I wouldnt go back to my 3000 stall/65E compared to my stock TC/80E.
Tall first gear doesnt bother me even with my 3.42s but the Turbo helps

 

warmer eh? ive always been told they run colder.. hmph.. learn something new everyday.

 

The 80e has a higher first gear, takes more hp to spin, yes I have read over and over how first gear feels like *** comp to the 60.. Stronger yes, but like FRANK at performabuilt said, they all will break and just when...

 

it seems all the SSS guys over on SSS.com hate the 4l80e. haven't really heard anything good about them. one guy broke his. something about going from rev to drive and loading up the TC. didn't catch it all but either way it broke.


with that being said i'm looking into doing it myself.

 

swap into 2wd seems no brainer

low mile 4l80e w/shift kit : $1000 on average I'd say
cost of fabricated x-member: $200, yoke/u joint: $90 miscellaneous cooler line extension, extra vss wiring: $25
Total: ~$1300
comparable strength 4l60e: $2500

what am I missing here

 

I have not seen any of our 4l80e units break but also cant make a comparison in that the 80e to 60e numbers are so far apart. I will say that I have indeed seen comparitivley many posted of failed 80e units however, Ussually a few a month. And as I have said I do see many post of 60e failures but again even thats not a good comparison between the two. Since again even out there both stock and swapped the 80e is comparitivley rare.

I will say if bucks are up and your making alotta power and 80e might be the way to go its a bit heavier but I actually like the lower gears in the 60e but to each his own. I know from both my own experince racing and being around racers all my life really that the general idea is the lightest componet that will get the job done is ideal.

I do disagree that the 80e with just a shift kit is alot stronger than a fully built 60e since i see alotta guys running 60e in the 11s in trucks and 10s and even some 9s in cars. And I have seen failures in the 80e even in non perfomance trucks on more than a few occasions with the 80e with sprags and other hard parts.
Now a built 80e well thats a different story but they are not cheap for sure.

Each trans has its place. The 60e does however in my opinion get a bad rap on here more than it should since no one seems to take into account numbers. Everyone says "Oh you hear about a peice of shift 60e dying on here about every day" True you do. But at the same time 97 percent I venture to say of the trucks on here have the 60e and there are 1000s of registered users on here. So again by the nature of numbers that will be the case and i dare say if things were reversed and 97 percent had the 80e you would seee alotta post about 80e failures too.

Its like I here so many in various forums tallking about how much stronger the 350 and 400 are since you never hear about them breaking much. But they have not been made in what 25-30 years so virtually nothings out there with one of these in it.

When I was a kid racing everyone raised hell about the 350 being junk and the 400 had issues too. And god help you on and early 700 r4 or 2004r. Now some praise these.

Its all subjective I guess.

 

I have a 96 exsb 5.7 with 4L60E & 3.73 rear & 16" factory size tires, also had a 98 reg cab with 4L80E, same engine same gears & tires sizes... 96 is light 3/4, 98 was regular 3/4 ton..so weight was very similar. The one with 80E would never catch the 60E if both were left on the floor from a low speed or from a standing start..





e