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Billybob

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  1. Moses, I guess I overlooked some of the issues you mention. First, my Dodge is 4WD. I've done some front end upgrades and just had the dealer do the safety recall on the left tie rod (which I had previously replaced when the truck had about 45,000 miles on it (mind you I was hauling a heavy payload at the time in the form of a Lance camper). As for the Trans-Go valve body kit, that was one Jay's main concerns with this reconstruction. Within moments of our first conversation, he described the problem with the stock 48RE allowing fluid to drain back while the unit is in park leaving the converter starved and causing damage while doing nothing at all. According to him, the Trans-Go kit will provide pressure while in park and the check valve upgrade will keep the fluid from draining back when shut down. As I've said before, I'm an absolute novice when it comes to automatic transmissions, but I'm not altogether in the dark when it comes to understanding the general ideas on things mechanical. What he said seemed to make sense, so I had to concede to his experience and trust that he knew what he's talking about. Also, He did flush the entire system and essentially said the same thing you're saying, i.e., that whatever debris that was created by burning up second gear would be through the entire system. I'm not experiencing any hard downshift to first when driving, but then again it's been really cold, so I don't know if my fluid temp is even getting high enough to create the circumstances you describe. So far, so good though. I will be looking into what kind of cooler upgrade will give me a less restricted flow, though I'm wondering if there might be something to Jay's assertion that the cooler ports on the tranny would need to be enlarged to really make it work properly. Then again, if the factory cooler is more restrictive than the ports themselves, that shouldn't be an issue. I'm looking forward to knowing what you come up with. I also think that perhaps the Trans-Go doesn't increase the fluid volume as much as the Sonnax which could explain why I'm not seeing the hard downshift to first. No doubt, cooler would be better. Anything to move more fluid through all components is bound to be better. Thanks again for all your input, insight and advice. It's always helpful to have input from someone with a lot more knowledge and expertise. This has been quite enlightening and even though I still don't fully understand tranny issues, I'm a lot further along than when I started this journey.
  2. Hi Moses, I promised I'd get back to you once I settled on how I would deal with my spent 48RE transmission. I hemmed and hawed over it for about a month before I actually decided on a course to take. I was seriously leaning toward one of the custom built aftermarket transmissions like the PATC Viper, ATS, or BD. I figured since I'm not chipped and pulling sleds that a middle of the road remanufacture would do just fine. The problem that I ran into was that I couldn't find anyone in my area willing to do the swap for me. As I mentioned before, I have no shop space and no experience cracking open an automatic transmission. After searching around, I found a guy about 40 miles from where I live who runs a small transmission shop. He's a bit older than me (I'm 55) and been doing transmissions and drive lines exclusively for years. Having researched (and maybe over researched) this transmission I had a long discussion with him about what might be the best approach to fixing it up and getting me down the road with no further issues. He immediately told me during our first phone conversation that without even looking that he'd be willing to bet I burnt second gear. The truck was still drivable, so I drove it over to his shop. Driving it, it was pretty apparent that he was right. I still had second, but it was a late shift then a slip and if I let off on the power, it would find third and drive fine. When I got to Jay's shop, I gave him a run down of my wish list for making my tranny as bullet proof as possible. Jay had a much more conservative outlook and basically said that for my purposes he didn't see the necessity to go all out on a rebuild. In the end, he told me he would price a rebuild with a custom triple plate torque converter, carbon band billet servos, and and oversize sump. In the end, I ended up with a Precision triple disc torque converter, Borg-Warner carbon band billet servos, a Transgo shift kit/valve body kit, reverse servo, brass impregnated carbon fiber flex band, Deale cooler pan, and a master rebuild kit. During the build, I was pretty insistent that I wanted a billet input shaft installed since this was the obvious time to tackle it. Jay insisted that he honestly thought I'd be wasting my money and we ended up not installing it. The total cost for the job was $3795.13 (ouch!) Parts total: $2,173.79; labor total: $1320.00; the balance was NYS sales tax at $301.34. I should point out that where I live on Long Island, everything is EXPENSIVE! The average shop labor charge is about $110.00 per hour. Overall, I think I spent less than I would have on a custom remanufactured job, but with somewhat less in terms of parts replaced. I did get an 18 month, 18,000 mile warranty which is better than none. This also saved me from having to shell out anywhere from $1600 to $2000 on a core charge. Whether I've made the right decision here remains to be seen. I plan to do some heavy towing and from here on out will make sure I flush the tranny about every 30,000 miles. The truck drives great and it shifts just a little bit harder and sooner than before. Meantime, I'll keep my finger crossed and hope for the best since I'd really like to keep this truck for another couple hundred thousand miles. Just turned 99,000 on the way home. On a last note: I had a discussion with "Jay" about installing an aftermarket cooler. He swore up and down that the factory cooler is adequate. I know first hand that this isn't really the case. Sure, at 55 mph under even a heavy load at normal ambient temps, it's not overheating. But—and this is a huge BUT— I overheated my transmission once while beach towing. We were aired down to about 10-12 lbs all the way around, but with the triple axle trailer in soft sand it was brutal on the tranny. I stopped and let the truck run in park to cool it down before finally getting the rig off the sand. Jay's argument is this: he says that without enlarging the fluid ports, a bigger cooler won't do much. Wondering what your thoughts are. I've seen some coolers with built in fans that could possibly help when going slow and hard. Also, when we did the rebuild, Jay insisted that the Transgo valve body kit would serve the same function as the Sonnax survival kit. I'm not so sure. Since this is an in chassis upgrade, I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have one installed if I can find someone to do the work. I'm also going to take your advice on the pyrometer and will make sure I've got that installed before hauling any big loads. Lastly, I think I may use this big toy hauler for this year's camping season and then scale back. Between the bikes and the triple axels and all the rest, it's just too much. Sometimes simple is more fun…and I'm definitely at the age where it's time to simplify. If things don't work out with this rebuild, I'm guessing I will have made an expensive mistake by not going with an ATS or some similarly built tranny. Only time will tell. As always, thanks again for trying to point me in the right direction.
