Since I gonna do a Turbo & plan on doing a 6.1
Swap, Complete Power Wagon Axle Swap I'd like
know what would be a good trans to swap to?
I hear the 545 doesn't really like higher hp #s.
I'd like something to hold 850 hp/trq (probably
will most likely be 150ish less), I'd like a pretty
easy swap, I'd love to get an extra OD if I can.
(Xtra OD for lower RPM more then more MPG)
68rfe is the diesel trans and it can take the factory torque of 850 but HP is only 385 and low 4000 RPM compared to a gas motor of 56-7000rpm. You won’t be able to swap per say to gain gears or anything as the 45/545/65/66rfe is all the same transmission it’s just controlled different. The pcm in you truck is for a 545rfe and will control whatever RFE trans you put in it as such. I personally won’t ever use a RFE trans again and swapped out to older a518 and it’s the best thing I ever did. With that said I have a sharadon stage three here that needs a rebuild (4c clutches) and it will hold around 6-700 HP all day long as long as you drive it a little different than stock.
My 2014 pulls 485@ the rear wheels and it's starting to give up the ghost. 518/46rh is your best bet, Chris(yeahit'sahemi) has a write up on his 518/46Rh 4x4 swap. it's been a popular topic on this board. MaximumRisk is also another user here who has done 518/46RH 4x4 swap.
A manually shifted 46re is your friend. Building my own transmission with a stage 3 PATC rebuild kit and a Cope Racing reverse manual valvebody ran me about 3 grand. I can not personally guarantee the power level mine will hold because I don’t have the same power Keith and Greg do yet, but they have been beating on theirs for awhile without any significant issues. If I had to do it over again I would have went through Cope Racing for the rebuild kit as well, after I went through PATC it seemed like Cope could have put together a nicer rebuild kit for the money. I do highly recommend checking out his billet reverse manual valvebody. The 46re has the 3 forward gears on a manual shifter but has the overdrive and lockup handled electronically through the pcm or a standalone controller. Cope has the first valvebody that converts the 4th gear (overdrive) into a manual shifter gear on a reverse pattern. P-R-1-2-3-4. Lockup will still be on a switch to turn on and off. You can reuse your stock driveshafts and trans crossmember. It’s a cheaper conversion the the 4l80e some guys are doing, those seem to be running around 6-8 thousand all said and done. But they say those are rated up to around 1000hp where a mildly built 46re might be around the 700-800 hp mark. Having a manual valvebody isn’t as convenient but it is a lot more fun. The only problem with the 4 speed swaps, whether it’s the 46re or 4l80e, is the 1st (2.45) and 2nd (1.45) gear ratios are a lot longer then the 545 1st (3.00) and 2nd (1.67). I could tell my truck got much more sluggish off the line. The other guys with their boost and light single cabs didn’t complain as much, but with my big heavy truck and 33” tires it was very noticeable. I just regearded my rear end to 4.56 this week and so far it helped a lot. There are low gear conversion sets available for both trans, that go up to 2.77 and 1.60ish but they run about $700-$1000 I think for the new planitaries. I might still do that later on down the road, I like having a fast low geared truck
I've had plenty of 80s through my
days & I've even overpowered them.
Now they were mostly in cars I was
racing alot to where as this build will
be dialed back alot, this will be in my
06 mega cab, 4.56s, & probably 37's.
So manual valve body is out, rather
not drop down to a 4-speed, cause
it will be semi DD, car hauler, big fun
truck. If I remember correctly, doesn't
the 66 have the exactly same 68 gear
set (800+ ft lb capacity), in a 545 case?
The 4 speed is virtually the same in OD. The final drive in the RFE is .65 where the 46re is .67 maybe 150 RPM difference.
As for the 66rfe and 68rfe ratio wise I think they are similar but power ability not so much. What you are missing here is you can have a 545rfe in your truck now if you get say a 66rfe and swap it in it will drive and shift like it’s a 545rfe because that’s how the pcm will shift it. The pcm doesn’t care what you put behind the motor is has its shift schedule and that’s what it does.
There Is the nag1 swap bit that’s around 8-10k last I heard. The 4l80 will run around 5k and the 46re/Rh will run around 3k.
My 46 has three pin planetary sets in it and is holding around 800 crank HP and not giving it up. A RFE trans can take that power for a little while bit slowly gets eaten up especially if you downshift it wrong.
Your best bet for big power is the 46swap I have been thru 14 RFE transmissions and will never go back to an RFE. If you are around 600hp an RFE is ok to a point but you have to drive it differently
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