:evil: I have been doing some reaserch on line and making a lot of phone calls getting points and opinions on transmission rebuilds.

The vehicle... 2001 dodge 2500, diesel, auto. Mainly a DD rig. I want to chip it with EZ Edge of better chip.

I found a local guy here who said he will put a HD TQ in the truck custom made, billet casing, improved stall, larger torrington bearings, larger internal fins. Update the overdrive OE clutch pack, mag hy tec pan, blah, blah, 2 year warranty for like 2400

or would you shell out the 4500 for a named tranny like ATS or whatever that canadian brand was? just trying to weigh out the options and feel your experiences.


Matt

if it needs a rebuild id go with your local guy and let him beef it up internally, but order a quality valve body and torque converter from ATS, DTT, suncoast, goerend bros, and have your local guy install it. this should give you a pretty solid tranny.

if it doesnt need a rebuild just get the VB and TC and have them installed...i know of guys running 400+ hp on a tranny with just vb and tc with the mag hy-tec for added fluid and they are having no problems.

When I have the $$$ to do my trans I'm going with these guys. http://www.gbtransmissions.com/

Heard lots of good things and they are not as high priced as ATS or DTT.

goerend bros and DTT are the popular ones...ATS is als popular btu for some reason i see many more guys going with a DTT unit these days

My 1/2 ton truck needed a tranny rebuild at 140,000 miles. After a sensors were found bad, etc. the rebuild ended up costing just over $3,000. Apparently chrysler likes to use "one of" sensors, which really drives the price up.

After that, I decided that should my trucks tranny, OR the Durango's tranny ever need a rebuild again, I'll just go buy aftermarket, like Allison and call it good.

Matt, You should consider doing a complete system, not a piece meal approach. I have a guy in Long beach with a DTT you should drive. I'm a short drive over to Phoenix. I get a lot of trucks from over in SoCal.

We use J&H Performance for everything when it comes to diesels. They aren't the biggest name in the game but they do one hell of a job for us. Plus, they are like a half block away. I can tell you, they do some very nice work and they ship tranny's all over the country. They specialize in Dodge trucks.

J&H Performance (http://www.jandhperformance.net)

J&H are DTT tranny builders for Northern CA. Harvey and Joel know what they are doing, too.

Another vote for DTT. There are guys that put down over 800 HP to the rear wheels using DTT transmissions.

I will never buy anything from DTT or ATS, they act like 10 year old girls in their arguments on TDR.

Besides, Dave Goerend is a very knowledgable guy, who knows his stuff. I'm buying one from him in a month or so.

Another vote for J&H

another vote for DTT, after my ATS shit the bed from poor QC.

DTT has components local shops don't have (the accumulator piston, apply arm, etc..) that MAKES the trans., and makes it live a long life.

I dont' give a damn how they act on the TDR - as long as they can make a good product.

Oh, and FWIW, Bill Kondolay from DTT makes himself available to his builders basically 24/7.

I recommend Goerend Bros. period. Give them a call and ask questions, they will give you all the time in the world.

another vote for DTT, after my ATS shit the bed from poor QC.

DTT has components local shops don't have (the accumulator piston, apply arm, etc..) that MAKES the trans., and makes it live a long life.

I dont' give a damn how they act on the TDR - as long as they can make a good product.

Oh, and FWIW, Bill Kondolay from DTT makes himself available to his builders basically 24/7.You might not give a damn, but I do, and I'll spend my money regardless of what the product is, at the place that doesn't have to bash their competition.
:D

You might not give a damn, but I do, and I'll spend my money regardless of what the product is, at the place that doesn't have to bash their competition.
:D

If that was the case, no one would buy anything from you!! :flipoff2:

P.S. You doing new stuff, or strictly used? Friend of mine is looking for a new one.

If that was the case, no one would buy anything from you!! :flipoff2:

P.S. You doing new stuff, or strictly used? Friend of mine is looking for a new one.
I have never bashed any competition my friend. ;)

I haven't been selling vehicles for a long time now. I'm still at the dealership. After a stint in the parts/accessories dept, I'm now the bodyshop manager. :D

So, about, how much do most of these transmissions go for before R&R labor?

DTT's site lists the trans at about $3600, and the TC at about $1000, + unspecified core charges.

ATS's sites lists the trans at about $2400, and the TC at about $1400 (or $2000 w/ the Lockup Controller), +$1000 core charge.

GB doesn't list any prices on their site, that I can see.

So, about, how much do most of these transmissions go for before R&R labor?

DTT's site lists the trans at about $3600, and the TC at about $1000, + unspecified core charges.

ATS's sites lists the trans at about $2400, and the TC at about $1400 (or $2000 w/ the Lockup Controller), +$1000 core charge.

GB doesn't list any prices on their site, that I can see.

How much power are you going to be putting down? The best of the best build from all of them are about $5200 or so I have been told. But this is with billet parts.

GB mild bombs towing trans is about $3k.

Price really depends on the HP level you plan on having.

Another vote for J&H in Redding. I had them build me a DTT tranny and it is awesome. The customer service is great from DTT as well. My truck felt like a new animal once I started getting the power to the ground. It cost me about 5000 with a billet input shaft, converter and R&R.
I highly recommend them.

Oh and J&H is no block away from me. It's about a 4-5 hour drive and well worth it.

How much power are you going to be putting down? The best of the best build from all of them are about $5200 or so I have been told. But this is with billet parts.

GB mild bombs towing trans is about $3k.

