there is a sticky for this called basic supporting mods. but a shift kit or built VB will have no problems with 10k lbs

 

there is a sticky for this called basic supporting mods.

My question to this is how up to date is some of this info in that sticky? It looks to me like it was started in 2011 and is quite long. As anyone knows, aftermarket products are constantly changing and improving. I just wonder if there are newer/better products available now that might be recommended over some of the stuff that was available when that sticky was first published.

 

when i bought my used truck it came with gooseneck hitch and beat up rear bumper in the hitch area and 200k on the ticker, I flushed the tranny and and drive it like a conservative adult when towing 10k lbs. no issues now at 260k. best mod would be a temp gauge to monitor and the deep pan for cooling and draining.

 

So - I've checked out the threads referenced - and there is good info there - but MOST of it appears focused on prepping the transmissions for higher power levels etc...

I guess I'll restate the question - as "what things would you add to extend the life of the transmission behind a stock engine for long term light use..." :confused013:

I'm pretty sure that I'll end up with a pusher fan - and after reading the other threads possibly a external in-line filter. Thoughts on whether proactive replacement of the governor pressure sensor and solenoid will be helpful or not in terms of longevity or would I be just as well served to wait for a symptom?

 

shift kit (or VB if you want to spend the $$), pressure sensor and solenoid, external filter, deeper pan (more fluid keeps temps down), temp gauge (keep an eye on temps unless you tow heavy probably won't need an external cooler) only way to know is with a gauge, after market single disk torque converter. yes, what you see is for added power. unless you use common sense a couple extra ponies in front of the stock trans can kill it (most of the time).

 

Your missing the fact that all horror stories have (mostly) some kind of abuse tied to them. Yes a stock cummins can take out a stock 48RE, but its a plenty strong transmission. You want weak get a 68RE. I should be making 500+ hp right now and stock its holding. Will it last long? Not likely! The mods you looking at are all good. The pan is worth it for no other reason than several extra quarts of atf. So why did you not squeeze the Leprechauns for there gold sell the unicorns to rich girls and extort the mob on the Hoffa hiding place and just pay the asking price on a standard with a few coin left over?

 

Finally, a thread for me. Im in the same boat here. I don't plan on anything more than intake, exhaust, and maybe a tuner at most. I don't need a stage 5 billet everything transmission, I just want my transmission to last. Thanks guys! I was already planning on doing the pan. I want the drain plug and the temp sensor tap along with that few extra quarts of fluid. Looks like ill be looking into a shift kit as well.

 

x2!

This thread is very helpful info for me also. I have an 04.5 with 146K. I bought the truck 10K ago, it was a one owner, who was pulling a fifth wheel, but I don't have any history on the trans before I bought it, such as whether it has ever been rebuilt or not.

For the OP, he said he lives in AZ. I would suggest a couple of other mods, particularly if he lives in hot Southern AZ as I do:

1) Trans Cooler Bypass Valve Sticking -- I noticed when towing and even when not towing, sometimes in stop and go traffic in hot weather, trans temps were climbing higher than I like. I discovered that the Bypass Valve on the transmission cooler was apparently stuck such that the trans fluid wasn't even going through the cooler!!! I followed instructions on this forum, removed the bypass valve and reversed it so that fluid always cycles through the transmission cooler. Than lowered my trans temps some, but I plan further mods.

2) Remove the Check Ball Valve in the transmission line -- This is my next mod. This will greatly improve trans fluid flow and should drop trans temps. In the link someone kindly provided earlier in this thread of installation of a Transgo Shift Kit, at the end of the vid, the transmission builder said if you have that check valve in your trans fluid line, get it out of there. He said if the check ball valve gets debris caught around it, it can minimize or stop flow and damage or sometimes fry everything in the OD part of the transmission ...

Question for the transmission experts: In order to make the trans fluid circulate in Park, does the Valve Body need to be removed and disassembled?

3) Deeper Trans Pan -- This is a mod I think I may do. I have a question for the transmission experts on this forum in that regard. I am thinking about ordering this Derale deeper transmission cooling pan with cooling tubes, drain plug, and temperature sensing port. Here's the link to it. I can get it on my Amazon Prime for $111 delivered. Link here & Pic below: Amazon.com: Derale 14210 Transmission Cooling Pan for Dodge A518 (46RH, 46RE) / A618 (47RH, 47RE, 48RE): Automotive ...
I don't care about the cosmetics of having a shiny finned aluminum pan, so my question for the experts is, is this Derale pan a good mod for the money and as effective as the much more expensive Mag Tec pans?

Thanks to the resident transmission experts on this forum for all your help and advice! :thumbsup:

 

A (Transgo or other) shift kit goes a LONG way in making a stock 48re, or any other one, last. Not much money and not hard to do.

 

99% of my research points me towards Transgo. So that will be who I go with. Its just been a while since ive been in a valve body.