  3. Moses, again I thank you. I'm narrowing this down quickly since the truck is essentially non-drivable right now (thankfully, I have an older Toyota Tacoma that I can use to get around town for now). I'm thinking a middle-of-the-road reconstructed package is probably the best way for me to go. I lack the expertise to tackle reconstruction and, as you noted, most shops lack the expertise and since I don't happen to know anyone personally who's up to the task, I'd rather not roll the dice on that one. As for the size of the trailer? Yes, I should have my head examined. prior to buying this monster, I researched a lot. I knew going in that The Keystone Raptor 3712 with its triple axle and a dry curb weight of over 12,000 lbs. and a fully loaded weight (by the time you add one or two big bikes, 110 gallons of water, 30 gallons of gasoline, tools, and all manner of other "stuff" it can max out at just around 16,400. I knew this was the WAY outer limit of the capabilities of the Dodge 3500 with single 4.10 rear. For some unknown reason I got this bug to be able to drag my motorcycle along when I was in the Blue Ridge and Smokey mountains and had no motorcycle in tow. I'm old enough to know that when you push any vehicle to the outer limits of its capability, you're begging to shorten it's lifespan. While I really love having the ability to bring one or two big bikes and a bunch of tools and air compressor along for the ride, It's not really practical for most of the travel camping we do. I said when I bought the Raptor that it was my intention to do some serious traveling with the bike for a year or two and then scale down again. So, your suggestion to go smaller is taken to heart. It's something I've intended from before I got going on this. What I really failed to consider is just how tough really heavy towing would be on a truck that I really like and would like to keep. Prior to buying a huge oversize trailer, I was prone to telling my step-son that my 06 Dodge will be the last truck I ever own. With as much as I've learned about cars/trucks (and any number of other things) over the years, I'm still amazed at how much I don't know and how much I have left to learn. One of the things I've noticed while traveling is that many of the full timers opt for the big pushers which I don't like since their only function is as a motor home. I've seen others out there towing trailers as big as mine, but most have duallys and the smart ones have 'em with manual transmissions. The really smart ones have really big trucks—tractors really—that can stand up to towing 16000 lbs. like it's not even there. I did consider the idea of getting something along the lines of a Peterbuilt sport cab or perhaps a 5500 chassis, something along those lines. But then I'm stuck with a vehicle that is solely for towing and doesn't make a very practical every day driver. Since I'm not overly committed to sticking with the large toyhauler, and fully intend to scale back again. I'm thinking I will go for spending the money on the truck I own. I think between a good transmission reconstruction upgrade and a new cooler, I may be able to get my bucket list dream of taking the bike to a few of the places I've dreamed of riding, get the rig home, sell it. Scaling down, I can see this truck lasting a good long time. Your input here has been informative and educational. Before finding your forum, I was completely lost and out of my element and had no one to even ask what to do. Thankfully we have the internet and as soon as I started reading your prior posts, I knew you were a guy who knows a thing or two about these 48RE's. I'll check back after I've gotten a "reconstructed" tranny (and new cooler) installed. I feel a lot more confident making a choice with a bit of expert advice. Thanks.
