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View Poll Results: Built 4L60E vs. TH400?
Built 4L60E
197
44.37%
TH400
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Built 4L60E vs. TH400?

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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:08 PM
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Default Built 4L60E vs. TH400?

What would you guys choose? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages but overall what do you think? The 4L60E will bolt up with no modifications and keep OD, can put a ratchet shifter on TH400 and has potential in future to be built even stonger than 4L60E and can put trans-brake on. Say both are rated to hold the same amount of power for now. I mostly do city driving but occationally drive the highway.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:18 PM
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I think the 400 will be more reliable. Seems like there was a thread on here where poeple voted on this, i may be mistaken. Both sides have their reasons though, i'm sure fans of both will pop in momentairly.
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Old Nov 30, 2005 | 11:20 PM
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Yea, I'll probably start a riot. I'm leaning toward the 400 but I just wanted some other opinions. Thanks Bandit
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 12:36 AM
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If the 4L60E could hold the power RELIABLY then I'd stay with it. I have went through the stock one, and now a built one. Tired of that routine and $, so, went TH350. Not a 400, but its lighter, and will handle close to the same power (mine is a Rossler Terminator II, so it will hold what I throw at it). FWIW, you can put a ratchet shifter on the stock trans, and now Rossler has a new Trans Brake out for the 4L60E (and many more E series like the 4L80, 5L60 etc). Happy hunting.
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 02:18 AM
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so your rossler is done for also?
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 06:12 AM
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Im personally going with a built TH350. Tired of fixing my dam 4L60e.
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 02:09 PM
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th400 only way to go.less expensive to build and will take whatever u throw at it,put a brake in it and sure enuff have some fun
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 02:38 PM
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maybe not the only way to go... but you definately can't go wrong with the TH400. it will take whatever you throw at it, and the manual valve bodies, and trans brakes are so damn fun!!!
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 03:08 PM
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If you don't race that often I woudln't go with a 400. If you plan on making an all out race car out of it and only occassionally hitting the streets then the 400 is the only way to go. A built 4L60e will get you by and you can keep OD. I finally went to a TH350 after toasting three 4L60e's and the car maybe see's the street once or twice a month and that is plenty for me. Drive around in "D" for a week and see if you like not having OD. I actually miss OD but it is better missing that than frying trannies every time I turn around. Really depends on how extreme you plan on going power wise.
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 06:28 PM
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my vote is rock on 4l60 if you are under 700rwhp...th-400/4l80e if above
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 08:27 PM
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TH350/TH400 do it once, do it right!
I personally chose the th350 cause i'm weight consious and had it built to fit my power level (canb handle up to 600 rwhp) if i ever plan to go faster all it takes is about $350 to up that to 1200 hp.
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 11:19 PM
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How much more does the 400 weight over the 4L60E? And how much more does the 400 weight than the 350? I wasn't for sure the final gear ratio differences between the 3, in 3rd gear for the 4L60E. I was thinking of driving a few days with it in 3rd gear just to see the difference in rpm's but didn't know if there was any major difference in final gear ratios?
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 11:24 PM
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all third gears in those trannies are 1 to 1. and i belive the 400 is lighter than the 4L60E but not by much. and the TH350 is the lightest by i belive 15-20 lbs dry. but it also holds the least amount of fluid so theres some more weight too.
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Old Dec 1, 2005 | 11:56 PM
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I see. Thanks for all the replys so far. Can anyone give me a rundown on valve bodies? Explain the difference between some of the common ones, manual, full manual, automatic, etc. I know what the trans-brake valve bodies are but I didn't know the difference between some of the others?
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by SUX2BU
all third gears in those trannies are 1 to 1. and i belive the 400 is lighter than the 4L60E but not by much. and the TH350 is the lightest by i belive 15-20 lbs dry. but it also holds the least amount of fluid so theres some more weight too.
you think the TH400 is lighter than a 4l60e???
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 08:41 AM
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Through my own experience I am in love with my reverse manual valve body. Basically slip it past neutral and it is 1,2,3 straight back. It really is hard to consider it an automatic with a manual valve body but it is basically the best of both worlds. No time lost on the track and you are really driving it like a M6. What stalls are you considering? Something to start thinking about as you decide which tranny to go with.

Originally Posted by imslow
you think the TH400 is lighter than a 4l60e???
No way, I have a TH-400 outta my truck and 2 4L60e's out of the Z in my garage right now and the 400 is a tank compared to either of the 4L60e's. Granted I haven't weighed both for actual numbers but if you ask my back after lifting both it would say the 400 is heavyweight
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 11:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Anniversary "Z"
No way, I have a TH-400 outta my truck and 2 4L60e's out of the Z in my garage right now and the 400 is a tank compared to either of the 4L60e's. Granted I haven't weighed both for actual numbers but if you ask my back after lifting both it would say the 400 is heavyweight
haha... sorry about your back - i know, i was asking SUX2BU becuase he said he thought it was lighter... and i wondered why he thought that.

but hey - that's what the site is here for. to learn new **** right!

anyone have any weights of the transmissions??? 4l60e, TH400 and TH350?
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Anniversary "Z"
Through my own experience I am in love with my reverse manual valve body. Basically slip it past neutral and it is 1,2,3 straight back. It really is hard to consider it an automatic with a manual valve body but it is basically the best of both worlds. No time lost on the track and you are really driving it like a M6. What stalls are you considering? Something to start thinking about as you decide which tranny to go with.



No way, I have a TH-400 outta my truck and 2 4L60e's out of the Z in my garage right now and the 400 is a tank compared to either of the 4L60e's. Granted I haven't weighed both for actual numbers but if you ask my back after lifting both it would say the 400 is heavyweight

I just did the same thing a few days ago and the 400 felt a little lighter to me. I guess someone needs to weigh one of each.
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 02:17 PM
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well i've never picked up a th400 but i've picked up th350s and 4L60E's and that was a HUGE difference i'de say around 25-30 lbs and my tranny guy said th400 were 15-20 lbs heavier than a th350 so thats what i was going by, not actual weight though.
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Old Dec 2, 2005 | 03:24 PM
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Yeah, the TH350 is Wayy lighter than either of the others two, and the 350 is more efficient (less parasitic loss) than the 400.

Mountain. not sure on all the differences myself, but the RMVB is very nice when combined with a t-brake. You slam the shifter, its in gear, none of the days of Torque Management, or slipping into and out of gear. its either in one gear or another.
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