 

I'm going in mine today. I got a stock vb not long ago on here (long story) and it needs a shift kit. I'm doing a transgo today and a slip-in front band

 

I think the shift kit will make the biggest difference in the life and feel of the trans. If you are worried about tearing into the valvebody, watch the video below. He does a very good job of showing the install in great detail. But I don't recommend drilling the holes in the valve body casting for firmer lock-up, there is a way to modify the supplied seperator plate for the same affect.
Transgo Install Video
I run a pusher fan on the front of my factory cooler, have probably only had to turn it on 3 times so far this year. It actually is a radiator cooling fan off of a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10r ran in reverse by swapping the positive and negative wires. Works for me.

I think the factory torque converter is a little underrated for someone who doesnt run a hot chip. A transgo will make it last a lot longer if you ease up the hills when your heavily loaded.

And a trans temp gauge is a must, whether you tow or not.

As for the sensor and solenoid, if you pop the pan off and the solenoid has a torx set-screw in the middle of it, it is the upgraded version, if is smooth bodied across the bottom without the set screw, replace it with the upgraded version (P/N 51085). The BD sensor(an earlier OEM sensor with adaptor harness) and DNJ Solenoid are good units with a good reputation, not seen as a "Must" but are usually installed after a full trans performance build or multiple OEM sensor failures.

As for the pan, it depends on your wallet, the amount of increased cooling from one is so minimal I wouldn't buy one for that reason, its primary fuction is the drain plug and increased fluid capacity putting the filter deeper into fluid deacreasing the chances of cavitation.

 

Through the years of maintaining and modifying vehicles, I've learned that keeping it simple is best. I don't need the flashy items that all the vendors tell us we need. Basic maintenance goes a long way.

I bought my truck with about 214K on it, and it had been well maintained. It had the trans and converter replaced with a stock Chrysler unit by a dealer at 177K. It was working OK, but I did notice the shuttle shift and sloppy shifting, so I did the BW solenoid, new pressure transmitter, adjusted the bands, plus fluid and filter change of course. While the pan was off, I added a drain plug. This simple job made the trans work so much better. I was amazed.

IMHO, an aftermarket pan is not needed unless you tow heavy frequently. Then the extra cooling and fluid capacity would be helpful. The one thing I'd like to add sometime is a temperature gauge.

 

Dittos on adding the drain plug to the pan!!!!! That simple addition has improved the quality of my life so much! I just used the bolt-in kit for $5 but would have preferred to have it welded. Works great. I can drop the pan now and not spill a drop.


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Here is another video showing the visual differences in the 2 different solenoids.
Governor Solenoid differences

 

1: double deep finned aluminum pan (Mag Hytek)
2: delete the factory heat exchanger on drivers side of block rear
3: install extra external filter (also acts as extra cooling as it is a heat sink for the ATF)
4: ATF fluid temp gauge in cab
5: change out solenoid and transducer and properly adjust bands

Beyond these things a massaged valve body, triple disc torque convertor, and built transmission with at least a billet input shaft and billet accumulator etc. Don't neglect the rest of the driveline like the drive shafts and especially the u-joints. Running reasonable size tires and driving conservative also helps the tranny live long. Obviously boosted launches, racing, and towing contests will not help the transmission at all.

 

I'm in the same boat. Just picked up a 2004 2500 quad cab 2wd. It has 190k on it. Truck is in near perfect condition. The owner gave me a maintenance journal that he started at a 10k miles. Only used to tow a bass boat which isn't nothing.

Only mods are a filter, 4" exhaust and a superchips tuner that have been on for a while. Absolutely no issues with the truck. I was considering a dtt stage 2 pan off kit with a single disk converter. Then do a fass lift pump.

Was hoping to get at least 250k out of the trans and extend the life of the injectors. I won't be towing much but when I do just 5k pounds maybe to the track. Any input on this?

 

I'm in the same boat.

Just install a transgo shift kit, Borg Warner gov solenoid and a mopar pressure sensor and keep on trucking. Under $200 plus fluid.



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Per rgsauger's recommendation I'm going to be doing a slip in band and transgo next. I am considering a tighter converter if the band and transgo don't firm things up at lower speeds. I'm in a similar position to you guys, 400-500 hp max, mild stuff.

 

Frankly a $300-400 deep pan is NOT needed, several big transmission builders sell them but don't include them in their high dollar builds. Why? Because they don't really add anything. A drain plug is nice but you can do that in a stock pan in 15 minutes and for $5...

External filters aren't really necessary either. Are they nice to have? I suppose if your too lazy to drop the pan and actually inspect what's going on inside your transmission... Stock filters work fine for what goes on inside an automatic transmission.

Gauges are nice to have but frankly for a stock truck, IMO they aren't really needed. IF you add a tuner and start pushing things, they are definitely needed then.

IF you really want to add a filter, add a secondary filter to your fuel system to help your injectors out. I run the GDP kit that goes between the stock filter housing and the CP3. You'll actually get your money out of that setup!

2006's are known for having torque converter issues, mine started failing at 106K. IF your so inclined to do a torque converter now, I'd look at the Revmax single disk billet converter, it seems to have a good reputation and the price is very reasonable.

A good quality shift kit or a valve body would help firm up shifts and bump up the line pressures. A slip in band might help get more miles out of your mill as well. I would definitely install a new governor and transducer while you have the pan off. You don't need the DNJ conversion governor until you have a fully built valve body or your blowing out stock governors.

