Simple Guide to Upgrading your 48re Transmission!!!
This post is to help Anyone new to Upgrading their transmission, 48RE.
Any Questions About Specifics on a company, Product or Reviews Please try the Search function, Or Google search First Before Posting. This is not intended to Sell Any one Product or Company.
Ok down to business....
The 48RE Came in two versions, in late 04-05 went from a Throttle valve Cable. To a Electronic Servo Valve Actuator (TTVA).
More on the Thottle Valve and basic workings of a 48RE go to.
Go to google search type in [ all about the 48re ] "will not let me paste the url."
The 48RE is based off all previous 4 Speed autos from Chrysler. The 8 Stands for Torque Capacity. So Lets just say you have a 47RE. Essentially You can upgrade to 48RE internals.
The gas and Diesel versions are Different. Converters change And valve Bodies are designed for the different RPM Bands.
Ruff Guide To power Capacities of a 48RE (note some people can get more or less pending on driving style, upgrades Torque management from their Programmer and upgrades)
Based on a like new Transmission. Crank HorsePower
-250HP to 350hp Stock Transmission
-350hp to 400hp At the Very least a Shift kit.
-400hp to 450hp Billet Converter, Aftermarket Valve body And Heavy duty Flex plate.
-450hp to 500hp Triple Disk Converter, Aftermarket Valve body, Heavy Duty Flex Plate/Billet. (Optional) Higher Ratio Band lever, Heavy duty /Billet Strut , anchor, Replace plastic servos, Stronger ¾ spring.
-500hp to 650hp All Previous Items , Full Rebuild With added clutches and a Billet input.
-650hp+ Full billet!!!! = Second Mortgage
Now There are many companies To chose from to get parts and to rebuild your tranny.
This thread is not to Sway anyone towards a single company.
Ats, BD, Garmon Diesel, Georend, PATC, Suncoast . Are some Examples.
All These companies Have Good Reputations, And do Quality work. Most of them Also sell individual parts. Best to choose one closest to where you live.
Now with the Upgrades…..
Shift kit:
Great addition to a stock like truck. Gets rid of Cummins Attempt to Please Everyone. Increases line pressure, Firmer shifts. And pending on kit Better replacement Valves.
Disadvantages- Not for the Backyard Mechanic. If not installed correctly can Seriously damage you Transmission. Tuning It involves Gauges and Repeated Draining of fluid And removing the pan.
You can Purchase Extra Valves That are not included in the kit.
Valve Body:
Again Many companies Rebuild these.
Advantages- Better firmer shifts, Can be tuned to you truck, May be able to lock up in lower gears. Fluid circulation in Park. Preassembled and tested to spec. Most likely New electronics. Usually no Adjusting is required. Less downtime. Warranty!!!
Disadvantages- Virtually none. Higher in Price.
Suncoast Also Makes Replacment Valve Body.
Has A standalone Controller, Fully Programmable. Adds the ability to control shift points, TC lock, and line pressure based on boost, throttle position, speed, etc [Thanks monkeybrain]
Sun Coast Diesel Transmissions-Dodge E618 2003 - 2007 Valve Body | Catalog Products | Sun Coast Diesel Transmissions
Transmission Pan:
There are several Companies The make these, Including Mopar. You Don’t need the most expensive. Just extra Capacity and a Place to Install a Sensor. I highly Recommend one Even in Stock trim.
Internal parts:
There is a whole list of billet or performance upgrades for you internals. Here is a website that will explain, and give you some examples. Common parts to fail is the Band strut , Servo Leakage.
48RE, 47RE, Stall Converters, Performance Transmissions and Parts from PATC
Billet Converter And Flex plate:
Pending On Future Upgrades, Is which way you should go. If just stock dependability is what your after a Single Disk Billet is way to go, A lot cheaper than triple.
If a triple disk Is what your after Then I highly suggest a Heavy duty/Billet flex plate as well. The stock Flex plate will not handle much more torque than factory(bolt holes stretch.) Many companies produce these.
