Hey guys I am planning my next buggy build I know I want a 99 or newer 5.3 vortec and I am trying to figure out if I can mate an allison with it and if so which is the best? Or is there a better auto tranny for crawling? THnx for lookin have a good one!

sure.

bolt on an allison.

a better trans depends a lot on weight. how much weight are you hauling around?

define rock crawling? is it racing? if so, use a glide. more aftermarket support. then put a 3 spd atlas behind that.

an allison behind a 5.3 is a waste.


flame on, brethren

more info on the glide? tight knarly technical stuff and rock racing some mud and sand pretty much buildin a all around rig but I prefer rocks. Thnx for the quick reply and its goin in a cj-6 on 40's and it is gettin the atlas

if your competing and are willing to spend big bucks i would go with a glide. you could have posted this in the general 4x4 discussions, just because this a chevy motor doesnt mean other people wont have other tranny input.

cool no worries just figured chevy I will move it

anymore info on the glide?

of and it will be street legal not driven regularly but it will hit pavement to get to trails

anymore info on the glide?

Its called a powerglide. Its a 2 speed automatic and its likely the oldest auto that anyone still uses. Its light, small, strong and has lots of aftermarket support (primarily due to its popularity at the drag strips).

the powerglide is the original of bad ass tanny's. Its been around forever and can still hold up to 800hp vehicles. Give the nod to GM for this one.... :grinpimp:

A glide will absorb 2000 hp in a drag car if built correctly.

I know if I was building a jeep crawler with a small v-8 I'd definately want a huge 6 speed auto that has $2000 worth of electronics to run it.... you know for reliability sake.... otherwise I'd run a trans more suited to the rig... powerglide's are great if you have a big budget. You only have 2 gears though so get used to shifting the t-case. Personally a th350 will hold all that 5.3 has to offer and a th 400 is stronger but not QUITE as common... you could buy two of each for the price of the allison though

Part of budget 4 wheeling is looking for the best and most common parts.
I vote for a TH350 or 400 if an auto is what you are going to run.

A person probably should specify which Allison they are talking about. There is more than one Allison transmission, believe it or not, and not all are expensive or electronic.

http://unitedtruckbody.com/new_page_2.htm

$350 for a transmission you could not hurt with a buggy....

*edit* I should point out that it has better gear ratios than anything else listed here too.

3.45:1-First
2.25:1-Second
1.41:1-Third
1:1-Drive
5.03:1-Reverse

Of course you're on your own for figuring out how to mate a t-case to it. You could also just run a powerglide like everyone else suggests. Everything is a compromise and I just can't see a rock racer as being much of a pavement driver, but to each his own.

I am putting a 5.3 in my buggy right know. I chose a 4L60e becaus I could tune the shift points and it came factory behind almost every post 99 chevy built. I is strong enough for my 3500lbs buggy on 42's. If you go this rought have Fuel Injection Specialties build your harness and PCM. They acount for yout axle ratio, t-case ratios, tire size, rig weight, and any engine/trany mods to give you the most power and best usability. I think my harness and PCM was $775 shipped and Its completely plug and play with all new wire. Every thing that is not needed is taken out at the pin, plus its got wires for aftermarket cages.

well worth the money

I am putting a 5.3 in my buggy right know. I chose a 4L60e becaus I could tune the shift points and it came factory behind almost every post 99 chevy built. I is strong enough for my 3500lbs buggy on 42's. If you go this rought have Fuel Injection Specialties build your harness and PCM. They acount for yout axle ratio, t-case ratios, tire size, rig weight, and any engine/trany mods to give you the most power and best usability. I think my harness and PCM was $775 shipped and Its completely plug and play with all new wire. Every thing that is not needed is taken out at the pin, plus its got wires for aftermarket cages.

well worth the money


ok.... so 1700 for the transmission, 775 for the wiring to make the peice of shit work. thats worth it, isnt it?

ooooor....

you go buy a th350 for 650 bucks, and you install it. you adjust the 35 dollar kick down cable, and drive it. hmmmm i can see the draw back. its that you didnt waste 1790 dollars on an overdrive for a buggy that will NEVER FUCKING USE IT. d'OH!

oooooor....

you can sandpaper the asshole of an alligator in a phone booth.