As always adjust your bands and exchange the fluid so you have a known starting point. Never trust that the dealer did it 20K ago! Even if they did your due soon anyway.

 

Needabronco nailed it above. Every word is right on. And there Ya go!


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Well it can be said the double-deep pans, external filtering, removing the ball check valve, and all won't help the tranny live longer and run cooler. BS. I have done all those things and my tranny shifts extremely clean and crisp, temps at 140* running 75 light truck on hiway, and ATF looks exactly like it did the day I put it in app. 50k miles ago. Also deleted the heat exchanger on drivers side of the engine. Kind of thinking about getting another cooler added in for more ATF capacity also. IMHO anything that can be done to keep the ATF run cooler and filter it cannot hurt. I am coming up on 75k miles on my Garmon Stage 2 build and it has performed absolutely flawlessly. I think running cool and clean has something to do with that.

 

I just wouldn't mess with anything that isn't broken. If the engine is stock, don't mess with the transmission unless something forces you to. This is being over-complicated.

 

These transmission suggestions you find in this thread are preventative maintenance. To each his own counsel, but for myself, I choose to do the preventative maintenance now myself at modest cost, and very likely greatly extend the life of my transmission. Others may choose to wait until "something forces you to mess with the transmission". I believe in many cases, that can be a much more expensive approach.

For example, many on this and other Dodge and Cummins forums recommend removing the check ball valve. And if you go almost to the end of that long video linked to earlier in this thread, of the install in a 48RE of a Transgo shift kit, you will hear the obviously very experienced transmission builder explain how due to the check ball valve, he has seen transmissions damaged and even fried, and says, "Get it out of there!". I for one, choose to pay attention, and will be removing the check ball valve. Whether the check ball valve in there is just a very poor design by the engineers, or a designed in failure so we go buy a new vehicle, I don't know or care. In either case, the engineers of these complex systems like all of us, are not infallible, and did not have the benefit that we have of said systems having now been in use in the field for many years and many thousands of miles under widely varying conditions. I believe we that own these vehicles ignore this mass of field data at our own potential extra expense.

The commonly sticking bypass valve in the OEM transmission cooler, in my case, was causing the trans fluid to always bypass the cooler. My transmission "seemed" to work fine, but the temps were too high for my comfort level, so I researched and it removed the capability for the fluid to bypass the cooler and get stuck in that position. This mod cost me nothing but research and a bit of time, and the lower temps will almost surely extend the life of my transmission.

 

"and dont worry about it" was the next part I was implying.

 

When I first started towing my 8000 lb fifth wheel I could tell the transmission was slipping some and would run near 220*. This was a totally stock tranny so a built transmission was the second thing I did to my truck after the steering box brace. Now it is very rare if I ever see 170* and that is stuck in the virtual parking lot that is 59S Houston in rush hour. Which sucks but at least I am not worrying about frying the transmission. Now I want to add yet another cooler just have to figure out where I am going to put it. Goal is to never ever see over 140*. AND I don't have to worry about that stupid heat exchanger leaking engine coolant into the ATF...

It is pretty easy to predict that almost anyone who is really using their truck to tow is someday going to start looking at doing something to that transmission -if- they don't trade in on a new truck first.

 

A couple of questions --

So did your operating trans temp go from 220* to 170* just from going to a built transmission without any changes to the trans cooling system?

Wouldn't 140* as a max trans fluid temp be a little less than ideal operating temperature?

 

No I also added the external filter and housing/mount setup plus did away with the check ball thing. In the winter with ambient temps under 50* the temp gauge will not come off 100* which is the lowest it reads. I have never seen any kind of adverse effects to the transmission at all. Never any of the solenoid or sensor issues I have read about and the ATF literally looks and smells like brand new. So I have to attribute all this to the transmission never getting too hot and having driven many thousands of miles to jobs in the winter with temps under 50* to say 30* I have experienced the tansmission working perfectly. So if there is an optimal operating temp I would say it would anything under 140* based on the way the transmission works in my truck.

 

******

Pardon the brief hijack...but...what's a swaybar delete??? And why?

 

Swaybar is on the front end that counter-acts up and down movement of the live axle to help correct for body roll. I installed a pacbrake remote oil filter mount and needed the space on the right side of the front frame for that so the sway bar went away. I found that it did not affect the stability or body roll at all and that the truck rides better as a result. Note I have the Carli 3" coils and control arms and lovin' the way the truck works. If I had found that no sway bar was not a good thing I still have the Carli torsion sway bar and can put it back on but would have to find some other mounting location for the remote filter mount. THAT is an awesome thing right there because oil changes with filter in stock location frankly sucked due to the twin turbos and air piping.

NOT telling anyone they should delete their sway bar. BUT I have found that it works awesome that way IMHO.

 

Thanks! Yeah, I know what it is...just found it interesting that you ditched yours with no negatives. Interesting....

I ditched mine on my lifted CJ-7 about 15 years ago and never looked back!

 

And THIS THREAD is one reason I've joined this forum! Now I just have to get a few dry days off, to have a little fun under the truck.