upgrade for 4l80e maybe?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

RDF1

I'm Awesome
Joined
Apr 3, 2018
Messages
1,182
Reaction score
970
Location
MS
What are you trying to improve?
If you make enough torque changing the transmission gear ratios net you very little improvements.
 

99xcss4

frank'n (truburban) K-2500
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
2,799
Reaction score
4,331
Location
las cruces new mexico
most people seem to like the first gear in the 700r4/4l60/4l60e. just my 2 cents says lower gears is good for pulling and or tow/haul should be better off road and might not have to put in really low diff gears when going to bigger tires to an extent all though if you big enough you will still need to re-gear any way. I am asking about these because I have read that some one on a different form broke them and did not think they were made for trucks and they were made for racing that dose not sound right to me. imho the sock 1st and 2nd gear belong in a car not a truck all though I do agree with what you say though not every one may need it or want it. if I understand right when the 4l80e was made they just added an overdrive to the th400/3l80 and when when 700r4 came a long while the th350 was the base I think do not know it got a whole new gear set and did not use th350 gears
 
Last edited:

GoToGuy

I'm Awesome
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Messages
2,934
Reaction score
3,409
Location
CAL
So what do you want? If you mix enough apples and oranges you'll eventually get something you want right?! But we're not going to reinvent the wheel. 99.9 % of us don't have TH350, past tense, history. Their is no perfect solution that fits everyone's needs.
But I still think that my 86 K3500 Silverado dually, blue silver mist top half/ white lower half, would be a killer ride with a Duramax and Allison swap. :3811797817_8d685371
Good luck.
 

Pro439

I'm Awesome
Joined
Aug 1, 2022
Messages
154
Reaction score
141
Location
Rome,NY
It depends on what you’re trying to do and how much you want to spend. In my personal opinion I’ve never been impressed with TCI. If you’re looking for parts for a 4l80e there are a couple of places that have quality parts Jakes Performance and PATC. I have never heard of a low gear breaking on a stock or performance vehicle unless there was something else going on. I had a 3700 lb drag car that I put into reverse because of a cheap b&m shifter in the traps @ 112 mph and didn’t break the transmission
 

RichLo

E I E I O
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
3,618
Reaction score
5,540
Location
Wisconsin
There's obviously a demand for this gear reduction otherwise they wouldn't have spent the time and money developing it. I cant see a 454 needing extra gearing down low but maybe if somebody does a lot of heavy towing with a 350 sitting on 35s and they like where 3rd and 4th sit on the highway?
 

99xcss4

frank'n (truburban) K-2500
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
2,799
Reaction score
4,331
Location
las cruces new mexico
my thinking was to correct a little bit not completely for tire size. a former friend of mine has 35s and use to have 342s it was not good at all to make thing worse at the time his truck had a 305 in it we swaped axles from a ld 2500 that had 373ss it got better even with the 305 then we put in a lightly warmed over 350 with some boltons and that is how it is now it is much better but most people will say the gears are wrong but truck was not a dog any more and did not feel as slow I think it would pass any thing but a gas station if you asked it to.

I am in the same boat as my former friend I have 37s and 410s that is not right do not know how bad because I have not got it running yet. what I would like to know is if you change 1st and 2nd gears would even make a difference at all would you even notice it? they are very pricey and most likely will not buy them just wanted to know if any one had good or bad luck with them and if they make any difference at all?
 

df2x4

4L60E Destroyer
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
11,149
Reaction score
12,671
Location
Missouri
what I would like to know is if you change 1st and 2nd gears would even make a difference at all would you even notice it?

Yes, but IMO not enough to justify the price and ripping the entire transmission apart. Maybe if you were really chasing a better 60ft time in a drag car...

I swapped from a 4L60E to a 4L80E in my red '97 which is a V6 C1500 with 3.42 rear gears. It's harder to break the tires loose on dry pavement now and first gear definitely takes off a little slower with a 80E, but it's not terrible. I'm even using the V8 torque converter from the 80E donor truck and I haven't been tempted to change anything out.
 

99xcss4

frank'n (truburban) K-2500
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
2,799
Reaction score
4,331
Location
las cruces new mexico
Yes, but IMO not enough to justify the price and ripping the entire transmission apart. Maybe if you were really chasing a better 60ft time in a drag car...

I swapped from a 4L60E to a 4L80E in my red '97 which is a V6 C1500 with 3.42 rear gears. It's harder to break the tires loose on dry pavement now and first gear definitely takes off a little slower with a 80E, but it's not terrible. I'm even using the V8 torque converter from the 80E donor truck and I haven't been tempted to change anything out.
that is what I needed to know thanks any idea how bad 37 tires and 410 gears are together
 

yevgenievich

I'm Awesome
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
934
Reaction score
1,505
Location
TX
that is what I needed to know thanks any idea how bad 37 tires and 410 gears are together
I occasionally drive th400 truck with 37's and 4.10 gears. It has a worn out 305. Does just fine if not in a hurry. When offroad, use low range. For more harder off road it needs higher gears
 
Top