I have been toying with the idea for a few years now and decided to give it a try. I'm going to put a th350 behind the ls6. What do I need to do to make it a nice setup and live a long and prosperous life? I know I want a reverse/ manual VB, what stall speed is best, what application should I look for (best year etc...)? I may be 50:1 overall for a couple months if the stak deliveries are behind schedule, but I'll be 100:1 after I get it in. Help me figure out the tranny stuff so I can order it sooner!! I want compression braking.
What are the gear ratios in the 350?
All help is great!!

low gear in a th350 is abour 2.5:1
getting compression breaking is tough, you'll have to run a low stall concverter. i'd say somewhere around 1500-1700rpm. and that's good for othr reasons as well. mostly, the higher the stall, the nmore heat a converter puts out. heat is an autos worst nightmare..... the lower stall also gives you more control imho.

there is no year differences for th350s. the one you probably want to saty away from is aa th350c, also known as a lockup. they're not very strong stock but can be built up. i will be using one of these in my future buggy project unless i change my plans but i've already had a very trick converter built for it since that's the weak link. properly built, i will be able to lock up the converter in first gear and get all the compression breaking i want. i also have a good friend who's a dam good tranny builder so he'll handle the rest for me.

for the avearge joe, a regular th350 is a better way to go. what you might want to do is to find a core at a local wrecking yard and then rebuild it. if you decide to go that route, try to find the one with the HD case (6 machine screws holding on a cast aluminum inspection cover for the converter instead of the light duty version which uses 4 self tapping screws to hold on the stamped steel cover). there are no internal differences, but the case on the HD version is re-inforced and will resist cracking a lot more.you really don't need to do any other HD work on them, except for a stronger converter maybe. it'll have a torrington bearing instead of a washer in it and if you go for a really good converter, it'll probably be furnace brazed as well. a good converter should cost you between $200-350. do not use a B&M. they suck. it's that simple. i made that mistake when i was 18 and have learned a lot about transmission since.

i think you'll be happy with how the autos work in the rocks. i dig em the most. lemme know if you have any other questions or need more info. i should be able to hook you up with somebody to build you a sweet th350 if that'll help.

PS: welcome to my world (the dark side)!:grinpimp:

and i'll say it one more time: AUTOS RULE!!!!!!!!

PS: welcome to my world (the dark side)!:grinpimp:

and i'll say it one more time: AUTOS RULE!!!!!!!!


im a thinkin that if you actually had a rig with an auto in it that ran and you had actually driven an a trail recently that maybe this comment would carry some weight..

just an observation.....




















































































luv ya buddy! :flipoff2:

chris:cool2:

im a thinkin that if you actually had a rig with an auto in it that ran and you had actually driven an a trail recently that maybe this comment would carry some weight..

just an observation.....




ouch, my balls.

does anyone besides TCI make a reverse/manual VB with compression braking? What I found when I looked was all the reverse/manual vbs had no compression braking, but TCI was just coming out with one back in the spring for the rock buggy crowd.

what about rebuild parts? what brands and upgrades are essential?

Is 1500-1700 rpm higher than stock stall? I was thinking about going lower than stock, never having driven one. But the more I think about it, slightly higher than stock seems better.

stock stall is between 1400-1800 depending on the engine torque. if you go any lower with a small block, it ends up bogging them down off the line. with a diesel you can go way lower.

stock stall is between 1400-1800 depending on the engine torque. if you go any lower with a small block, it ends up bogging them down off the line. with a diesel you can go way lower.

that's what I finally realized. And mine is going behind a 4.3, so I definitely don't have the torque to spare. Should I go even higher?

depends on the rest of your setup/gearing

Autos rule. That is a fact.

Why does everyone have such a hard on for reverse valve bodies? Educate me.

Autos rule. That is a fact.

Why does everyone have such a hard on for reverse valve bodies? Educate me.


