Is a 200r4 worth it?

[The Big Green]

mrein3
I plan on towing on weekends, sometimes, mostly in spring/summer, but I drive it a lot. I want good gas mileage, but I have other cars, I can drive. I have to add, if I can't find anything good for a tow rig, plus everyday driving, I'll stick with the 400t.


Whats everyone opinion/best way to go, on towing? I can stay with the 400t, and not be out any money, except gas mileage, or I can go with a new OD tranny, and get better mileage, but maybe not any better when towing, and be out money for a new tranny. I'm just trying to do whats best here. What gear would be best for a load this size? I'm thinking the 4.11 is best though.

[67shortie]

I did not read the whole thread, but if nobody yet has mentioned using the th400 and a gear vendors OD this would be the way to go if you are towing.

[The Big Green]

Originally Posted by 67shortie

I did not read the whole thread, but if nobody yet has mentioned using the th400 and a gear vendors OD this would be the way to go if you are towing.

A couple guys mentioned it, but I was unaware that it was a upgrade to make a 400t and OD.


Does anyone know how much this will drop my cruising RPM's? I'm 3rpm at 60mph now. Also, where can I get this and how much am I looking at?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by The Big Green

mrein3
I plan on towing on weekends, sometimes, mostly in spring/summer, but I drive it a lot. I want good gas mileage, but I have other cars, I can drive. I have to add, if I can't find anything good for a tow rig, plus everyday driving, I'll stick with the 400t.


Whats everyone opinion/best way to go, on towing? I can stay with the 400t, and not be out any money, except gas mileage, or I can go with a new OD tranny, and get better mileage, but maybe not any better when towing, and be out money for a new tranny. I'm just trying to do whats best here. What gear would be best for a load this size? I'm thinking the 4.11 is best though.

By all means, if you can get an overdrive tranny, get it. Just don't tow with it in overdrive. Tow in drive or 3rd. This is the same gear as the final gear in a th400 or th350 only if you wire your torque converter right you'll get a tad better mileage than a th400 or th350 as there will be no slip in the torque converter.

[Gray Ghost]

Here's a second vote for the GV OD....add in the TH400 and you have a bulletproof combo that will get you better mileage and longevity.

[Arad68]

If you can swing the cash, get the gear vendors. I have one in my 68' with a TH400. They are not cheap, but nearly indestructible. The 200R4 is a good trans and can be modified to tow with, but in the long run Gear Vendors is the way to go.

http://www.gearvendors.com/cg2wd3s.html

[Arad68]

Here is TH400 Gear Vendors on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gear-...spagenameZWDVW

And something similar...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/B-J-O...spagenameZWDVW

[The Big Green]

I'd love to go with a GV or something, but can't dish out the cash. They are rather expensive, and I just got through building a '91 S-10, and '01 Dakota drag trucks. I will probably go with a 700r4, because they can be biult like a tank for a few hundred dollars cheaper than a GV OD unit.


I apprecaite the help

[Black_Duck]

I guess this is going to have to be my first post, I've been lurking for a while and I'm in the same boat as The Big Green as far as trying to decide on an automatic OD or not. Currently I'm running a TH350...

IMHO:
1. A 700R4 can be built to tow in OD and here's a good example http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700MegaRaptor.htm
It just depends on how much you want to spend/how much HP you're making.
2. The "Towing" button on the newer OD transmissions just locks the converter while in 2nd and 3rd gears, instead of just 4th, my understanding is that this is to prevent excess converter slippage/heat buildup. A 700R4 can also have this ability, depending on how you wire up the lockup circuit on the converter. Heat can also be caused while towing in OD by the 3/4 gear band slipping on the drum, for this reason most "built" trannies run an upgraded 3/4 gear servo. This servo applies more pressure to give better holding capacity and no/less slippage.
3. A TH400 with a GV OD unit will probably not give you as great of an increase in gas millage if using the same OD ratio as a 700R4, due to the fact that the torque converter will still slip, or even slip more creating more heat. Kinda the same way that the same converter will "stall" at a different speed with a higher/lower HP motor in front of it. Part of the reason for using a 700R4 to me is that it has the added feature of controlled converter lockup to avoid converter slippage. Sometimes it will give the "effect" of having another gear, cause you'll drop a few hundred RPM like when you shift...
4. If you're serious about towing and want a closer to bullet proof OD get an NV4500.

Just my 2 cents and what I've learned while trying to decide on the NV4500 or a 700R4 behind a mild performance 454 for a LWB 1/2ton that I'd like to do occasional towing with...

[Gray Ghost]

Originally Posted by The Big Green

I'd love to go with a GV or something, but can't dish out the cash. They are rather expensive, and I just got through building a '91 S-10, and '01 Dakota drag trucks. I will probably go with a 700r4, because they can be biult like a tank for a few hundred dollars cheaper than a GV OD unit.


I apprecaite the help

A fine choice....if you are not sure of the builders in your area we have one in ours that's aces and he's cheap!!

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Black_Duck

I guess this is going to have to be my first post, I've been lurking for a while and I'm in the same boat as The Big Green as far as trying to decide on an automatic OD or not. Currently I'm running a TH350...

IMHO:
1. A 700R4 can be built to tow in OD and here's a good example http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700MegaRaptor.htm
It just depends on how much you want to spend/how much HP you're making.
2. The "Towing" button on the newer OD transmissions just locks the converter while in 2nd and 3rd gears, instead of just 4th, my understanding is that this is to prevent excess converter slippage/heat buildup. A 700R4 can also have this ability, depending on how you wire up the lockup circuit on the converter. Heat can also be caused while towing in OD by the 3/4 gear band slipping on the drum, for this reason most "built" trannies run an upgraded 3/4 gear servo. This servo applies more pressure to give better holding capacity and no/less slippage.
3. A TH400 with a GV OD unit will probably not give you as great of an increase in gas millage if using the same OD ratio as a 700R4, due to the fact that the torque converter will still slip, or even slip more creating more heat. Kinda the same way that the same converter will "stall" at a different speed with a higher/lower HP motor in front of it. Part of the reason for using a 700R4 to me is that it has the added feature of controlled converter lockup to avoid converter slippage. Sometimes it will give the "effect" of having another gear, cause you'll drop a few hundred RPM like when you shift...
4. If you're serious about towing and want a closer to bullet proof OD get an NV4500.

Just my 2 cents and what I've learned while trying to decide on the NV4500 or a 700R4 behind a mild performance 454 for a LWB 1/2ton that I'd like to do occasional towing with...

Thanks for the info