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Continus Reading »The Disadvantages of Swapping Your Chrysler Transmission for an Allison Transmission
When upgrading your Dodge or Ram pickup, the allure of swapping your Chrysler transmission for an Allison is understandable. The Allison transmission is often praised for its durability, making it a tempting choice for those seeking enhanced performance. However, before diving into this swap, it’s important to weigh the disadvantages. From the challenges of retrofitting to the complexities of troubleshooting, an Allison transmission may not be the optimal solution.
The Hassle of Retrofitting: Is It Worth It?
One of the biggest drawbacks of swapping a Chrysler transmission for an Allison is the retrofitting process. Unlike the transmission originally designed for your Dodge or Ram, an Allison requires extensive modifications to fit properly. This includes custom mounts, wiring harnesses, and significant adjustments to your vehicle’s computer system. These changes are not only time-consuming but can also be costly, leading to unforeseen expenses. The more you alter the original design, the greater the potential for complications.
Troubleshooting Challenges
Even if the swap is completed successfully, troubleshooting issues with an Allison transmission can be a major headache. Finding a shop that is knowledgeable about both the Allison transmission and the specifics of your truck’s setup can be incredibly difficult. Many repair shops lack the expertise and tools required for diagnosing and fixing problems with a retrofitted Allison transmission, which can leave you facing high repair costs and extended downtime.
The Strength of a Properly Built Chrysler Transmission
It's no secret that Chrysler transmissions, such as the 48RE and 68RFE, aren’t renowned for their strength in stock form. This is often why many consider switching to an Allison. However, while these transmissions may struggle with stock power levels, they can be significantly improved. By investing in a properly built Chrysler transmission, you can achieve the strength needed to handle both the power of your truck and any additional power enhancements you’ve made. These upgrades can transform your stock transmission into a robust system capable of meeting the demands of serious hauling and towing.
At Randy’s Transmissions, we’ve been perfecting the transmissions in your Cummins-powered pickup since 2008. We specialize in building transmissions that are tailored to your truck’s specific needs; ensuring that you get exceptional performance and reliability. Instead of navigating the complications of an Allison swap, trust us to provide a transmission built to handle your truck’s power and beyond.
Conclusion: Opt for Proven Reliability
While an Allison transmission may seem like a great upgrade, the disadvantages of retrofitting, troubleshooting, and cost often outweigh the benefits. Rather than complicating your setup with an extensive swap, invest in a properly built transmission that’s made for your truck. We encourage you to browse our selection of transmissions for your truck, or even give us a call to pick our brains. We look forward to serving you!
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Continus Reading »Randys Transmissions is thrilled to announce that we are now the exclusive home for the new Alto G3 clutch power packs for the 47 & 48RE transmissions. This much needed product has been rigorously tested in our high-performance Cummins pickup, Red Delicious, which has impressively held over 3,000 horsepower!The introduction of the Alto G3 clutch power packs sets a new bench mark for 47/48 performance- providing greater power transfer and enhanced durability. These clutches are designed to deliver optimal performance, making them an invaluable asset for both end users and transmission builders.“We are excited to offer the Alto G3 clutches to our customers and to incorporate them into our 47 & 48RE transmission builds,” said Randy Reyes, Owner of Randys Transmissions. “Our testing in Red Delicious has demonstrated the exceptional capability of these clutches, and we are confident they will meet and exceed the demands of our customers high-performance applications.”Moving forward, all 47 & 48RE transmission builds by Randys Transmissions will feature the Alto G3 clutches, ensuring that our customers receive the best possible performance and reliability.For transmission shops and builders interested in stocking the Alto G3 clutch power packs, please contact our parts department at 435-228-6619, extension 2, or email parts@randys-transmissions.com.
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14 JanContinus Reading »The crew from Randy's Transmissions recently took our 2015 Ram 3500 HD Cummins dually through Pritchett Canyon in Moab, Utah.
Pritchett Canyon is one of the most difficult trails in Moab. Pritchett Canyon is known for slickrock climbs, nasty off-camber sections, and other extreme challenges, making it a solid proving ground for 4x4 enthusiasts. Many performance-enhanced rigs, buggies, and side-by-sides are often turned away by these obstacles. Never ones to back down from a challenge, the Randy's Transmissions team decided the trail was the perfect place to put our 2015 Ram 3500 Cummins dually to work.
Our Ram 3500 sports a Carli Suspension Pintop System with Deaver leaf springs and King remote-reservoir shocks. Up front there's a bumper from Fusion Bumpers with a custom cradle from our sister company, GilleyFab, that boasts a Badlands 12,000-pound-capacity winch from Harbor Freight. GilleyFab also built us custom Rocksliders from 1.75-inch, 0.25-inch-wall DOM (take a good look at those and let GilleyFab know if you like 'em—they might go into production). Tires are 35x12.50R17 BFGoodrich T/A KM3 mud-terrains, and you the outer rear is beadlocked to the rim of the Raceline Monster wheels. Finally, our AS69RC Stage 2 slushbox feeds the nearly 1,000 horses of Cummins power to the tires.
Credit needs to be given to the Ram's incredible 5 tons of mass, which often keeps it planted in some places where other vehicles might find themselves unstable. Wheelbase made a positive impact in some areas, and the buckets of torque (and the truck's tougher-than-rocks armor) are also adventageous. That's not to say the Ram navigated the canyon without incident, because it just wouldn't be Randy's Transmissions if there wasn't some risk!
Climbing a crazy slickrock slope (or two) took out the passenger-side intermediate shaft. After our team performed a speedy trail-fix, the Ram 3500 was back in motion but quickly found itself hung-up on its driveline. After sliding sideways, we decided that it needed some rearrangement to get itself pointed in a safe direction.
By the end of the day, we had successfully navigated the 2015 Ram 3500 HD Cummins dually through Pritchett Canyon, and drove it home without a trailer.
Check out the video of our day at Pritchett Canyon here!
