4L80E questions and reliabilty when towing

[ONCEBITN]

im looking to get a 96 up 454 3500 crew cab dually 4x4 and all ive found have the 4l80e and im wondering can i swap a 5 speed in if it goes or can the auto be a good trans, the most i ever tow is my f350 mud truck wich is around 6800.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Well I am sure people will chime in with different opinions but for me I have driven several different 3500 series trucks all with 4L80E's, and have driven them several hundred thousand miles with no issues at all, if you tow in drive and not OD and add a large trans cooler to the truck to keep the trans temp's down while towing you should be good. The stock cooler is not good enough for heavy towing. Just my opinion.

 

[great white]

Mine: 98 k2500 6.5 TD, original 4L80E.

460,000 on the trans.
Has outlasted 3 engines, which is not really saying much when talking GM 6.5 engines....

Tows a 9,000 lb travel trailer. Have made several east/west/east/west/east coast hauls.

Engine is "pumped up" and is 100 ft/lbs over the 4L80e max input torque rating of 440 ft/lbs.

Transmission and 14bolt full floating rear axle is about the only thing on the truck that has never given me trouble.

I'm running the OEM "aux" trans cooler.

I have the transmission tables tweaked for compression braking, TCC lockup, line pressure and shift points.

That said, you can swap in a 5 speed. Not hard, but not exactly easy either. There's a "how to" on the forum. Definitely "do-able" if you know your way around a tool box.....

 

[454ss]

im a firm believer in the trans-go shift kit for towing/heavy use/abuse