Because (stock) when going from park you always have to go through 3-2 to get to 1

Shifting from first to reverse is quicker.

less wear and tear on the shifter


Dan

less wear and tear on the shifter


Dan


come awn dan, we all know that you wear out tires at a rapid rate, but the shifter?!:flipoff2:

if you go with an art carr shifter and cut the gate out properly, you can get from first to reverse and back in a heartbeat without running the risk of going into park.

i'm not a big fan of manual valve bodies. just my .02

I'm ignorant too, so what's the differnce between a th350 and 400? What are you runnning behind you big block Dan?

Put it in D and mash the pedal, that is the beauty of an auto. You guys are making it too hard :D

T400 is a 1 ton tranny and a T350 is a 1/2 ton tranny. For what we do a T350 will hold up all day long, what Dan does, you need a T400 ;)

pretty much.


a th400 will put up with a lot more crap than a th350. but, they are larger, longer, heavier and rob a little more HP. in a rig like dan's, you would'nt want a th350. at least not with dan driving.


i had a built th350 in my full size BBC rig on rocks with 44s. i also drove it accordingly and never wasted the trans, except for cracking it in half once when i got some serious hopping going on.

What are you runnning behind you big block Dan?


Mine is a full race turbo 400 with reverse v/b, shafts and "K" case. It was built and blueprinted by TCI.


Dan

Now the TH400 have both long and short verisons right? I am pretty sure I have a short one, is there anything wrong with using them over a th 350? How much length difference is there?

there are 2 different lengths for the th350 and th400, but only on the 2wd versions because they have different extension housings. the cases on all 350s are the same length and the cases on all th400s are the same length, although the th400 is roughly 3 inches longer. th700s are 2 inches longer than the th350.

there are 2 different lengths for the th350 and th400, but only on the 2wd versions because they have different extension housings. the cases on all 350s are the same length and the cases on all th400s are the same length, although the th400 is roughly 3 inches shorter. th700s are 2 inches longer than the th350.

The 400 is the shorter of the bunch??
I already have a 400 adapter, but thought it was longer. It still saps more power and I don't like that, although a supercharger is already in the future.
More thinking to do.
Can I get compression braking with a stock VB??

TYPO!!!!!!!

the th400 is the longest of the bunch. 3 inches longer than the th350.

i tried to edit my original post but this fawkin board has a mind of it's own these days.:evil:

The 400 is the shorter of the bunch??
I already have a 400 adapter, but thought it was longer. It still saps more power and I don't like that, although a supercharger is already in the future.
More thinking to do.
Can I get compression braking with a stock VB??

Compression braking is all about the final gear ratio you have. With mine stuck in 1st, it is right at 60:1 and that is plenty for some sweet compression braking, even on the steepest stuff.

Compression braking is all about the final gear ratio you have. With mine stuck in 1st, it is right at 60:1 and that is plenty for some sweet compression braking, even on the steepest stuff.

So do you run an essentially bone stock 350? Stock converter also?
I will be 79 to one with the stak in low low.
Would I be high to just get a std 350 and drop it in and run it?
Thanks for the info BTW...

With a Stak case you will have PLENTY of compression braking.

WTF would you want to manually shift an auto tranny for? The Lokar I have will hold it in any gear I want if I want to compression brake or keep it in 1st or 2nd without it shifting up.

Just stick a rebuilt, bone stock T350 in that sucka and pound away. Like me, you will wonder why you did not do it sooner.

I've got a built 700 in mine...Georg set me up with all the parts I needed and a local shop did assembly....ended up right around $1k complete.

Mine runs the standard pattern valve body and is setup for full manual. There are rare times in snow/sand where starting out in 2nd will keep your power down and keep you from spinning your tires. (hell, the 80-series includes a 2nd gear start switch from the factory)

Two shifter choices...Art Carr or Lokar. $200 either way, no other option IMO. I run the AC with cleared leftside gates and the shift from R clear thru to 1 is one long smooth throw.

