manual valve body or not

rockabilly · Mar 5, 2010

So, I scored a 4.3 and a th350 for a song and a dance and I'm thinking of swapping it into my runner. I'm going to drop the tranny off at Dirty Danz Trans next week sometime to have him pull it apart and give it a once over. While it's there I'm thinking of having him install a reverse manual valve body but not having alot of experience with manual valve bodies am not sure it's something I want to do. I've heard that they (manual valve bodies) can be hell on tranny parts and don't really have the funds to beef up the tranny right now. I guess what I'm geeting at is...Will the tranny hold up to the manual valve body with stock guts and if so is it worth it?

PUO-BANNED · Mar 6, 2010

Go for it. that little 4.3 can't hurt it

First thing you should do when you drop it off is give ol dirty dan as much info about your application. there is a lot that can be done to a Th350 to increase torqe capacity without replacing the VB and a bunch of hard parts. reverse manuals are nice because 1st and reverse are right next to each other (shifter), but make sure it has compression braking some VB eliminate the over running clutch and allow the trans to free wheel when your out of the throttle. another thing with any manual VB setup is line pressure. it can be good and bad, good for positive shifts and clutch apply but can be hard on the pump and seals. you want a positive shift not a HARD shift hard shifts will eventually tear up internals.

like I said the best people to talk to are those who do it for a living and are successful at it. :awesomework:

fj401ton · Mar 6, 2010

I have a th350 behind my ls1 and just put a stage 3 shift kit in and a 2300 stall. work well so far. shifts are nice and tight with out it being to harsh. holds well going down steep ****

PORTER · Mar 6, 2010

I also run a Transgo stage 3 shift kit in my buggy. Works every bit as a $400 VB but at a fraction of the cost(100+ tax). Not reverse tho which IMO is not needed as long as you have a nice shifter. Also has compression braking.

rockabilly · Mar 6, 2010

Is that the TransGo TH350-3 Stage 3 Full Manual shift kit you're talknig about? You still get compression braking with that, right?

rockabilly · Mar 6, 2010

PORTER said:
I also run a Transgo stage 3 shift kit in my buggy. Works every bit as a $400 VB but at a fraction of the cost(100+ tax). Not reverse tho which IMO is not needed as long as you have a nice shifter. Also has compression braking.

answered my previous question before i could finish typing

Corey Y · Mar 6, 2010

PUO said:
First thing you should do when you drop it off is give ol dirty dan as much info about your application. .

like I said the best people to talk to are those who do it for a living and are successful at it. :awesomework:

Dan does all my transmissions and I always tell him the engine size, tire size, t-case, axle ratio, what size cooler I am running and how I will use the vehicle. Then I let him decide how to build and mod the trans.

bigiron · Mar 6, 2010

I run a full manual reverse valve body on my 727....would never go back to anything else....

rockabilly · Mar 6, 2010

thanks for the info, now what kind of tcases are you auto guys running. Is running duals with 4.7s in the rear case going to be necessary or can i ditch the reduction box.

Binder · Mar 6, 2010

bigiron said:
I run a full manual reverse valve body on my 727....would never go back to anything else....

X2...

powdr7 · Mar 6, 2010

Full manual all the way. You'll be so glad you did. :awesomework:

fj401ton · Mar 6, 2010

rockabilly said:
thanks for the info, now what kind of tcases are you auto guys running. Is running duals with 4.7s in the rear case going to be necessary or can i ditch the reduction box.

i am running a stak 2 speed with 5.44 (way to deep), I think 3.8 to 4.3 is all ya need. I'm trying to get a 3.8 gear set for my case

ChrisStewart · Mar 6, 2010

rockabilly said:
thanks for the info, now what kind of tcases are you auto guys running.

TH350 w/RMVB and Dana 300 w/4:1

PORTER · Mar 6, 2010

rockabilly said:
thanks for the info, now what kind of tcases are you auto guys running. Is running duals with 4.7s in the rear case going to be necessary or can i ditch the reduction box.

Back in the day I ran a turbo 350 with twin Yota cases but opted to not put a gearset in the rear case. Worked very well, a 4.7 with the twin cases is too much gearing unless you have an underpowered motor.

rockabilly · Mar 10, 2010

well it's just going to be a 4.3 better than a 22re but still no powerhouse...

PORTER said:
Back in the day I ran a turbo 350 with twin Yota cases but opted to not put a gearset in the rear case. Worked very well, a 4.7 with the twin cases is too much gearing unless you have an underpowered motor.

powdr7 · Mar 10, 2010

Massaged LS1, 700R4, Atlas 4 speed - 1.0:1 / 2.72:1 / 3.8:1 / 10:34:1 with 5.13's in the diffs & 40's

I wanted the 3.8, with my tire size and engine, to be my main ratio.

TreeClimber · Mar 10, 2010

powdr7 said:
Massaged LS1, 700R4, Atlas - 2.0 3.8 & 10.3 with 5.13's in the diffs & 40's

I wanted the 3.8, with my tire size and engine, to be my main ratio.

Huh?

How does a 2.0 and 3.8 equal a 10.3 ??

TreeClimber · Mar 10, 2010

I have two rigs, each with V8 and TH400.

My YJ has an Atlas 4.3, with 4.56s in the axles on 37s
My (wife's) TJ has an Atlas 4spd, with the 2.7 reduction box, and the 3.8 primary box (totals 10.3). The TJ also has 4.56s in the axles on 37s.

Driving freeway speeds with a 3 speed automatic on 37s, generates engine RPM is the 2500 to 3000 range.

I have yet to find a valid reason for the 10 to 1 low range, but the 3.8 works really good in the rocks and tight timber. The 2.7 works really good in the snow and mud (where more tire speed can be beneficial)

My engines aren't 'hot' enough to pull the big sand dunes in high range. They do fine in the mild to moderate dunes. Just not the big ones.

440_D50 · Mar 10, 2010

The manual valve body shifts super hard. I have a reverse one in the Superbee and it'll chirp the tires every time you shift into second, even if you're idleing. I love mine, but not sure about in a wheeler. Guess it'd be fine if you baby it when shifting.

And you will eliminate the need for kickdown linkage. Not sure about chevy's, but a dodge 727 will burn up if you don't have the linkage hooked up and running a normal valve body.

Think about your rear 70 pinion, which has been known to be problematic in those axles. Not to mention the driveshaft u-joints, slip yokes, etc.