Tobias05

PATC just came out with 6 pinion planets for the 700r4 which gives it a 2.66 first gear.

that kicks the "better gears" arguement out the door.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

or the cost factor.....


built TH350, $650-800

converter $450-600

built 700R4....$1800+
converter $800-1000

Still half the cost and with all the failure posts on "built" overdrive trannys, I'd rather stick with a TH350 for a race minded setup.

Larry Dunlap

I switched to a TH350 when my stock 700r4 went. I originally used a B&M kit to adapt to the stock torque arm, but it looked so chincy I saved up some bucks and bought the Spohn adjustable torque arm for the th350. You could do that if short on dollars, the bracket/kit is cheap for now.

I got the long tailshaft so I used the same drive shaft, no problem. The stock shifter works fine, no problem.

I also only drive my car on weekends to a meet or the strip, but it is a pain on the freeway. With 3.73 gears Im running about 3300 rpm at 60 to 65 mph. Hondas are zooming by me honking.

Gas mileage is not my concern either but the only regret I have is that Im thinking about selling the car. I will have to find someone like me who can afford a second car and not use it as a daily driver. That will limit who I can sell it to and maybe the price too.

A big advantage to me of the TH350 that I didn't see mentioned was you dont have to worry about the TV cable and adjustment.

I bought mine from Dana at powerbuilt, he doesn't normally do them but he farmed it out to a guy. It has performed ok athough if I let it shift automatically it shifts from 1 to 3rd. I always shift if manually and it works great, should have got a manual valve body but Dana talked me out of it.

I would get a local shop to build you one. Then if you have a problem you can take it back there. If I have a problem I would have to remove the transmission and send it cross the country.

GMZombie

i personally like the 350's. i had 1 700r4 and i ended up tradeing that for a 5 speed that i have still yet to put in my car lol. but i bought my last trans over 6 years ago from where i worked at the time the parts plus warehouse up here. I dont know if they have a parts plus around your area but i have not had a problem with the trans yet. i have the b/m torque arm kit and it works fine. i hot rod in the car all the time lol. anyways my opinion is 350's are great and i didnt even have to change the driveshaft. but i did have to change the trans crossmember as it was short or long...damn i cant remember.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

If I remember right they r $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !!!!!

Heres my 15th 700r4.. they werent built right. just basic rebuilds till I cud save up for a good one.. LOL

http://rides.carcraft.com/ride/10048.../photos/1.html

Randy82WS7

700r4 are fine so as long as they are in good shape and adjuted correctly

th350 is the way to go otherwise

9" tail from a 73-up truck or a station wagon is the one that will pop right in place of a 700r4 other than the trans mount being in a different lkocation

you will need to make a relocater bracket for the mount

i went from 200c to th350 in my 82

ill never go 700r4 in it

its not worth all the trouble to have a 4th gear, connecting the TC, running a TV cable, and so on

so what if it runs a few more rpm

big deal

ppl are so picky

good luck

Rayzor32

iTrader: (1)

all good points but buzzin 3.5k along the thruway sucks ***

Burnout91

I guess I just don't get it....I've beat on my TH700r4, in basically stock configuration, no parts comin' through the case, no burnt clutch packs....I hate to think that someone can beat on their car harder than I do. You guys must be doin' neutral slammies or runnin' it low on fluid, or with the TV cable AFU, or something. I have a friend who has a '98 Trans Am w/ 4L60e, bone stock, driven hard regularly, it has over 200,000 miles on it. Did you ever stop to think WHY General Motors, the manufacturer of the BEST automatic transmissions of any car maker, stopped making the TH350, and TH400, and went to OD automatics? You would have to have A LOT of power (more than most people here) to legitimately break a properly prepped TH700R4. Next time I have my car out, I'm gonna pin the brakes, floor the gas, and upshift it thru 2nd and into 3rd gear....OD if my engine has the beans. I'll report back.The only realistic option to the TH700R4 is a T56.

Rayzor32

iTrader: (1)

they switched because OD improves gas mileage not cause they are stronger, th350s and 400s were wayy better trannies and strong enough to handle 450+hp stock 454s

Tobias05

no man, you got it all wrong. It's only a good move if you step backwards 30 years in technology. Somebody get me a rockcrusher, screw a double overdrive

Burnout91

And you don't see TH700s behind 450+ hp 454s, LS1s, and TPIs? Hmmm?