Zero complaints with my setup....Georg sent me a great set of parts for the build and my local shop did it well. 4:1 in the D300 and I've never felt a need to be slower (4.11 stockers in the diffs, 37's or 39.5 tires)

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=378713&highlight=art+cAR

just read this post, Seems like throw in the stock 400 or drop in all the way with rvb with compression. Looking for Dibble's post from a while ago with shifter gate configuration. back to searching.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=214779&highlight=art+carr


Found it

George, Am I going to balloon converters with 400hp? I'm ready to order parts...
I got a rebuilt 350, non K case :sad: How big of an issue is that really with an fj40 frame...
I plan to mod it as necessary over winter and drop it in in the spring.

the "k" case isn't essential, it's more of a luxury. if you build proper mounts, you'll be just fine. converter balooning is a myth as far as i'm concerned. but i'd love for anybody to prove me wrong.
here's my reasoning why:
the pump in any transmission is regulated to roughly 100-120 psi via a pressure regulator valve (it's basically a bypass valve). if the pressure was'nt regulated, it could build up as much as 2500-3000 psi with the types of pumps used in an automatic transmission. guess what that much pressure would do to the pump, nevermind anything else?!:nuke:
another fact that dismisses the "baloon" theory is the fact that converters are pressure tested to 150-200psi after assembly to detect any possible leakage at the welds and have been measured time and again for "balooning". i have performed this test myself with a pressure tester we had at the shop. we'd even put the whole assembly in the parts washer (very hot water and soap) for 30 minutes to simulate driving temps and guess what, it never happened.
last but not least, a converter normally has about .250" of freeplay before it bottoms out in the pump under running conditions. do you realize how much pressure it would take to expand a converter 1/4"?! does your air compressor tank expand when it goes over 80psi?! i did'nt think so.:shaking:
need any more proof? i could keep going but don't want to bore anybody.....


that's why i keep saying: AUTOS RULE!!!!!!!!!:grinpimp:

I broke a K case with my driveshaft and replaced it with a non-K case and I have been flogging it for 2 years......

Speaking of which - Nolen - do you have any pics of how your trans/t-case is mounted? I'm using a GM car mount under the stock trans mount, and another one attached to the front of the t-case, but I still feel that it needs to be a*little* firmed up...

IMO, having the engine mount & the trans/t-case mounts have equal amounts of give is *vital* to prevent cracking cases. local guy didn't follow that, cracked a case the very first time he went into low range.. :laughing:

I have been flogging it for 2 years......


uhm, yeah. :rainbow:

I am doing the same thing, only without an LS1. I have a TBI350 that I am going to keep stock. I MAY reflash the comp. However, I want to throw a TH350 in there (It is already in). When I have it apart, should I throw a RMVB in there, a shift kit, and all that crap? I was thinking about just running a stock Torque Converter with a stock stall. This WILL be driven on the street, and this WILL be hammered on the trails.

dIma

When I have it apart, should I throw a RMVB in there, a shift kit,


Yes, you need both of these!:laughing:

Speaking of which - Nolen - do you have any pics of how your trans/t-case is mounted? I'm using a GM car mount under the stock trans mount, and another one attached to the front of the t-case, but I still feel that it needs to be a*little* firmed up...

IMO, having the engine mount & the trans/t-case mounts have equal amounts of give is *vital* to prevent cracking cases. local guy didn't follow that, cracked a case the very first time he went into low range.. :laughing:

All I have is a crossmember under my rig with the stock GM rubber mount at the tail of the tranny.

I have OEM GM motor mounts and the stock GM tranny mount.

Nothing special, but it is all on rubber.

Nolen, do you have an xmember between the motor mounts or anywhere in between? I have one at the radiator, one at the tcase, and one near the rear axle. I know I get frame flex. My motor mounts are stock 'vette cast aluminum mounted to the AA style frame side mount with AA donuts. I thought I *might* have problems with them but this far no cracking...
George, pm me your contact info please!

Yes, you need both of these!:laughing:

Scoutdude, play nice!!!

George, pm me your contact info please!




you can make fun of me in public, i'll survive.:D


sent you a pm

you can make fun of me in public, i'll survive.:D


sent you a pm

:rainbow:

No, I have one crossmember other than under the radiator.

I used to have 3 when i was leaf sprung and did not have the cage welded to the frame everywhere.

Now that my truck is cage to frame everywhere I dont have any frame flex that I can notice.