  4. Thanks, Moses, for your very thoughtful reply. I wish I had someone like you close by to do the actual rebuild, but barring that, your information will prove to be invaluable when I do find someone who's comfortable (and has the shop space) to do the work. In the meantime, I saw you'd mentioned Sonnax in one of the previous posts, so I took the time to look at their site and see some of the 48RE parts and kits they have available. It's a bit of a learning curve for me since most cars I've owned didn't outlast their transmissions—either that, or I'd get a standard rebuild and swap out my core and be back in business 'til the car died. As a Cummins owner, I'm sure you appreciate having an engine that's worth keeping and therefore worth the upgrades on the tranny. Like you, if I had it to do over, I'd have bought the truck with the six speed standard. I'm mechanically competent enough to swap a clutch (did my first one on a 66 Chevy Custom Camper with a 292 six). Did it in the back yard in February. Not saying I'd want to go back to that, but I agree, a clutch replacement and throw-out bearings are a lot easier, and more within my realm of competence and understanding. Like you, I also bought my '06 new. I've got 98,000 mostly light miles on it. It hauled that 3400lb Lance camper like it wasn't even there (well almost). Towing the big loads, the standard would be, without doubt, the way to go. I will look over all the links and info you've provided. I'm very grateful as I tend to over-think everything, and it drives my wife crazy. It will save me a good deal of time. I was sort of on the right track, but I'm one of those guys who really appreciates EXPERT advice when it comes to things I don't really know. I'm going to sort it all out and come to some course of action. Being much older and lazier than I once was, I'm tempted to buy a rebuild from BD, Suncoast or ATS and swap my core. Then again, if I could find someone around here competent enough to do the work, I'd be glad to pick and choose the upgrades. 1.) the process would be educational and informative, and 2.) I'd know what really went into the rebuild. Of course, that hinges completely on having someone with the knowledge and experience to do the work. I must be getting old... My mechanic for the past 25 years just retired and sold his shop. The guy I used before him is no longer with us, and most of the younger guys and even established shops just want to slap an off-the-shelf rebuild in and call it a day. Again...I'm grateful to join the discussion and will absolutely let you know where I go with this and what sort of outcome I get hauling a really big trailer. On a closing note, my wife says I should do a basic fix on the tranny, give the truck to her and go buy something that can haul 12-15,000 lbs of trailer without any hassle. But I love my truck. Thanks.
  5. I've read with a lot interest you're posts re. the 48RE. I'm not a mechanic other than having grown up keeping my own vehicles going. I also spent a good deal of time in the marine industry around Diesel engines. (Good thing about marine trannys is they only have forward and reverse, so they are infinitely less complex). So, while I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and usually have enough mechanical ability to get myself out of a jam, I'm no pro—especially when it comes to automatic transmissions. Long version of a short story: I own an '06 Dodge 3500 (non-dually) quad cab with auto trans. I mostly used it as a personal vehicle and to occasionally load a Lance camper on the back for short trips for local beach camping here on Long Island. For six years, this combo worked well and I only recently replaced the rotting exhaust with a 4 inch stainless from the cat back and added a new cold air intake. These are the only modifications to the truck. I recently retired and got the hair-brained idea that I would get a 5th wheel toy hauler big enough to haul my HD Ultra-Classic and do some traveling. I picked up an '08 Keystone Raptor (40' and a bit over 12,000# empty). Pulled it home from Harrisburg, PA with no issues. Hauled it out on the beach a few times this past summer with no real issues. Then, this past November, my wife and I set out for our first significant over-the-road trip. We set out November 2nd down the east coast and the I-95 corridor all the way to northern Florida. We were about to head back north when we diverted west to the mountains of North Carolina. The 3500 with the Cummins towed like a dream. Even over the Continental Divide, my speed never dropped below 45mph even on the steep. In the back of my mind, I did have some concerns about the 48RE tranny holding up since I've heard from many Dodge Cummins owners that herein lies the weak link in this otherwise pretty nice setup. After spending a couple weeks with the trailer unhooked and driving the truck around with no issues, we hitched up and headed north on Thanksgiving day. For hundreds of miles, the engine and tranny performed flawlessly. In PA, I noticed some upshift/downshift/upshift when hauling uphill (and not on terribly steep terrain). As we got into NJ, things flattened out and I sort of dismissed the problem. Almost 800 miles into the trip and we hit Long Island. Home stretch. Drove the LIE with no issues. I live about 90 miles east of NYC, so there was still some distance to go. After coming off the main highway on the last leg in the home stretch, I stopped at a red light. That's when it became apparent that the problem was getting far worse. As I accelerated from the light, the engine got up to 3000 rpm and still hadn't shifted (and this was on the flat). I eased off and it seemed to skip 2nd and go right to 3rd. If I tried to accelerate faster, it downshifted and wouldn't shift again. By using delicate throttle, I was able to get it to upshift, but skipping a gear again. This was how it went the rest of the way home. If I accelerated extremely gradually, I was able to get up to speed (about 40-45 or so) and it was as if there was no problem until I had to stop and start again. I limped home and here I am. Told you it was the long version of short story. Faced with obvious 48RE issues, I'm at a crossroads. I'm not up to (or even sure I'm capable if I had the space) for doing a rebuild myself. Shops in my area are pretty much the run of the mill, put a stock rebuild in for ya kind of places. From everything I've read here and elsewhere, if I want to tow big, I'm going to need some mods. Here's what I'd like to know: Do I try to find someone who can rebuild my existing 48RE with better components? Do I replace with a BD, Suncoast, or ATS upgrade? If so, which one? I'm out of my element and need some expert advice. I'd ask the local experts, but the last one I talked to told me not to bother to even flush my tranny before doing 4000+ miles of heavy towing. Any options on a direction to head will be greatly appreciated.
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