from a shop with a rock-solid reputation, that would be willing to spec it for the type of application I'm considering. It's interesting to see that there are shops able to build them strong enough to even be able to tow in OD (not that I'd probably do it)....costs are still going to be pretty high, but the simplicity of not needing the computer is a pretty huge cost savings.





The shops I hear a lot about are:

California Performance Transmissions -> Art Carr's new shop
Hughes Performance
BowTie Overdrives

What are some of the other "high end" tranny vendors worth talking to about this??

 

[Cricket]

What about Northwest Fab, don't they have a unit in the works for close to a grand?

 

[Greg72]

What about Northwest Fab, don't they have a unit in the works for close to a grand?

You talking about the "Black Box" product??

Maybe if you flip it around and run in backwards, you could get OD out of it. But I'd hate to be running all my gears in OD all the time....I doubt you could shift it "on the fly" to only get OD once you were moving at high speed in 3rd gear.....

 

[muddybuddy]

heres my thread from earlier in the year. after that thread i ended up going with 4L80E, yet to install it tho, but ive got the tranny, stand alone computer, and wiring harness.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181407&highlight=4L80E

there are some other name companys that build 700r4's. theres some useful info in there. hope you can use some of it.
i was checkin out mega monsters, on their site there stuff looked pretty solid

im planning on running the black box with a 205, once i get everything, ill start a build up thread for the tranny and t-case swap.

 

[PsRumors]

I have been reading till my eyes hurt

I have found a 4l80e that is affordable, $900 to my door. Used of course.

If....IF one was to go that route what I have not found is what it truly takes to mate a passenger side drop TC to the back of one other than Advance Adapters for another $600.

Ideas muddybuddy?

Thanks again.

 

[79k20350]

I have been reading till my eyes hurt

I have found a 4l80e that is affordable, $900 to my door. Used of course.

If....IF one was to go that route what I have not found is what it truly takes to mate a passenger side drop TC to the back of one other than Advance Adapters for another $600.

Ideas muddybuddy?

Thanks again.

any t case can be made to work, given that its 32 spline... the easiest is to just use a 208/ 241 with the stock adapter... or a 32 spline 205 with a modifed 4l80e/ 241 adapter...

 

[muddybuddy]

I have been reading till my eyes hurt

I have found a 4l80e that is affordable, $900 to my door. Used of course.

If....IF one was to go that route what I have not found is what it truly takes to mate a passenger side drop TC to the back of one other than Advance Adapters for another $600.

Ideas muddybuddy?

Thanks again.

4L80E's came with 205's and 241's behind them, pass drop. any t-case can be mated to it with a 32spline input, and modified th400 or factory 4L80E adapter

 

[PsRumors]

OK. That is easy. Then the crossmember just gets moved to the needed location? Maybe a 4l80e would easier than I thought.