Several 5 DISK converters are out their too, but not necessary unless your running a full race transmission.
Note: if you go cheaper than you may be wasting money. Example (personal) I bought a single disk billet. And a year later after adding a few performance parts. I ended up buying a triple with my rebuild.
Rebuild Kits:
Again Many companies offer these, This is not for your Back yard Mechanics they require Special tools. Great way to get one rebuilt locally Cheaper.
May include- Alto Red Eagle clutches and Kolene steels plus a direct clutch PowerPack, high capacity 5 clutch direct clutch drum, a Fairbanks TransAction Kit, performance 3-4 accumulator spring for a firmer shift into overdrive, high performance low / reverse servo, cast aluminum accumulator piston, performance intermediate servo cover, Mopar 5 to 1 intermediate band apply lever (4.2 gas) giving an extra 31% torque holding capacity in second gear on diesel models, extreme duty brass impregnated carbon fiber flex band and a heavy duty intermediate band strut. A special manual valve allows converter fluid charge in park. It has the stronger Mega Spring for overdrive direct clutch apply with more holding power in reverse, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Courtesy of PATC.
Billet Shafts:
As before Several Companies produce them. This will be the most expensive part they range from *650+ a piece.
Input- Three styles to choose from, Two Piece, One Piece and oversized. Only Billet input is needed to 650hp, Unless you tow heavy or race.
Intermediate- Standard and oversized, Stock is good to 650hp (unless racing)
Output- Standard and oversized. This one is hit or miss usually Stock is good to 650hp. But wheel hop, Really heavy towing and racing. Can break them earlier than 650hp
Electronics:
Three things may be addressed-
Lockup- You can wire a switch to ground the lockup circuit.(will stall truck out and throw a code if you don’t switch off when slowing down to a stop). Or you can buy a module that will unlock and lock you converter automatically. Your Able to also program it for Exhaust brake and gear and lockup speed.
Kickdown- ONLY FOR 48RE’s WITH ELECTRONIC KICKDOWN! Note: Most 04.5’s Dont have electronic Throttle Valve control.
Example TS Shift master.
• The SHIFT MASTER offers plug and Play technology for 2004.5 - 2007 Dodge Diesel trucks
• The SHIFT MASTER offers three settings that help with early shifting, flaring and gear hunting
• The improved shifting performance adds longevity to your Dodge diesel transmission!
• In Cab adjustable
• Easy Installation
-Stand alone controller- (refer to Valve body, Suncoast)
Paint:
Sometimes a Trademark to Companies transmissions.
Cooler, filters and Gauges:
Gauge- I would recommend everyone get a Trans Temp gauge at least.
Cooler- If you tow Will help out a lot. Some kits come with fans.
Filters- Stock filters Are only made to filter out Big Debris. Longer trans fluid life with remote mount external.
Fluids
There is serveral types of oil you may use. Basic is Chrysler ATF +4. Dealer brand i believe Is a semi synthetic, I recommend going to a full synthetic. Several Brands claim Better everything. But remember the more additives the worse it is for your tranny. If running higher horsepower or towing heavy. Dont wait till 50k to change it, And Always use a new filter when changing fluids.
Inspection:
Fluid change is the easiest way to inspect the condition of your transmission.
Good way to inspect the tranny at home Is while replacing the Converter and have the valvbody out. is unbolt the Pump and pull out first drum, inspect the clutches and steels. Look for Heat damage, Wear on clutches, Ect... Also check that band as well. Basic tools and just make sure you note how it came out. And follow a Service manual. There’s one floating around i believe around here.
Thanks Everyone For your time reading this.(I was bored at work) If you still have a question about something not addressed. And have also researched thoroughly then feel free to post. Great people on here.
If anyone has Any suggestions or corrected info (not just personal) Just PM me and ill edit this.
Please do not post and argue about companies and what can handle more or less. This is just a Rough guide To make easier than searching through hundreds of posts. Everyone one’s truck is different.
