Shift Kits - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 · 07-11-2002, 02:56 PM

A few questions, Are they hard on the transmissions or clutches?, Which setup is better R/V Heavy duty, or Street/Strip? With the Street/Strip will it chirp tires? Which one is best Trans Go, or B&M? How hard are they to put in? And what are the prices? Thanks!

68 with 350 TPI · 07-11-2002, 03:49 PM

Here is my input on this.
LONG post but may be worth the reading.

A good shift kit will help a trans live as it will reduce friction on the bands/clutches that can cause glazing and heat warpage to the steels.

The B&M,TCI,etc are pretty simple in their design.
They let more fluid pressure rise so the parts slip less and engage faster.

The problem with them is that they dont really make anything work better... just faster.
In a normal driving mode it dosent take much to get the bands/clutches to engage and hold a vehicle in gear.

Think of it like a set of brake pads for example.
You wouldent want to slam on the brakes everytime you stop as it can wear out the pads fast and cause extra heat buildup in the rotors and that can warp them.

You only need to stop really fast once and a while.
The same goes for a trans in the oppisite effect.
You only need full holding power on the bands/clutches at wide open throttle.
Other wise your just putting extra wear on the trans.

The lining on the clutches and bands/steels are much the same as a set of brake pads/rotors.

Trans-go makes the best shift improver kit out hands down.
Instead of applying a lot of pressure at everyshift the trans-go kits try to only apply enough pressure to hold what is needed without a harsh ingagement.

Kinda like pushing the brakes down just hard enough to stop the car without locking them down.

But at full throttle (when it is needed to hold full power) they allow enough line pressure to hold it and you get the nice tire chirping shift we all love (except the U joints but that is another story

)

Im not saying that the B&M/TCI kits are bad though.
I have used them on many cars with good things to say about them.
Truth is they work!
But I can do the same thing to any trans with a small set of springs and a small drill bit to make the holes bigger on the separator plate for about 5$ instead of 25-40$ they charge for a kit.

I dont think you can beat a transgo kit as they have many hours of R&D on their kits, to see what will hold the most power & live the longest at the same time.

Most people will be fine with a B&M/TCI kit as long as they change their fluid.

I used to build auto transmissions for a living and I have seen what a trans-go and the B&M type shift kits do to the trans.

The trans-go kits always have less muck (small parts of the friction plates/clutches kind like brake dust) in the pan when you drop them a year later to do a filter/fluid change.

As I said the B&M style will work fine so long as you change the fluid every so often.

But then again you will always hear about someone that has a trans with 150K on it and has never had the fluid changed.
Well I know people that go 15,000 -20,000miles on a oil change too but thats not smart either.

Fact is that B&M style kits are cheaper but they put a little more wear on the trans and you will need to change the fluid every so often to keep the fluid clean and doing its job right.

The trans-go kits put a little less wear on the trans but they will still need the fluid changed just not quite as often.

Basic rule of thumb is when the fluid on a transmission dipstick is kinda brown looking and burnt smelling its time to change that fluid!

I hope this helps with anyone looking for a shiftkit.

Not badmouthing any brand and in fact I use a B&M style kit in my truck but I change my trans fluid every 30,000 miles.

68 with 350 TPI · 07-11-2002, 03:59 PM

Sorry I forgot to tell you about the prices 25-40 for a B&M style kit and about 2x that for a trans-go.

I would use the street/strip setting if you want a tire chirping shift and they are not hard to put in but very messy and take a while if you have never done one before.

Most shops will put in a B&M style kit for about 75-100$

BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 · 07-11-2002, 07:10 PM

Thanks 68!!

68 with 350 TPI · 07-11-2002, 08:12 PM

No problem

I hope my long post helped shine a little lite on the shift kit subject

BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 · 07-11-2002, 10:50 PM

Yep, I even printed it off so I wouldn't forget!!

Sinister · 07-11-2002, 11:07 PM

hey 68, who's got them trans go kits?
i'd been thinking bout one of them tci kits
but you got me to thinking...

mikep · 07-12-2002, 12:14 AM

Ive used transgo, TCI , B&M , and even Gil Younger shift improvers in the past and to be honest I was not very happy with the TransGo . Maybe its dumb but to me it doesnt have the same positive 1-2 and 2-3 tire chirping snap that the B&M set does. I'm sure that the Transgo will make the transmission last longer and I am also sure that 7000 rpm shifts are not helping my engine much either but I am not going to stop doing them. The hard tire chirps ( especially part throttle ) are what I expect from a shift kit and its why I buy them. So the thing doesnt last 200,000 miles. What does?