What?

$1700 for a trany?

I bought both the 5.3/4l60e with stock harness, computer, t-case (that I sold for $450 to a customer) for $500. they came form an 02 avalanch with 50K. And the harness is for the engine and trany together, so they work in harmoney.

that is $825 for the engine and trany with harness.

Soooooo...

Why would I pay $650 for a th350 when they can get a tunable 4L60e for half the price?

I agree with action fab. you can pick up 5.3/4l60e combos up cheap all day long.

I wish you luck with the 4l60E,this trans is a 770 R4 with electronics. My experience with both of these trans has not been pleasant. Wish you well,with your 4L60E, it can be built to handle about 500 hp on the street. Four Wheeler had an article on these trans in october 2007, on page 80. Good luck,My son has 4L60E behind a LT1 and it has came apart for the 2nd time.I know you can buy an adapter kit to put a turbo 350 or 400 behind your 5.3 ,just look in Jegs or Summit racing . I think there is just 1 bolt hole different in the bellhousing and it is at the top. Hope this helps,oh and Happy Holidays to you.:grinpimp::grinpimp:

I agree with action fab. you can pick up 5.3/4l60e combos up cheap all day long.

cheap doesnt always mean "good", "fast" or "dependable".

3 rules to live by...

if its cheap, and fast, it isnt reliable

if its fast and reliable, it isnt cheap

if its cheap and reliable, it isnt fast.

Ok.......Your right the th350 is the only trany that will hold up to any thing.:shaking:

Ok.......Your right the th350 is the only trany that will hold up to any thing.:shaking:

I didnt say that, did i?

I wasnt talking about used transmissions that have 140k miles on them. I was talking about a fresh unit, ready for service, with a new converter.

you can misconstrue my comments any way you want. If Im gonna build a buggy/truck/whatever, you can be sure I am going to have a good trans. I hate dropping them due to being junk.

Ever wonder what happens to a transmission in a wreck? if its a head on, it might be toast. If its a rearend collision, same thing. the only way to know is to start it up and see if it works.

I prefer to know that the parts I use are in decent condition, even if I have to rebuild them myself. I wouldnt pay 400 bucks for a core. I guess you guys have money to burn, paying out through the nose on a chance the parts MIGHT be good.

If you had the powers of comprehension behind you, and a little common sense, you would see that i recommended a powerglide in the first.

Ok.......Your right the th350 is the only trany that will hold up to any thing.:shaking:

Don't let the comments from some peopel about the 700r4/4L60 get to you as they will try to say it will spontaneously explode as soon as you start the engine:eek: It's kinda' funny seeing somebody who apparently only does mud drags try to give advice on a crawler, but everybody is entitle to their own opinion (let's see how bad they try to flame me for that one :flipoff2:)Personally I think they are a really good transmission if used in the right application.

Don't let the comments from some peopel about the 700r4/4L60 get to you as they will try to say it will spontaneously explode as soon as you start the engine:eek: It's kinda' funny seeing somebody who apparently only does mud drags try to give advice on a crawler, but everybody is entitle to their own opinion (let's see how bad they try to flame me for that one :flipoff2:)Personally I think they are a really good transmission if used in the right application.

apparrently your powers of observation are lacking.... i never said anything would explode.... saying i only do mud drags is like saying you only drive on the street.

your opinion is just that, yours, just like my opinion is mine.

define the application a bit better.

say... ask yourself why you need an overdrive when your goal is to go slow.

THEN tell me why you need it. gonna go really fast in od in low range? no? then why drag that extra crap along with you?

oooooor....

you can sandpaper the asshole of an alligator in a phone booth.

HAHahahahha

I like how you guys let GOF bother you, I personally think he's the only reason why I keep reading these forums.

HAHahahahha

I like how you guys let GOF bother you, I personally think he's the only reason why I keep reading these forums.

sorry.. i was quoting Ron White there.... but its at least accurate.