How long would an auto last???

[RoyBoy]

Some of you know I've been looking for a truck, been hard to find a F-450 or 550 4X4, 7.3L, SC or CC, with a 6 speed manual. Found this one today, wondering how long it would be before I would blow the thing up towing like I do.
I was thinking I could blow the auto and then throw a 6speed in, but whaddya all think???
Thanks!

 

[BamaSixGun]

i like it roy, looks like a nice ride.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I was thinking I could blow the auto and then throw a 6speed in, but whaddya all think??? Thanks!

There is a problem with swapping an auto tranny for a manual trans. It's the floor pan. A manual tranny is taller than an auto. You will have to do some sort of sheetmetal work to get it to work.

A better way to go that will not require butchering the interior, would be to get Brian's Truck Shop to rebuild the 4R100 tranny. A BTS automatic tranny is as tough or more so than any pickup truck 6 spd manual around. Brian has improved the 4R100 to withstand the abuse of a 700+ hp Cummins, so 300hp to 400hp from a 7.3 is no problem. No matter what you have hooked up behind you. BTS has a very good customer referal rate and history of handling warranty issues, which are fairly few and seldom. The last time I heard, BTS had two prices for doing a rebuild depending if the tranny was still in good shape or if it was a paperweight.

Another good idea would be to install a larger tranny fluid cooler for a 6.0 truck. I think the rule is for every 10*F the fluid temp is reduced, the life of the tranny is doubled.

I have had a BTS tranny for around 5 years now, and it hasn't skipped a beat yet.

 

[platinum01]

Good looking truck I think it will do the job that you need it to do. I like it.

 

[atk]

nice looking truck...i think tail guuner is right, by the time you convert to a 6-speed, you probaly could have an auto trans built by BTS....just my ....



traitor.....

 

[patrickc]

I agree with tail gunner that a properly built 4R100 will last just as long as 6 spd. (clutch and flywheel) I got 160,000 very abusive miles out of my last built 4R100. With my driving habits I doubt that I would have got that many miles out of a clutch.

 

[roosterdiesel]

Ummmm....not knocking BTS.....but I think Roy likes to row gears and put know where his RPMs are going to be and when. He doesn't like girly trannies.


Like already stated, the floor will need fabricating. You'll also need the manual tranny PCM and wiring harness. It's been done from what I read but seems like alot of trouble to me. Find a stick truck.


Traitor?? No, he's just getting smart. J/K 6oh guys.