68 with 350 TPI · 07-12-2002, 12:44 AM

I have never had a trans go kit not live up to the good 2nd and 3rd chirp.

Was it the reprograming kit with the new check balls,springs,separator etc?

Everyone I have done with the manual upshift has been killer and just as good as the others on full throttle.

68 with 350 TPI · 07-12-2002, 12:48 AM

Sin....
You may just want to check their website for their kit.
Make sure its the full reprogram kit.

I get all my kits through a local dealer in charlotte thats not open to the public.

I could try to get you one sometime if you have no luck.

mikep · 07-12-2002, 12:55 AM

Yes, I have done 2 full install transgo sets. One in a C6 behind a 351 Cleveland 70 cougar and one in a TH350 behind a 455 pontiac TransAm and I wasnt all that happy with either one. Both seemed mushy shifting under part throttle and both were fresh rebuilds. It might just be my tastes but I prefer the shift characteristics of the B&M transpac set which tome seemed a hell of a lot firmer under part throttle. They werent BAD per se' but they didnt have the same quickness of shifting that I am accustomed to from B&M.

Weirdest shifting was a Gil Younger ( who? ) set that I installed for my brother in a 79 malibu with a TH 250 and a 4.3 v 6 . 35 miles an hour and it kept cycling from 2-3 and back.

68 with 350 TPI · 07-12-2002, 01:05 AM

I must say thats werid that they dident give a good hard shift.

I know that they used to make a kit with some guy on the front of the box that really sucked.

It was more of a shift helper instead of a shift kit.

It could have been that it was a older design than what they use now or maby bad luck

Project1970 · 07-12-2002, 04:12 AM

I think I've got a B&M in my TH400 - I never asked Rick exactly which one he put in - nor do I know which stage it is. I get tire-chirping hard on the 1-2 at full and sometimes even at part throttle, and the 2-3 is quite noticable.

To be honest, I don't terribly like it. It's too hard of a shift on part throttle and it really wears on you after a while. I wouldn't mind those shifts at full throttle - I love them there, actually! - but smooth driving becomes impossible. It's especially annoying when in parking lots and it hunts from 1st to 2nd and back quite rapidly...

I'm going to go with the Trans-Go in the 700R4 I'm going to put in soon. (Hopefully next week!) I want smooth part-throttle shifts but I want some nice firm WOT shifts. Also, from what I've heard, the 700R4 kit addresses some of the flaws in the tranny.

Oh, before you dismiss me as some old codger who just doesn't like hard shifts all that much or something - I'm 18, heh, and it's even gotten old for me.

Sinister · 07-12-2002, 04:24 PM

thanks 68...
this is a good thread...

BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 · 07-12-2002, 11:29 PM

Is it a common problem with shift kits, to jump back and forth between 2 gears at low RPM'S? Because mine is supposed to have a kit in it and it will jump back and forth between Drive and Second gear while driving about 20MPH or so while going uphill on the dirt road. Also I've heard that you can adjust the Modulator Valve to shift harder or softer. How can this be done?

Sinister · 07-13-2002, 04:06 AM

yank off the vacuum hose at the modulator...
take a peak inside the modulator, if there's a little screw in there it's adjustable...
turning the screw in raises the shift point, and firms the shift up a bit...
try turning it 1 turn at first and half turns from there...
if the one you have isn't adjustable, B&M makes one for about $20...

BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 · 07-13-2002, 03:42 PM

Thanks, Sinister!

Sinister · 07-13-2002, 05:26 PM

your welcome...
here's some info on the trans go kits,
http://www.txchange.com/transgo.htm

07-11-2002, 02:56 PM	#1
BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 Firefighter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Yellville, Ar, USA Posts: 1,943	Shift Kits A few questions, Are they hard on the transmissions or clutches?, Which setup is better R/V Heavy duty, or Street/Strip? With the Street/Strip will it chirp tires? Which one is best Trans Go, or B&M? How hard are they to put in? And what are the prices? Thanks! __________________ '72 Chevy SWB 350 Auto '67 GMC LWB 350 4 speed '70 Chevy 4x4 Stepside 350 Auto Yellville, Ar. USA Last edited by BLACK AND BLUE 67-72; 07-11-2002 at 04:22 PM.

