-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
The "Road Oiler" gets overdrive (700R4 Swap)
- Thread starter Speddmon
- Start date
- 34,012
- 1,810
- 113
- Location
- GA Mountains
Recovry4x4's viewpoint. 400 turbo + 4.56 gears= 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. 400 and 3.73 gears = 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. 700R4 + 4.56 = 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. No brainer for me. Great job Tom, congrats.
- 4,811
- 746
- 113
- Location
- Liberty Hill, SC
Good job Tom!
I'm going to have to look into doing this to the M1008 hyrailer one day...
I'm going to have to look into doing this to the M1008 hyrailer one day...
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
Total cost? I'll have to add it up a little later tonight. I know it's way more than I wanted to spend!
kipman
Active member
- 2,514
- 15
- 38
- Location
- Lancaster Ohio
Tom, where did you get that POS fuel filter set up?
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
I found it in an old run down barn!
Joe asked about total cost earlier...
$160.00 - 700R4 core along with transfer case adapter and a NP241 transfer case
$800.00 - Rebuild with shift kit and diesel governor, plus tax (Including torque converter)
$72.72 - 4 gallons of ATF at Autozone (I had a gallon worth of quart bottles here already)
$43.00 - NAPA for the TV cable, some transmission oil cooler hose and the inline fuel filter
$180.42 - Rockauto.com for the flexplate, U joints for the rear drive shaft, and transmission oil cooler (Already subtracted for the TV cable that is going to get sent back)
$280.00 - Have the rear drive shaft re-tubed
$50.00 - Misc. expenses to a certain individual who will remain nameless but know's without him this job would not have gotten done.
---------------
$1586.14 Total cost including the filter upgrade/conversion and fuel tank stuff. Doesn't include my time of gas running for the various parts
Last edited:
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
Yup, I added that above.
- 14,653
- 4,848
- 113
- Location
- Buchanan, GA
Thanks for the price list. I dropped off my transmission to be rebuilt as well. They said about $750 to rebuild with the TC, so that makes me feel a little better. 12K miles or year warranty.
I'm going to try to work out a trade for my old TH400 with my friend. He's going to do the swap for me since I don't have time. He wants one for his truck. Since mine is fine, we'll work out a trade for the labor. Also he's got a t-case that will work on my 700r4. So he'll probably end up swapping my entire setup into his gas truck.
I know the length of the transmission/t-case is a concern. But my truck is lifted. So I think that'll actually make up for the loss in the driveshaft.
I'm going to try to work out a trade for my old TH400 with my friend. He's going to do the swap for me since I don't have time. He wants one for his truck. Since mine is fine, we'll work out a trade for the labor. Also he's got a t-case that will work on my 700r4. So he'll probably end up swapping my entire setup into his gas truck.
I know the length of the transmission/t-case is a concern. But my truck is lifted. So I think that'll actually make up for the loss in the driveshaft.
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
That price for the rebuild is a fair one if they are going to beef it up a little bit. Not to be a Negative Nelly, but does the shop know what truck it's going to go into to offer a warranty with it? That transmission in a 1 ton would almost certainly make them think twice about it. The shift kit is really nice to have in the truck. You really know when 2nd gear hits. I even chirped a tire today as I was exiting the highway when it shifted.
If you need to have the drive shaft shortened, that's a fairly cheap thing to do. Mine was kinda pricey because of the U-joint install too. I think It would have saved me close to $40.00 or more to do it myself. But they have the experience and equipment to get 30 year old universals out of the yolks and I don't.
If you need to have the drive shaft shortened, that's a fairly cheap thing to do. Mine was kinda pricey because of the U-joint install too. I think It would have saved me close to $40.00 or more to do it myself. But they have the experience and equipment to get 30 year old universals out of the yolks and I don't.
- 14,653
- 4,848
- 113
- Location
- Buchanan, GA
Yes, that including converting it for use of a diesel. I've used them in the past for my dodge for a few things I needed work on. (The dodge did 484rwhp)
I used a company a few miles away from my work for the bobbers driveshaft. I just think I can get away with the shaft since I've got ~6" of lift in the rear. Front I'm going to install a spacer on. (Been meaning to)
I've done tons of u joints over the years. More than I care to even think of. I used to pound them out. But a press makes quick work of them!