This post is to help Anyone new to Upgrading their transmission, 48RE.
Any Questions About Specifics on a company, Product or Reviews Please try the Search function, Or Google search First Before Posting. This is not intended to Sell Any one Product or Company.
Ok down to business....
The 48RE Came in two versions, in late 04-05 went from a Throttle valve Cable. To a Electronic Servo Valve Actuator (TTVA).
More on the Thottle Valve and basic workings of a 48RE go to.
Go to google search type in [ all about the 48re ] "will not let me paste the url."
The 48RE is based off all previous 4 Speed autos from Chrysler. The 8 Stands for Torque Capacity. So Lets just say you have a 47RE. Essentially You can upgrade to 48RE internals.
The gas and Diesel versions are Different. Converters change And valve Bodies are designed for the different RPM Bands.
Ruff Guide To power Capacities of a 48RE (note some people can get more or less pending on driving style, upgrades Torque management from their Programmer and upgrades)
Based on a like new Transmission. Crank HorsePower
-250HP to 350hp Stock Transmission
-350hp to 400hp At the Very least a Shift kit.
-400hp to 450hp Billet Converter, Aftermarket Valve body And Heavy duty Flex plate.
-450hp to 500hp Triple Disk Converter, Aftermarket Valve body, Heavy Duty Flex Plate/Billet. (Optional) Higher Ratio Band lever, Heavy duty /Billet Strut , anchor, Replace plastic servos, Stronger ¾ spring.
-500hp to 650hp All Previous Items , Full Rebuild With added clutches and a Billet input.
-650hp+ Full billet!!!! = Second Mortgage
Now There are many companies To chose from to get parts and to rebuild your tranny.
This thread is not to Sway anyone towards a single company.
Ats, BD, Garmon Diesel, Georend, PATC, Suncoast . Are some Examples.
All These companies Have Good Reputations, And do Quality work. Most of them Also sell individual parts. Best to choose one closest to where you live.
Now with the Upgrades…..
Shift kit:
Great addition to a stock like truck. Gets rid of Cummins Attempt to Please Everyone. Increases line pressure, Firmer shifts. And pending on kit Better replacement Valves.
Disadvantages- Not for the Backyard Mechanic. If not installed correctly can Seriously damage you Transmission. Tuning It involves Gauges and Repeated Draining of fluid And removing the pan.
You can Purchase Extra Valves That are not included in the kit.
Valve Body:
Again Many companies Rebuild these.
Advantages- Better firmer shifts, Can be tuned to you truck, May be able to lock up in lower gears. Fluid circulation in Park. Preassembled and tested to spec. Most likely New electronics. Usually no Adjusting is required. Less downtime. Warranty!!!
Disadvantages- Virtually none. Higher in Price.
Suncoast Also Makes Replacment Valve Body.
Has A standalone Controller, Fully Programmable. Adds the ability to control shift points, TC lock, and line pressure based on boost, throttle position, speed, etc [Thanks monkeybrain]
Sun Coast Diesel Transmissions-Dodge E618 2003 - 2007 Valve Body | Catalog Products | Sun Coast Diesel Transmissions
Transmission Pan:
There are several Companies The make these, Including Mopar. You Don’t need the most expensive. Just extra Capacity and a Place to Install a Sensor. I highly Recommend one Even in Stock trim.
Internal parts:
There is a whole list of billet or performance upgrades for you internals. Here is a website that will explain, and give you some examples. Common parts to fail is the Band strut , Servo Leakage.
48RE, 47RE, Stall Converters, Performance Transmissions and Parts from PATC
Billet Converter And Flex plate:
Pending On Future Upgrades, Is which way you should go. If just stock dependability is what your after a Single Disk Billet is way to go, A lot cheaper than triple.
If a triple disk Is what your after Then I highly suggest a Heavy duty/Billet flex plate as well. The stock Flex plate will not handle much more torque than factory(bolt holes stretch.) Many companies produce these.
Several 5 DISK converters are out their too, but not necessary unless your running a full race transmission.