07-11-2002, 03:49 PM	#2
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	Here is my input on this. LONG post but may be worth the reading. A good shift kit will help a trans live as it will reduce friction on the bands/clutches that can cause glazing and heat warpage to the steels. The B&M,TCI,etc are pretty simple in their design. They let more fluid pressure rise so the parts slip less and engage faster. The problem with them is that they dont really make anything work better... just faster. In a normal driving mode it dosent take much to get the bands/clutches to engage and hold a vehicle in gear. Think of it like a set of brake pads for example. You wouldent want to slam on the brakes everytime you stop as it can wear out the pads fast and cause extra heat buildup in the rotors and that can warp them. You only need to stop really fast once and a while. The same goes for a trans in the oppisite effect. You only need full holding power on the bands/clutches at wide open throttle. Other wise your just putting extra wear on the trans. The lining on the clutches and bands/steels are much the same as a set of brake pads/rotors. Trans-go makes the best shift improver kit out hands down. Instead of applying a lot of pressure at everyshift the trans-go kits try to only apply enough pressure to hold what is needed without a harsh ingagement. Kinda like pushing the brakes down just hard enough to stop the car without locking them down. But at full throttle (when it is needed to hold full power) they allow enough line pressure to hold it and you get the nice tire chirping shift we all love (except the U joints but that is another story) Im not saying that the B&M/TCI kits are bad though. I have used them on many cars with good things to say about them. Truth is they work! But I can do the same thing to any trans with a small set of springs and a small drill bit to make the holes bigger on the separator plate for about 5$ instead of 25-40$ they charge for a kit. I dont think you can beat a transgo kit as they have many hours of R&D on their kits, to see what will hold the most power & live the longest at the same time. Most people will be fine with a B&M/TCI kit as long as they change their fluid. I used to build auto transmissions for a living and I have seen what a trans-go and the B&M type shift kits do to the trans. The trans-go kits always have less muck (small parts of the friction plates/clutches kind like brake dust) in the pan when you drop them a year later to do a filter/fluid change. As I said the B&M style will work fine so long as you change the fluid every so often. But then again you will always hear about someone that has a trans with 150K on it and has never had the fluid changed. Well I know people that go 15,000 -20,000miles on a oil change too but thats not smart either. Fact is that B&M style kits are cheaper but they put a little more wear on the trans and you will need to change the fluid every so often to keep the fluid clean and doing its job right. The trans-go kits put a little less wear on the trans but they will still need the fluid changed just not quite as often. Basic rule of thumb is when the fluid on a transmission dipstick is kinda brown looking and burnt smelling its time to change that fluid! I hope this helps with anyone looking for a shiftkit. Not badmouthing any brand and in fact I use a B&M style kit in my truck but I change my trans fluid every 30,000 miles. __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro Last edited by 68 with 350 TPI; 07-11-2002 at 03:55 PM.

07-11-2002, 03:59 PM	#3
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	Sorry I forgot to tell you about the prices 25-40 for a B&M style kit and about 2x that for a trans-go. I would use the street/strip setting if you want a tire chirping shift and they are not hard to put in but very messy and take a while if you have never done one before. Most shops will put in a B&M style kit for about 75-100$ __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro

07-11-2002, 07:10 PM	#4
BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 Firefighter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Yellville, Ar, USA Posts: 1,943	Thanks 68!! __________________ '72 Chevy SWB 350 Auto '67 GMC LWB 350 4 speed '70 Chevy 4x4 Stepside 350 Auto Yellville, Ar. USA

07-11-2002, 08:12 PM	#5
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	No problem I hope my long post helped shine a little lite on the shift kit subject __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro

07-11-2002, 10:50 PM	#6
BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 Firefighter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Yellville, Ar, USA Posts: 1,943	Yep, I even printed it off so I wouldn't forget!! __________________ '72 Chevy SWB 350 Auto '67 GMC LWB 350 4 speed '70 Chevy 4x4 Stepside 350 Auto Yellville, Ar. USA

07-11-2002, 11:07 PM	#7
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	hey 68, who's got them trans go kits? i'd been thinking bout one of them tci kits but you got me to thinking... __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match...

