Transmissions?!?!?
07-21-2008, 11:24 PM
#31
I usually don't agree with InchUp, but in this case I do.
People are always quick to say the 4l80e is the best transmission because it can hold up to more power. They don't take into account that the 4l80e causes more parasitic drivetrain loss, has a numberically lower first gear which hinders acceleration, and the O.D. is numberically higher which means your highway gas mileage will suffer when the transmission is locked up.
There are plenty of guys on here running 500+ horse power with 4l60e transmissions. For the average weekend warrior, a 4l80e swap is a minimum $3000. That's also not to mention aftermarket torque converters are expensive as hell.
I say stick to the 4l60e. You can buy a badass Performabuilt transmission for right around $2000 and it will hold up to way more than most people throw at it.
People are always quick to say the 4l80e is the best transmission because it can hold up to more power. They don't take into account that the 4l80e causes more parasitic drivetrain loss, has a numberically lower first gear which hinders acceleration, and the O.D. is numberically higher which means your highway gas mileage will suffer when the transmission is locked up.
There are plenty of guys on here running 500+ horse power with 4l60e transmissions. For the average weekend warrior, a 4l80e swap is a minimum $3000. That's also not to mention aftermarket torque converters are expensive as hell.
I say stick to the 4l60e. You can buy a badass Performabuilt transmission for right around $2000 and it will hold up to way more than most people throw at it.
07-22-2008, 12:52 PM
#32
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this is a pretty cool debate. i like it a lot and it seems to me that a lot of us (inchup me randomhero and charcold-bowtie's trans guy) love the things and havent had problems but everyone else has some pretty crappy luck with em but it all helps me learn more about these things even though im around em 9 hours a day.
07-22-2008, 02:59 PM
#33
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07-22-2008, 04:17 PM
#34
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I think its really cool hearing the guys who really know these 60Es defend them.
What i want to know is how can i make my 60E really last longer being that i have no clue what goes into these trannys and where their weak links are. I mean its all well and good to say that they are great if you (like inchup) know these things inside and out but i, and most people on here, dont have that kind of knowledge so what are we to do.
No offense to inchup or anyone else as i have great respect for their level of expertise, but going on a tyrade about how these things can be made to last does nothing to help the average person. I guess what i'm saying is i would like to hear exactly how these things should be driven to keep them lasting, not simply that there is a way to do so.
What i want to know is how can i make my 60E really last longer being that i have no clue what goes into these trannys and where their weak links are. I mean its all well and good to say that they are great if you (like inchup) know these things inside and out but i, and most people on here, dont have that kind of knowledge so what are we to do.
No offense to inchup or anyone else as i have great respect for their level of expertise, but going on a tyrade about how these things can be made to last does nothing to help the average person. I guess what i'm saying is i would like to hear exactly how these things should be driven to keep them lasting, not simply that there is a way to do so.
07-22-2008, 05:00 PM
#35
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I usually don't agree with InchUp, but in this case I do.
People are always quick to say the 4l80e is the best transmission because it can hold up to more power. They don't take into account that the 4l80e causes more parasitic drivetrain loss, has a numberically lower first gear which hinders acceleration, and the O.D. is numberically higher which means your highway gas mileage will suffer when the transmission is locked up.
There are plenty of guys on here running 500+ horse power with 4l60e transmissions. For the average weekend warrior, a 4l80e swap is a minimum $3000. That's also not to mention aftermarket torque converters are expensive as hell.
I say stick to the 4l60e. You can buy a badass Performabuilt transmission for right around $2000 and it will hold up to way more than most people throw at it.
People are always quick to say the 4l80e is the best transmission because it can hold up to more power. They don't take into account that the 4l80e causes more parasitic drivetrain loss, has a numberically lower first gear which hinders acceleration, and the O.D. is numberically higher which means your highway gas mileage will suffer when the transmission is locked up.
There are plenty of guys on here running 500+ horse power with 4l60e transmissions. For the average weekend warrior, a 4l80e swap is a minimum $3000. That's also not to mention aftermarket torque converters are expensive as hell.
I say stick to the 4l60e. You can buy a badass Performabuilt transmission for right around $2000 and it will hold up to way more than most people throw at it.
Where you gettin $3k from?
My 80E swap cost a few hundred more than my Yank TT3000 stall for the 60E. Im using the stock converter cause its fairly loose and im not paying $1000 for a stall that i cant tow with.
Yea it does have a higer first gear, but that does help traction alot. Once you get moving the "Gear Split" of 1-2 is very nice cause its so close compared to the 60E.
The OD is only .75 compared to .70. I looked at some of my logs with the 65E and then some of my 80E... You can say 100rpms more in 4th
70mph with the 60E is ~1980rpms
75mph ~2100rpms
70mph with the 80E ~2100
75mph ~2200
Thats nothing to to be complaing about.. i still get the same gas mileage. Get alot better in town because of the stock converter. Yea it doesnt come off the line all that great but a small shot of nitrous fixes that..
07-22-2008, 05:10 PM
#36
Where you gettin $3k from?