Why not have it all? Next you'll say 'give me a telegraph, screw the internet'

Rayzor32

iTrader: (1)

a 454 would tear up a 700r4, yes they CAN be built to be strong, but its way cheaper to build a 350/400 than the r4. th400 snaps necks, 700r4 even with a shift kit isnt that snappy

Burnout91

My TH700R4 had firm shifts, chirped 2nd gear, when it was bone stock. I had a built TH400 behind a 11 to 1 Pontiac 455, it didn't feel too much different than the 700, it lasted about 20K miles of high perf driving.

Shagwell

holy crap, can we compare a few more apples to a few more oranges? Trans "A" built by "xyz" with "efg" parts in "pqr" car lasted longer than trans "B" built by "tuv" with "jkl" parts in "hij" car.

A t350/t400/700r can all be built to the same shift firmness, that's a complete wash. Kneck snapping at all throttle levels is hard on a trans, stock 700 planetaries usually won't handle it, stock 400 stuff will, but what's the point? Tire chirping is retarded, you don't want to brag about a loss of traction.

The "effort" involved with a 700r? Hooking up two wires (+ & -) to lock up the tc and setting the TV cable so that it is fully extended at WOT, wow, if you consider that tough/pain in the kneck work then you're in the wrong hobbie.

A 4l60 won't take a big block? I built one for a custom '81 chevy short bed that I built for a freind. 454 with an 871 blower, torque arm suspension and hoosier 29/18.5 pro streets that has over 30k on it now and cuts bottom 1.4 60fts with the front end hanging in the breeze. - If it won't take it, quiet please, it doesn't know.

Yeah, for all-out performance a stock 700r4/4l60 1-2 step sucks, and if you really have no use for OD, then by all means, go a different route, it's cheaper. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a t350, because by the time I'm running fast enough to take the 700 out, I'll need a t400. T350 t-brakes are none to great(since first is reverse, much like a 700). IMO with the parts availablity for a 700 it can be built stronger than a t350. Stock for stock, they're about the same, maybe a slight advantage to the t350.

Tony Walch - damb man, that's the first time I've seen a sunshell explosion come through the case. Bet that made a bit of a racket....anything come through the floor?

As for bringing up stick trans, I broke more rock crushers in my bbc 69 camaro than I can remember. If it chattered the tires any on the 1-2 shift, it split the case in half, rolled the cluster shaft out the side and dented the floor board in. If you want to go that route you need to look more at the chrysler 23 and 18 spline boxes, those were tough. One way or the other, T56's and TKO's have made all of them extinct for real world use for good reason.

ibmtech

iTrader: (1)

I spent the extra money and talked to Dana at Probuilt.. I had to get a new 700r4 trans as I was only running a 1986 700r4 but I picked up a 90 700r4 and with his kit, I haven't even come close to anything breaking. I did get the good torque convertor also along with the elite rebuild kit.. Everything was around $1600 but well worth it.

ljnowell

Are you serious? 700r4 the greatest trans of all time?? I LOVE them. Dont own one, but LOVE them. They make me money. Perhaps the reason yours doesnt break is that you are not pushing enough through it.

Burnout91

Perhaps you have a lot of repeat customers( as in "it's got a 1 year warranty, so I'll be seeing you in 367 days")? That's a good way to make a buck..... How much are the people that break them right and left pushing through them? SOOO much more power than I have (which on the real scale isn't that much, but how much is "enough"?). Maybe we should all be running a Powerglide, or a TH400. The TH700 is a trans that will take a lot, within its limits, just like a TH400, or a Lenco 2-speed, or a progressive application multi-disc (FUNNY CAR) direct-drive slider clutch set-up; they all have limits. YOU said it's "The greatest trans of all time", not me. Folks, take your TH700R4 to a GOOD trans place, realize all machines have limits, and you will live happily ever after. So, ljnowell, what type of trans do you specialize in? My 700 has done well, don't be pissed because it takes business away from you.

89RsPower!

tony nice car, I like where you put ur msd box.. the blondes pretty cute too.. haha