07-12-2002, 12:14 AM	#8
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	Ive used transgo, TCI , B&M , and even Gil Younger shift improvers in the past and to be honest I was not very happy with the TransGo . Maybe its dumb but to me it doesnt have the same positive 1-2 and 2-3 tire chirping snap that the B&M set does. I'm sure that the Transgo will make the transmission last longer and I am also sure that 7000 rpm shifts are not helping my engine much either but I am not going to stop doing them. The hard tire chirps ( especially part throttle ) are what I expect from a shift kit and its why I buy them. So the thing doesnt last 200,000 miles. What does? __________________ No truck :-(

07-12-2002, 12:44 AM	#9
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	I have never had a trans go kit not live up to the good 2nd and 3rd chirp. Was it the reprograming kit with the new check balls,springs,separator etc? Everyone I have done with the manual upshift has been killer and just as good as the others on full throttle. __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro

07-12-2002, 12:48 AM	#10
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	Sin.... You may just want to check their website for their kit. Make sure its the full reprogram kit. I get all my kits through a local dealer in charlotte thats not open to the public. I could try to get you one sometime if you have no luck. __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro

07-12-2002, 12:55 AM	#11
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	Yes, I have done 2 full install transgo sets. One in a C6 behind a 351 Cleveland 70 cougar and one in a TH350 behind a 455 pontiac TransAm and I wasnt all that happy with either one. Both seemed mushy shifting under part throttle and both were fresh rebuilds. It might just be my tastes but I prefer the shift characteristics of the B&M transpac set which tome seemed a hell of a lot firmer under part throttle. They werent BAD per se' but they didnt have the same quickness of shifting that I am accustomed to from B&M. Weirdest shifting was a Gil Younger ( who? ) set that I installed for my brother in a 79 malibu with a TH 250 and a 4.3 v 6 . 35 miles an hour and it kept cycling from 2-3 and back. __________________ No truck :-(

07-12-2002, 01:05 AM	#12
68 with 350 TPI Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wingate NC Posts: 456	I must say thats werid that they dident give a good hard shift. I know that they used to make a kit with some guy on the front of the box that really sucked. It was more of a shift helper instead of a shift kit. It could have been that it was a older design than what they use now or maby bad luck __________________ Life is good with a 6-71 supercharged 355 in a 72 camaro

07-12-2002, 04:12 AM	#13
Project1970 14.1 @ 96MPH Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,811	I think I've got a B&M in my TH400 - I never asked Rick exactly which one he put in - nor do I know which stage it is. I get tire-chirping hard on the 1-2 at full and sometimes even at part throttle, and the 2-3 is quite noticable. To be honest, I don't terribly like it. It's too hard of a shift on part throttle and it really wears on you after a while. I wouldn't mind those shifts at full throttle - I love them there, actually! - but smooth driving becomes impossible. It's especially annoying when in parking lots and it hunts from 1st to 2nd and back quite rapidly... I'm going to go with the Trans-Go in the 700R4 I'm going to put in soon. (Hopefully next week!) I want smooth part-throttle shifts but I want some nice firm WOT shifts. Also, from what I've heard, the 700R4 kit addresses some of the flaws in the tranny. Oh, before you dismiss me as some old codger who just doesn't like hard shifts all that much or something - I'm 18, heh, and it's even gotten old for me. __________________ Project1970 - LS1 Swap Complete!

07-12-2002, 04:24 PM	#14
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	thanks 68... this is a good thread... __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match...

07-12-2002, 11:29 PM	#15
BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 Firefighter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Yellville, Ar, USA Posts: 1,943	Is it a common problem with shift kits, to jump back and forth between 2 gears at low RPM'S? Because mine is supposed to have a kit in it and it will jump back and forth between Drive and Second gear while driving about 20MPH or so while going uphill on the dirt road. Also I've heard that you can adjust the Modulator Valve to shift harder or softer. How can this be done? __________________ '72 Chevy SWB 350 Auto '67 GMC LWB 350 4 speed '70 Chevy 4x4 Stepside 350 Auto Yellville, Ar. USA



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07-13-2002, 04:06 AM	#16
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	yank off the vacuum hose at the modulator... take a peak inside the modulator, if there's a little screw in there it's adjustable... turning the screw in raises the shift point, and firms the shift up a bit... try turning it 1 turn at first and half turns from there... if the one you have isn't adjustable, B&M makes one for about $20... __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match...

07-13-2002, 03:42 PM	#17
BLACK AND BLUE 67-72 Firefighter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Yellville, Ar, USA Posts: 1,943	Thanks, Sinister! __________________ '72 Chevy SWB 350 Auto '67 GMC LWB 350 4 speed '70 Chevy 4x4 Stepside 350 Auto Yellville, Ar. USA

07-13-2002, 05:26 PM	#18
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	your welcome... here's some info on the trans go kits, http://www.txchange.com/transgo.htm __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match...

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