My 80E swap cost a few hundred more than my Yank TT3000 stall for the 60E. Im using the stock converter cause its fairly loose and im not paying $1000 for a stall that i cant tow with.
Yea it does have a higer first gear, but that does help traction alot. Once you get moving the "Gear Split" of 1-2 is very nice cause its so close compared to the 60E.
The OD is only .75 compared to .70. I looked at some of my logs with the 65E and then some of my 80E... You can say 100rpms more in 4th
70mph with the 60E is ~1980rpms
75mph ~2100rpms
70mph with the 80E ~2100
75mph ~2200
Thats nothing to to be complaing about.. i still get the same gas mileage. Get alot better in town because of the stock converter. Yea it doesnt come off the line all that great but a small shot of nitrous fixes that..
My 80E swap cost a few hundred more than my Yank TT3000 stall for the 60E. Im using the stock converter cause its fairly loose and im not paying $1000 for a stall that i cant tow with.
Yea it does have a higer first gear, but that does help traction alot. Once you get moving the "Gear Split" of 1-2 is very nice cause its so close compared to the 60E.
The OD is only .75 compared to .70. I looked at some of my logs with the 65E and then some of my 80E... You can say 100rpms more in 4th
70mph with the 60E is ~1980rpms
75mph ~2100rpms
70mph with the 80E ~2100
75mph ~2200
Thats nothing to to be complaing about.. i still get the same gas mileage. Get alot better in town because of the stock converter. Yea it doesnt come off the line all that great but a small shot of nitrous fixes that..
Second of all the Speed Engineering conversion kit is $3300. I know there are plenty of guys who have spent hardly anything on their 4l80e swaps, but you have to be able to fab up your own cross-member among other things which many people don't have the tools to do so.
Third, I know the gear ratios don't make much of a difference to some of you high horse power guys, but guys in lifted trucks need as high(numerically) gearing as they can get. Yes the O.D. ratio is barely different as well, but it's something else to take into account.
07-22-2008, 10:17 PM
#38
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Personally I like my tranny, but when it does go out I want to put the best tranny in there possible. Anyways most of the people that complain on this site about tranny failure in lifted trucks dont lift it "right" IMO. what that means is that if I change a tire size, say 31's to 35's, that means to me that to regain your power, somewhat mileage, and keep the stress level on the rest of the drivetrain down...GEAR it! I realize its expensive, but most people only put a chip/intake/exhaust and call it done.
Also driving habits, I personally drive like a grandpa and its hardly ever over 2k rpms because thats more than enough for me for traffic driving, and on the highway its right around 2100-2300 depending on the speed. Now I have no problem hammering it if I need to at any speed because I trust my tranny, and really dont have to think about it.
The only problems I have experienced with the 4L60E is that it will stick in a gear until I get off of the gas then its fine, and it does that about maybe once every 4-6months. So yea Ive been researching what I will be doing whenever it goes out so that whenever it does go out Im prepared and wont have to make a hasty decision. I would have no problems just doing a build on it and calling it done, but the newer 6L60E has my attention for mileage reasons, and should also be great for towing.
the truck has had about a 6500lb trailor behind it for the first 100k of its life, and right now its @ 142k miles pushing 35's for 137k
How exactly is this a bad thing?
Also driving habits, I personally drive like a grandpa and its hardly ever over 2k rpms because thats more than enough for me for traffic driving, and on the highway its right around 2100-2300 depending on the speed. Now I have no problem hammering it if I need to at any speed because I trust my tranny, and really dont have to think about it.
The only problems I have experienced with the 4L60E is that it will stick in a gear until I get off of the gas then its fine, and it does that about maybe once every 4-6months. So yea Ive been researching what I will be doing whenever it goes out so that whenever it does go out Im prepared and wont have to make a hasty decision. I would have no problems just doing a build on it and calling it done, but the newer 6L60E has my attention for mileage reasons, and should also be great for towing.
the truck has had about a 6500lb trailor behind it for the first 100k of its life, and right now its @ 142k miles pushing 35's for 137k
How exactly is this a bad thing?
07-23-2008, 07:07 AM
#39
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You guys are funny as ****! 
Swapping in an 80E (IMO) seems as difficult as an experienced novice (like myself) rebuilding a 60E better than the "stronger" 65E. I can't comment on the 80E vs 60E performance b/c I have yet to see ONE vehicle performance test that proves one greater than the other. Not a comparison b/t two different trucks with the "same" components. I mean ONE truck with two trials using each trans. That's a TRUE comparison test. Until the day someone can produce that test, no "concrete" ruling can be made.
I like the 60-series transmission b/c they're easy to rebuild, but they do break.... EVEN THE BUILT ONES.
There's proof too! 
07-23-2008, 12:57 PM
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Here's my nickle in the bucket. I'm on the original 60E with 96k on the clock, haven't even chaged servos- just routine fluid and filter changes. Biggest burden I've put of the truck was when I moved from Illinois to New Mexico in 2005, a good 1300 mile trip. truck was squatting some, about level not quite touching the bumpstops but also with an 18ft trailer loaded to the hilt. I had to have my foot into it prety good and was sure something was gonna let go on that voyage. But hey, it's still ticking.