Note: if you go cheaper than you may be wasting money. Example (personal) I bought a single disk billet. And a year later after adding a few performance parts. I ended up buying a triple with my rebuild.
Rebuild Kits:
Again Many companies offer these, This is not for your Back yard Mechanics they require Special tools. Great way to get one rebuilt locally Cheaper.
May include- Alto Red Eagle clutches and Kolene steels plus a direct clutch PowerPack, high capacity 5 clutch direct clutch drum, a Fairbanks TransAction Kit, performance 3-4 accumulator spring for a firmer shift into overdrive, high performance low / reverse servo, cast aluminum accumulator piston, performance intermediate servo cover, Mopar 5 to 1 intermediate band apply lever (4.2 gas) giving an extra 31% torque holding capacity in second gear on diesel models, extreme duty brass impregnated carbon fiber flex band and a heavy duty intermediate band strut. A special manual valve allows converter fluid charge in park. It has the stronger Mega Spring for overdrive direct clutch apply with more holding power in reverse, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Courtesy of PATC.
Billet Shafts:
As before Several Companies produce them. This will be the most expensive part they range from *650+ a piece.
Input- Three styles to choose from, Two Piece, One Piece and oversized. Only Billet input is needed to 650hp, Unless you tow heavy or race.
Intermediate- Standard and oversized, Stock is good to 650hp (unless racing)
Output- Standard and oversized. This one is hit or miss usually Stock is good to 650hp. But wheel hop, Really heavy towing and racing. Can break them earlier than 650hp
Electronics:
Three things may be addressed-
Lockup- You can wire a switch to ground the lockup circuit.(will stall truck out and throw a code if you don’t switch off when slowing down to a stop). Or you can buy a module that will unlock and lock you converter automatically. Your Able to also program it for Exhaust brake and gear and lockup speed.
Kickdown- ONLY FOR 48RE’s WITH ELECTRONIC KICKDOWN! Note: Most 04.5’s Dont have electronic Throttle Valve control.
Example TS Shift master.
• The SHIFT MASTER offers plug and Play technology for 2004.5 - 2007 Dodge Diesel trucks
• The SHIFT MASTER offers three settings that help with early shifting, flaring and gear hunting
• The improved shifting performance adds longevity to your Dodge diesel transmission!
• In Cab adjustable
• Easy Installation
-Stand alone controller- (refer to Valve body, Suncoast)
Paint:
Sometimes a Trademark to Companies transmissions.
Cooler, filters and Gauges:
Gauge- I would recommend everyone get a Trans Temp gauge at least.
Cooler- If you tow Will help out a lot. Some kits come with fans.
Filters- Stock filters Are only made to filter out Big Debris. Longer trans fluid life with remote mount external.
Fluids
There is serveral types of oil you may use. Basic is Chrysler ATF +4. Dealer brand i believe Is a semi synthetic, I recommend going to a full synthetic. Several Brands claim Better everything. But remember the more additives the worse it is for your tranny. If running higher horsepower or towing heavy. Dont wait till 50k to change it, And Always use a new filter when changing fluids.
Inspection:
Fluid change is the easiest way to inspect the condition of your transmission.
Good way to inspect the tranny at home Is while replacing the Converter and have the valvbody out. is unbolt the Pump and pull out first drum, inspect the clutches and steels. Look for Heat damage, Wear on clutches, Ect... Also check that band as well. Basic tools and just make sure you note how it came out. And follow a Service manual. There’s one floating around i believe around here.
Thanks Everyone For your time reading this.(I was bored at work) If you still have a question about something not addressed. And have also researched thoroughly then feel free to post. Great people on here.
If anyone has Any suggestions or corrected info (not just personal) Just PM me and ill edit this.
Please do not post and argue about companies and what can handle more or less. This is just a Rough guide To make easier than searching through hundreds of posts. Everyone one’s truck is different.
The TTVA motor started on MY05 which started delivering Aug of 2004. Doesn't mean its an 04.5 though. 
