I have a friend who has a 1999, 4 door, 4wheel drive, dually, raised, big wheels. He takes it off-road, and on-road pulls a large, fifth wheel travel trailer.

He cannot seem to keep the 4R100 working. His dream is a ten speed manual. How close to possible is that?

 

Everything you can imagine is possible if you have enough time and money.

 

Not possible...just suggest that he look at a BTS or a John Wood built 4R100 transmission.

 

Yea, and we used to say "we can do anything with time, torch and money, and we have the time and the torch if you have the money." What I am looking for is the most gears, with a transfer case, that will bolt to the engine.

 

Properly built and tuned, the 4R100 can be a great trans. What issues is he having with the trans?

 

Shifting related, I did not get into much detail with him.

I think I do know a little something about a 4R100. I have a 2001 E350 cutaway. I have done nothing to the trans except a large pan and a different cooling system. But since the early nineties I have had an E350, about 9K#. When it still had a 460 I installed an E4OD. The diesel install meant a different E4OD, and over the years I have bought and installed a half dozen. For the last few years I have been running one that I built. I am using a Baumann controller that I can tune with a laptop, in real time on the road, and I have cockpit LEDs on the solenoids.

I have six vehicles that run. Two started as standard but all now are automatic. But, I agree with my friend. There are a great many things that can go wrong with an automatic that never happen with a standard, especially if you are going to abuse it. I have seen electrical glitches that had I not been able monitor the system I would have probably been towed.

But with any machine you need to know what abuse they will tolerate. I have broken standard trans. And, In the van, on Baker grade, I was talking to my wife, not paying attention to what I was doing, and did a 4-3 shift under full power, and went home on a flat bed. I had paid for a triple disk, billet converter. I took it to Roadrunner converters in Phoenix. They opened it and found a single disk, with all the friction materiel stripped off. Sometimes it is difficult/impossible to know what you are getting.

 

John Wood built 4R100.

I have a JW trans in my truck and my Ex. Son had one in his truck too.

Stewart

 

I don't have a dog in the fight cause I'm still running stock tranny but found this in an article