I used a company a few miles away from my work for the bobbers driveshaft. I just think I can get away with the shaft since I've got ~6" of lift in the rear. Front I'm going to install a spacer on. (Been meaning to)
I've done tons of u joints over the years. More than I care to even think of. I used to pound them out. But a press makes quick work of them!
richingalveston
Well-known member
- 1,715
- 120
- 63
- Location
- galveston/Texas
Just in case any one is currious about the cost difference between the 700r4 and the 4l80e, my 4l80e cost was:
free doner trans but would normally cost about $200 for two wheel drive like mine, to convert to 4 wheel I spent $45 on new ouput shaft and tail peice.
a four wheel case would probably cost the same.
Independant trans guy charged me $600 for the rebuild without torque converter but included all parts which was $400. (it needed new input shaft and parts at the base of the shaft)
A new remanufactured (GM 12, I believe) torque converter was $200
Trans controler was $550 for TCI fast TCU controler.
Throttle possition sensor was $115 from Oriely
Tach signal converter was $75 from dakota digital.
It takes 3 gallons of dextron 3 about $50.
I also spent another $75 on coolant lines and misc. parts.
If you do the work yourself then it can be done for less than $2000.
free doner trans but would normally cost about $200 for two wheel drive like mine, to convert to 4 wheel I spent $45 on new ouput shaft and tail peice.
a four wheel case would probably cost the same.
Independant trans guy charged me $600 for the rebuild without torque converter but included all parts which was $400. (it needed new input shaft and parts at the base of the shaft)
A new remanufactured (GM 12, I believe) torque converter was $200
Trans controler was $550 for TCI fast TCU controler.
Throttle possition sensor was $115 from Oriely
Tach signal converter was $75 from dakota digital.
It takes 3 gallons of dextron 3 about $50.
I also spent another $75 on coolant lines and misc. parts.
If you do the work yourself then it can be done for less than $2000.
MarcusOReallyus
Well-known member
- 4,524
- 816
- 113
- Location
- Virginia
I'm new to this whole automatic transmission world, and trying to learn as I go along. Not planning anything with my 1028 yet, but maybe down the road, so...
Isn't the 700R4 pretty much the same as the TH400, but with overdrive? Or is it a lighter transmission? Other than the electronics, does the TH400 line up more with the 4L60E or the 4L80E?
richingalveston
Well-known member
- 1,715
- 120
- 63
- Location
- galveston/Texas
700r4 = turbo 350
4l80e = turbo 400
4l80e = turbo 400
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
The 700R4 is a little lighter duty transmission.
I read somewhere that the code for the 4L60, 4L60e and 4L80e were...
4 = 4 speed automatic
L = Longitudinal mount
60 = 6000 # vehicle rating / 80 = 8000#
e = electronic shift
I read somewhere that the code for the 4L60, 4L60e and 4L80e were...
4 = 4 speed automatic
L = Longitudinal mount
60 = 6000 # vehicle rating / 80 = 8000#
e = electronic shift
gimpyrobb
dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
- 27,786
- 757
- 113
- Location
- Cincy Ohio
Nice job Tom, seems like this will really be a good truck for you. I hated to see you get rid of the deuce, but this seems like it will be much more useful.
MarcusOReallyus
Well-known member
- 4,524
- 816
- 113
- Location
- Virginia
Okay, so this is a downgrade in strength, which you are considering an acceptable trade-off to get the 4th gear. Got it.
Makes sense to me.
So the 700R4 is a non-electric 4 speed descendant of the TH350, and is the direct ancestor of the 4L60/4L60E.
Is there a non-electric, 4 speed descendant of the TH400, which is the direct ancestor of the 4L80E?
Or has such a beast never existed?
- 4,640
- 28
- 38
- Location
- Cambridge, Ohio
I hated to get rid of it too, but with my back issues, it was just too big for me to maintain properly. I'm still kicking around the idea of turning this thing back into a 1028 with a regular bed down the road.
I can't help you out with those questions, I never researched that far into it.
cliffyp
Member
- 328
- 4
- 18
- Location
- Brownsville, Texas
There is a full manual valve body some people have done with the 4L80. No more electronics, but you have to shift up and down the gear range yourself.
- 34,012
- 1,810
- 113
- Location
- GA Mountains
The 700R4 was a factory option behind a 6.2. Regardless of the strength and durability comparison of the two, the 6.2 simply doesn't have the power to hurt the 700R4. Now couple that with the fact that you are significantly reducing the operating RPM of the 6.2 while offering it a little lower 1st gear to get stuff moving makes it an incredibly smart tradeoff.