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Which tranny and transfercase should I go with?

blazindorito

blazindorito

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Which tranny and transfercase should I go with. I currently have a turbo 350. Should I rebuilt mine or rebuilt a turbo 400? or what else should I do? I currently have a rebuilt 350, d60, 14bff w/ detroit locker, 6" lift, with 37's on a 16" rim. Automatic. Want to stay automatic. I want to be able to eat, drink and still change the tunes at the same time w/ out having to worry about changing gears.
 
blazindorito said:
Which tranny and transfercase should I go with. I currently have a turbo 350. Should I rebuilt mine or rebuilt a turbo 400? or what else should I do? I currently have a rebuilt 350, d60, 14bff w/ detroit locker, 6" lift, with 37's on a 16" rim. Automatic. Want to stay automatic. I want to be able to eat, drink and still change the tunes at the same time w/ out having to worry about changing gears.
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700R4 will give you a lower first gear and OD for hiway use. Th350 is fine for normal use and would seem to be cheapest since you already have one, Th400 is the workhorse, very HD. Just depends on how much $$ you want to spend and on what your goals are. Always go with a NP205 T-case, cast iron case, gear driven and bulletproof.
 
Sounds like you're already pretty heavy duty with that running gear. I'd go with a sm465, but if I HAD to keep it auto, I'd go with a 400. No question on the 205.
 
pvfjr said:
Sounds like you're already pretty heavy duty with that running gear. I'd go with a sm465, but if I HAD to keep it auto, I'd go with a 400. No question on the 205.
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ditto and exactumundo... I had the turbo 400, np203 setup with a b&m shiftkit.. once I went to the SMC465 and NP205 I will never go back...

the only thing im thinking of doing is a NV4500 instead... changes the gears around and adds overdrive
 
folkenheath said:
2.48:1, same as a TH400
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first is 2.48???? SMC465 is 6.55:1 second is like 5.something:1 then the problems start.... 3rd is 1.71:1 I think... then 4th 1:1..
the nv5600 gets rid of the 6.55:1 makes L= 5.something and then gets rid of that huge gap between second and third... :grin:
 
TH400/205 if avail, if not th350/205...extra clutches and shift kit, can't go wrong.
 
My dad had a th400 in his 3/4 ton 74 chevy van and that thing pulled our 11,000 pound houseboat without breaking a sweat. Also after about 5 years of use on it my brother was driving home at night while i was in the passenger seat and while he was trying to find N in the dark doing 55 he kicked it into reverse! It sqealed the tires for about 30 feet and dropped back into D. Kept on ticking with no problems until the day we sold it.... got to be the only tranny i've ever heard to hold up under a 55 mph reverse shift.
 
yeah, the TH400 is ungodly beef. What a monster. If built correctly, you can beat the living snot out of them and they will suck it up. My tcase is a 205, nothing but good things to say about them.

Tranny-wise, I run a 700R4. It has good gear ratios with 1st and OD and if you keep them cool they will last for a while... but my looong term plan with my rig is TH400+klune+np205.

j
 
Sounds like it's time to upgrade to a built TH700R4 and 241 case. :D I favor the 241 over a 208, 203, and 205. It has the best low range, is the lightest, lasts for a long time, and is plenty strong for 99% of the street legal rigs around.

Of course if someone could adapt a 271 from an HD dodge cummins that would be the ultimate from a stock vehicle IMHO, low range like 241 and stronger than a 205.
 
jekbrown said:
...yeah, the TH400 is ungodly beef...
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I don't know about that, I watched SeattleK5 break the tailshaft off of his K-Case 400 on New Years and he wasn't even close to being hard on it.
As far as a recommendation, I would say it depends on what you do w/ your rig. For a trail rig, or even a rig that is a driver but sees VERY REGULAR trail use I wouldn't recommend anything but a manual tranny of your choice. I just don't like the idea of loosing a couple quarts of a/t tranny fluid leaving me stranded someplace:screwy: ... and w/ a manual you can roll it down a hill and get er' started if your battery dies for some reason.
If it is a street driver, then automatics are handy and nice and all... but just not near as fun...:grin:
 
I just swapped out my TH350 / np203 combo for a SM465 / np205. I personally hate automatics and am so happy to be rid of automatic transmission fluid. I have had so many autos grenade on me. Never once have had a manual go out even after severe duty. :D
 
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