Price really depends on the HP level you plan on having.

Well, currently my '98 is sitting stock with mild pump tweaks, a stock trans, and about 114k miles. I use it to tow a 7000 lb trailer once every couple months, and on the 600 mile trips to Moab. I believe the trans has never been rebuilt, and I'm concerned that the stock converter may be on it's way out, but I might just be paranoid.

My power mod plans are mild, but I'd rather build something better than stock. Does the mild GB towing trans for $3k include a TC?

Yes the GB trans includes the TC. Give them a call, real nice people, no pressure sales or anything like that. My 727 built for 350 h/p in a 15,000# truck with TC was $1400. But the O.D. trannies with lockup TC are about double the price.

I'm going thru this exact process right now on mine too.... What to do ???
my 04 cummins is just starting to slip bad, with only 45k on the ticker
i dont know if i should buy the full tranny, and be done with it,
or buy the VB and TC and have someone local go thru my tranny.
crank HP in my current config is around 450 hp/800 tq with the chip all the way up
With plans for a mild single turbo in the future, but not much more.
tow a 12-14k goosneck trailer on a regular basis (once a month or so)

what do they do to the "new" or rebuilt trannys before they send them out ?
is it worth laying down another 2k ? or even more for billet stuff ?
or will someone local be able to "rebuild" my tranny with similar parts for less ?
no core charges that way either.

What do you guys think ? (if it was your money?)

I'm going thru this exact process right now on mine too.... What to do ???
my 04 cummins is just starting to slip bad, with only 45k on the ticker
i dont know if i should buy the full tranny, and be done with it,
or buy the VB and TC and have someone local go thru my tranny.
crank HP in my current config is around 450 hp/800 tq with the chip all the way up
With plans for a mild single turbo in the future, but not much more.
tow a 12-14k goosneck trailer on a regular basis (once a month or so)

what do they do to the "new" or rebuilt trannys before they send them out ?
is it worth laying down another 2k ? or even more for billet stuff ?
or will someone local be able to "rebuild" my tranny with similar parts for less ?
no core charges that way either.

What do you guys think ? (if it was your money?)

IMHO with that kind of power and the cost of the labor and hassle if I were you I would do the fully built bad boy. That is also what I plan to do. I figure even if I had to put it on a CC over the long haul it will be worth it. But I don't like being stranded or questioning if my trans is going to hold. It's not a whole lot of $$ for the extra piece of mind. Plus you know sooner or later you will want more power! :laughing:

Heres my 2 cents. I have a DTT converter, valve body, and all the little billet parts that they put in a tranny. The only things I did not get was the billet shafts and upgraded drum. My local installer new what my hp goals were and recommended these upgrades. I never plan on drag racing or pulling. I only use it to tow, play, and work out of. I can't say anything bad about any other manufacturers because I have no experience with them. I have heard that some have had bad experiences with all of them. It comes down to your local installer and what kind of service are you going to get from him. All of them have comparable warranties. I chose DTT because of my installer and the fact that they seem to put the most thought into the little parts of the tranny to make them last a long time. From now on their tranny will be the first mod of any new truck!

Brad

I almost forgot....I only have about $2,400 in my tranny.

I have a DTT converter, valve body, and all the little billet parts that they put in a tranny. The only things I did not get was the billet shafts and upgraded drum.

I almost forgot....I only have about $2,400 in my tranny.

That's not bad at all. I have a local DTT builder and Cummins tech that I highly respect and trust. I'll definitely talk to him when my trans starts to go.

I'm going thru this exact process right now on mine too.... What to do ???
my 04 cummins is just starting to slip bad, with only 45k on the ticker
i dont know if i should buy the full tranny, and be done with it,
or buy the VB and TC and have someone local go thru my tranny.
crank HP in my current config is around 450 hp/800 tq with the chip all the way up
With plans for a mild single turbo in the future, but not much more.
tow a 12-14k goosneck trailer on a regular basis (once a month or so)

what do they do to the "new" or rebuilt trannys before they send them out ?
is it worth laying down another 2k ? or even more for billet stuff ?
or will someone local be able to "rebuild" my tranny with similar parts for less ?
no core charges that way either.

What do you guys think ? (if it was your money?)
So did you call Dave Goerend A.J.? Did you ask him about shipping 3 trans like we talked about the other night?

Heres my 2 cents. I have a DTT converter, valve body, and all the little billet parts that they put in a tranny. The only things I did not get was the billet shafts and upgraded drum. My local installer new what my hp goals were and recommended these upgrades. I never plan on drag racing or pulling. I only use it to tow, play, and work out of. I can't say anything bad about any other manufacturers because I have no experience with them. I have heard that some have had bad experiences with all of them. It comes down to your local installer and what kind of service are you going to get from him. All of them have comparable warranties. I chose DTT because of my installer and the fact that they seem to put the most thought into the little parts of the tranny to make them last a long time. From now on their tranny will be the first mod of any new truck!

Brad

I almost forgot....I only have about $2,400 in my tranny.
What "little billet parts" are you speaking of?

I do not know what they are technically called but I saw them get swapped. One is the accumalator, one is the band lever and two others that I have no idea what they are called. Call up DTT and they can tell you. My installer said that the dodge trannies have internal leakage problems and the billet accumalator fixes that and firms up the shifts that much more! I was really impressed with the dtt parts. I got to watch step by step and view the old parts with the new. They have put a lot of thought into their designs.

Brad

*edit*

I looked on their website and one of the others is a billet servo. Could not find the other.