4l60e TQ and HP Question

[NickTransmissions]

It’s whatever the stock 95 k1500 short wheelbase is. It is 4x4.

I think you have 3.73s but like others have mentioned, you'd prob want to upgrade to 4.10 or even 4.56...The problem with too tall a ratio relative your tire size is the 3-4 clutch pack will get stressed when you go to accelerate while in 4th gear as your RPMS will not climb fast enough to generate enough line rise to meet the apply pressure/clamping force demand the clutch pack will have when doing so.

 

[NickTransmissions]

I have serious trust issues with the 4L60 period dot. If you want to rip on the truck I'd suggest a 4L80 swap. Don't be surprised when more folks come in beating this same drum.

If his transmission builder put together his 4L60E in keeping what @Aidan Kesler stated in his first post and the OP doesn't beat on it constantly, it should be fine with the stated HP and TQ levels. 4L65Es come from the factory built to handle between 375-450HP or so...Also, I've built more 700R4s and 4L60Es for 400-500HP DD/Cruiser/fun vehicles than I can count and haven't had one come back yet because the owner overpowered it with either the engine or his driving habits.

As much as I like the 4L80E swaps, doing that in his particular case makes no sense given he just had his trans rebuilt with the caveat the builder put it together per the intended application.

OP should be calling his builder to confirm that his trans was put together roughly similar to what I laid out above.

 

[Supercharged111]

If his transmission builder put together his 4L60E in keeping what @Aidan Kesler stated in his first post and the OP doesn't beat on it constantly, it should be fine with the stated HP and TQ levels. 4L65Es come from the factory built to handle between 375-450HP or so...Also, I've built more 700R4s and 4L60Es for 400-500HP DD/Cruiser/fun vehicles than I can count and haven't had one come back yet because the owner overpowered it with either the engine or his driving habits.

As much as I like the 4L80E swaps, doing that in his particular case makes no sense given he just had his trans rebuilt with the caveat the builder put it together per the intended application.

OP should be calling his builder to confirm that his trans was put together roughly similar to what I laid out above.

You may know your poo, but does the OP's builder? No way to know for sure. I'm certain you've gone in behind someone else's work to fix a "built" 4L60 that lived a short life through no fault of the driver.

 

[NickTransmissions]

You may know your poo, but does the OP's builder? No way to know for sure. I'm certain you've gone in behind someone else's work to fix a "built" 4L60 that lived a short life through no fault of the driver.

Of course which is why @Aidan Kesler needs to confirm / deny exactly what was done to it, which is why I gave him the list I did...We will see if he does so and reports back here.

Also, your argument can be applied to any transmission ever invented...A poorly built 4L80E will last just about as long as a poorly built 4L60E, all other things equal (ask me how I know).

Feel free to correct me here but I'm guessing part of your disdain for the 60 stems from a poorly built unit that didn't last and perhaps you were never made whole by the builder....

 

[Supercharged111]

Of course which is why @Aidan Kesler needs to confirm / deny exactly what was done to it, which is why I gave him the list I did...We will see if he does so and reports back here.

Also, your argument can be applied to any transmission ever invented...A poorly built 4L80E will last just about as long as a poorly built 4L60E, all other things equal (ask me how I know).

Feel free to correct me here but I'm guessing part of your disdain for the 60 stems from a poorly built unit that didn't last and perhaps you were never made whole by the builder....

Nope. Seen/heard of too many instances of other folks shelling out the bucks for a "built" unit only to have it fail shortly thereafter. Decided I didn't want to be one of them. I've killed a couple myself and prefer the peace of mind I get from something built a bit more stout from the get go. But then again, my trucks work and haul heavy stuff and I know that's not the case for everyone.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Neither the 4L60E or a well built 4L65E lasted even 40,000 miles behind the L31 350 in my Express van. The GM built 4L60E made it 38K miles behind the stock 350 in conservative driving before grenading, my dad and mom owned the van at that point and it was just being driven, mostly on highway trips. It was replaced with a 4L65E spec unit that had a lot of upgraded hard parts in it and it failed in 40K behind a mildly cammed L31. At 78K miles, I pulled the weak junk out and put a 110K mile LKQ 4L85E pullout in its place. It has been in it since 2013. After the 4L85E went into the van, I put a trailer hitch on it then proceeded to break the 10-bolt.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Nope. Seen/heard of too many instances of other folks shelling out the bucks for a "built" unit only to have it fail shortly thereafter. Decided I didn't want to be one of them. I've killed a couple myself and prefer the peace of mind I get from something built a bit more stout from the get go. But then again, my trucks work and haul heavy stuff and I know that's not the case for everyone.

Unless you know exactly what parts were installed and procedures performed, there's no way of really knowing whether any of those units you've heard about were actually "built" for the intended usage pattern, vehicle profile (engine power, rear gear ratio, weight, etc)....Ive seen plenty of supposedly built units come across my tear down bench (including a one of a 700R4 which will be on my channel in early May) and they turned out to be crap boxes. Unfortunately there are plenty of builders out there that can fvk up a cup of coffee..

That said, my point, as it relates to this thread, is the 4L60E is fine for the OP's application with the caveat that it's built correctly and there's absolutely no reason for him to spend more money on a 4L80E (3k plus) and integration costs (who knows - it varies) when he already has a (maybe) "built" 4L60E...If he's smart, he'll call the builder and determine exactly what was done (parts installed, procedures performed, etc) before he puts too much stock into it's strength handling capabilities...If it's not fit for his purpose, he can always sell it for whatever he can get and have a 4L80E built to his requirements and pay the integration costs, whatever they may turn out to be.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Neither the 4L60E or a well built 4L65E lasted even 40,000 miles behind the L31 350 in my Express van. At 78K miles, I pulled the weak junk out and put a 110K mile LKQ 4L85E pullout in its place. It has been in it since 2013. After the 4L85E went into the van, I put a trailer hitch on it then proceeded to break the 10-bolt.

You drag racing or doing towing comps in that thing every Friday night?? (come on, don't lie).

 

[L31MaxExpress]

You drag racing or doing towing comps in that thing every Friday night?? (come on, don't lie).

Nope it was not being raced and did not even have a hitch on it until after I put the 4L85E into it. Both the 4L60E and 4L65E broke hard parts as well. The first 4L60E actually sheared the case lugs off that hold the clutches in the rear of the unit. Forget which ones those are. First unit went from functioning normally to 7 Neutrals with a loud zipping noise accelerating at heavy part throttle to get on to the highway.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Nope it was not being raced and did not even have a hitch on it until after I put the 4L85E into it. Both the 4L60E and 4L65E broke hard parts as well. The first 4L60E actually sheared the case lugs off that hold the clutches in the rear of the unit. Forget which ones those are. First unit went from functioning normally to 7 Neutrals with a loud zipping noise accelerating at heavy part throttle to get on to the highway.

Shearing the rear case lugs at the low reverse clutch pack is rare but can happen if the anti-clunk spring is left out and/or the rear planetary welds itself to the l/r clutch pack and the entire unified assembly repeatedly reacts against the case lugs at high RPM (high = ~2k+ in this context). Usually requires a combination of causes to bring this type of failure about, including left out clunk spring and lube failure (leaving out the viton seal in the forward drum will cause lube starvation in the rear of the case pretty quick).

The zipping noise sounds like planet pinion needle bearing failure - makes sense you'd neutral if a catastrophic planetary carrier failure occurred upon acceleration.