Guest Anonymous Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Hi guys, just was wondering what's the best tranny to buy(stock. I'm hearing not to good of things(weak)about the 700R-4. but you guys know more than me about this,so please let me know, "whats the best tranny". thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 First off, unless this is a track only care Im pretty sure everyone here is going to tell you to go overdrive. That pretty much narrows it down to 200R4 or 700R4 for the automatics. Both can be built to take what you deliver but the 700R4 is much stronger. You also have the T5, WCT5 and the T56 if you decide you want to shift. Of those the T56 is the best choice. The world class T5 is a good transmission if you have a very mild V8 or dont abuse it much. Over all I would guess that the strength of the transmissions in stock form are as follows. T56 700R4 200R4 WCT5 T5 Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silicone boy Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Are you sure the T56 is stronger than the two automatics? I thought that with the viscous coupling, an automatic was bound to be stronger (maybe not when the torque converter locks up). I have a T56 sitting on the shelf that will replace a well set up 700R4 (it be for sale at a reasonable price later this summer). Now that I think about it, I could have gone with the T5WC and saved a lot of headaches. I'm buying Fast Frog's 383 (which was blown) and he had one of these. I don't do any drag racing, I'm building more for street performance/road racing and I think a World Class would have been just fine. I would also have saved about 40-50 pounds and several hundred dollars in transmission and miscellaneous parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Well from what I understand the T56 is rated much higher than the 700R4. The chevy T56 is identical to the T56 used in the Viper. I think the trans is rated to 450 lb/ft of torque. I have seen where companies offering remanufactured 700R4s say they good for around 350 lb/ft in stock form. Also, I have heard bad things about the world class T-5. I was going to go in that direction but changed my mind. I was told that I would be fine with WC but that it would go sooner or later if I was pushing anything over 350hp. Since I should be around 400, I am going with the 700R4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 you guys dont want to hear it, but i think a T10 is stronger than any of the above trannys, none of the above ever came behind a big block in a production car. the autos are good, i think the 700r4 has a weak governer gear and theres too much plastic in it for me. the muncie is a good strong trans. true there no overdrive, but i truly dont care at this point. a four speed isnt something that i had no choice in using, its just about the ONLY TRANS FOR ME. in a v8z car i think you can use any manual and it will last a good amount of time, but they are very expensive used, and nothing can justify to me buying a 1200 6 speed with a questionable history. richmond 6 speed, now thats a tranny. im not gonna say that overdrive isnt great and very desirable, but i bang gears in my z and bang em hard, and my four speed has yet to say no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Umm, T56 behind a viper, sorta production, albeit low production and not a chevy... But I do agree, the T10's a fabulous box, always was, if I had gears at about 3.0 or so I could ALMOST live with it, but the OD's are sure nice on the highway. If I were running a non-OD tranny though, I'd just go Powerglide with a high stall converter and call it a day, it'd sure leave lots of room for exhaust even if it was set back. Only one shift is nice too.. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 ok fine, yes the viper t56 you could call that a big block, should be very tough. i have come to terms with my car and the four speed is my favorite because of everything, the clicky shifting, the raw mechanical feel of it, and the way it tells you "you can put me in gear without the clutch" by this sound it will make that only somebody whose driven one for a while can detect, its a racers tranny for sure, it will take the pain and it will bring the pain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 MasterZ, I too had a super t10 and it was a heck of a tranny. In a way some times I really miss hammering gears but my 700r4 is ok for now..too much freeway driving. If only around town or for light to light racing they are Top Dog hands down.Too bad they never made one that stout with another gear! Who know why not? zfan..Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silicone boy Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 I saw a review in one of the magazines lately about the six speed Richmond. It was sweet. There's only one overdrive gear, which is preferable in my mind. It was also expensive and could require even more clearancing of the tunnel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 i like a 700r4, the nice wide gears and a good overdrive, i would preferably go this auto route because the turbo 700 is a lot cheaper than a t56, and the ride is nice and smooth,why doug nash never made a t10 overdrive? he felt that overdrive was the sure way to mess up a motor and a trans,you could say he was an overdrive hater. he did put out, slowly before he ran out on the businsess, a t10 with the 4+3 option, which is basically a t10 with an mini overdrive case at the tail end that is electro-hydraulically activated(the thing at the end uses atf!) and its like one of those gear vendors over/underdrive kits, in second gear you can hit overdrive and start going bonneville speeds, or for the streets run a close ratio box,and hit fourth, theres a button on the shifter that activates the overdrive and its like .68 or something like that, came in 80s vettes with tpi. not a six speed in the sense we know it know, what it does is make 2nd through 4th an overdrive gear. i dont know what muncies and t10s are rated for, but i do know that they were put in production cars that achieved 500hp and 500tq in the bbc vettes. the doug nash direct drive five speed is rated at 550ft/lbs, nascar runs a t10, busch national, t10 with a mag case and big spherical linkage. richmond gear took over doug nash and produces the t10s dn 4+1 and the richmond 6-which is the "inexpensive" replacement for the 4+3. oh, jtr in the first or second edition run a 4+3 in a v8z, if i found one cheap enough i would defintely consider it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 look here, your forgetting the 4L80e transmission, its more than twice as strong as any OEM G.M. manual trans or the 700r4, it has an overdrive and salvage yards have them available http://www.geocities.com/z28esser/ratio.html http://www.nastyz28.com/transid.html http://fteufert1.home.att.net/trans/t-length.htm http://www.transtec.com/specific_trans/4l80e.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 look here, your forgetting the 4L80e transmission, its more than twice as strong as any OEM G.M. manual trans or the 700r4, it has an overdrive and salvage yards have them available Good point, and Bowtie Overdrives has a conversion that uses a TV cable to operate the tranny which solves the computer problem.Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 What kind of HP/TQ levels should a 4L80e handle in stock form? What kind of upgrades are available for them? What was the first year of production for these, and are there any specific models that are more durable? What about the 4L60e? are they as durable as the 80`s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Denny, The 4L80E will take just about anything you can throw at them. Just about as bulletproof as you can get. My Dad has one behind a 502ci BBC in his van that he uses to tow his racecar and spares and has had no problems for years, and he definitely doesn't baby it. The 4L60E is just the electronic version of the 700R4. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 heres an interesting bit of info on stock 700r4 trans torque levels untill failure, most 700r4 trans fail fairly quickly once you bolt on slicks on any car NO MATTER WHO REBUILDS IT WITH ANY PARTS so dont fall for the IDEA that because a few of the parts can handle over 450 ft lbs that the trans will survive long term! youve hit one of my pet peeves [color:"red"]transmissions rated by how much hp they can handle[/color] the formula for HORSEPOWER IS (TORQUE X RPM /5252=hp) parts are broken by the TWISTING TORQUE LOAD, not any differance you say? lets look at it, EXAMPLE (1) 377sbc that spins 7500rpm max and makes 500hp at 6900rpm, well simple math shows 500hp at 6900rpm 380 ft lbs of torque EXAMPLE (2) 632bbc with a set of peanut port heads that makes 500hp at 3700rpm (yes an obvious mis-match of parts, but easy to build )well simple math shows 500hp at 3700rpm 710 ft lbs of torque EXAMPLE (3) a 355 with 18 degree heads that makes 700hp at 7500rpm in a stock car that simple math shows makes 490 ft lb of torque [color:"red"] now if the trans is rated at 700 hp but will start pukeing parts at 500 ft lbs of twisting power you can readly see where that big block tow truck engine combo is going to bust that trans the very first time you get good traction , and your stock car engine will trash the trans within a few races yet your 700hp rated trans is not even seeing 510hp!!!! with the big block and is at BUT NOT OVER the ragged edge with the 18 degree sbc which barely stays under the rated limits [/color] [color:"black"] a great example of this is the "BUILT 700r4 TRANSMISSION ADVERTISEMENTS" the trans is sometimes rated at holding 600hp yet the first time you dump a in 150hp shot of nitrous and get great traction with a 383 that makes 400hp non-nitrous the trans is likely to puke parts! you never made over 550hp but you could easily exceeded 500 ft lbs of torque at 3500rpm [/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Where do I get the Torque Drive sunshell and drum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 I found it, Thanks for the input. http://www.extreme-duty.com/ I called them, and they don`t carry the drum and shell kit for the 4L80e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 that graph was for 700r4 parts the 4l80e is already more than TWICE as strong STOCK as a BUILT 700r4 and can handle torque loads WELL OVER 600 ftlbs, the 4L80E trans is what they install in 10 ton motor homes and some large commercial trucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 The price is pretty SALTY too. About 3K for a pro built one(without converter). Any ideas how much power the 4L80e takes to run vs a 350th? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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