Transmission

[Allansram]

I Just got my hpt210 cam from Moes performance and I’m trying to figure out what would be best for power/budget. I got a quote from a potential 8 speed trans swap and it was a little higher than I wanted at around 5-6k all included. For that price I could get my 6 speed rebuilt with a converter LSD and a drop kit done right. Is the 8 speed upgrade really that much of an improvement? i have 3.55 gears

 

[Wild one]

I Just got my hpt210 cam from Moes performance and I’m trying to figure out what would be best for power/budget. I got a quote from a potential 8 speed trans swap and it was a little higher than I wanted at around 5-6k all included. For that price I could get my 6 speed rebuilt with a converter LSD and a drop kit done right. Is the 8 speed upgrade really that much of an improvement? i have 3.55 gears

There is no such thing as a built RFE transmission,no matter what anybody tells you.The 8 speed swap will give you more usable power to the wheels then your cam will.The 8 speed swap is good for at least a 1/2 sec,while your cam might gain you 2 or 3 tenths at a track. If you're only doing a cam for performance,put that money towards the 8 speed swap instead,your truck will be faster,and will have a transmission,that'll handle rolling downshifts,and top end runs in high gear,both scenerio's will kill your rfe in short order

 

[Allansram]

Thanks, starting to think selling my 6 speed for the 8 speed is the cheapest option.

 

[Burla]

You have really bad gears, I know cause I have the same ones, and then I drove my friends truck with the 6 speed and 3.92's. The fact is the 6 speed is the best rfe, and you can build them for longevity and good shift points and fast shifts. Most of this can be done in the valve body and perhaps a GM solenoid upgrade. But, with 3'55's I would look at changing the gears, will buy you more low end power and torque over any transmission work or upgrade. The only downside is freeway mileage if you like going fast on freeway. But in town nobody has anything for you if you have gearing above 3.92's. you want snap neck type speed, go gears.
u in the wrong forum, go down to 4gen.

 

[Wild one]

You have really bad gears, I know cause I have the same ones, and then I drove my friends truck with the 6 speed and 3.92's. The fact is the 6 speed is the best rfe, and you can build them for longevity and good shift points and fast shifts. Most of this can be done in the valve body and perhaps a GM solenoid upgrade. But, with 3'55's I would look at changing the gears, will buy you more low end power and torque over any transmission work or upgrade. The only downside is freeway mileage if you like going fast on freeway. But in town nobody has anything for you if you have gearing above 3.92's. you want snap neck type speed, go gears.
u in the wrong forum, go down to 4gen.

A few trips around the hi-po pages will tell you ,you can't build an RFE to last Mike.There's guys who've invested several thousands into a built RFE with all the whiz bang hardcore parts ,and after 3 or 4 blown up RFE's,they admit they should of went straight to the 8 speed swap,or should have traded the truck off on an 8 speed truck.You can spend all the money you want on an RFE,but you'll never make a transmission originally designed for the early low power 4.7's last,and take any amount of horsepower.

 

[Burla]

Just saying you can build the valve body to avoid the most common rfe issues, such as leaks and losing overdrive which tends to happen first. As for complete fails, they have upgrades and they are super expensive, and I wouldnt go that route anyway. I have no info on the 8 speed but trust mr wildone on it.

But if you keep the rfe, gears is the way to go and vb upgrades.

 

[Allansram]

Thanks for the info, unfortunately money is a factor as well I don’t want to spend over 15k on my build and I’m already almost half way.

 

[Allansram]

There is no such thing as a built RFE transmission,no matter what anybody tells you.The 8 speed swap will give you more usable power to the wheels then your cam will.The 8 speed swap is good for at least a 1/2 sec,while your cam might gain you 2 or 3 tenths at a track. If you're only doing a cam for performance,put that money towards the 8 speed swap instead,your truck will be faster,and will have a transmission,that'll handle rolling downshifts,and top end runs in high gear,both scenerio's will kill your rfe in short order

The cam is rated for 58 hp w long tubes so I figured with my shorties I’d get about 45 plus the addition of my shorties, heads/valvetrain work, and harmonic balancer I figured I’d gain .7 seconds 1/4 and maybe .3 0-60. Is that a healthy ball park? Not planning on going to a dyno until I get LT’s and 6.4 intake.

 

[Wild one]

The cam is rated for 58 hp w long tubes so I figured with my shorties I’d get about 45 plus the addition of my shorties, heads/valvetrain work, and harmonic balancer I figured I’d gain .7 seconds 1/4 and maybe .3 0-60. Is that a healthy ball park? Not planning on going to a dyno until I get LT’s and 6.4 intake.

Those mods won't gain you 3/4's of a second,you might gain 1/2 second,you'll need long tubes and a fairly big convertor with those mods to gain 3/4's of a second with an RFE truck. The 8 speed trucks are good for at the very least a 1/2 second over a comparably equipped RFE truck,plus the 8 speed will live,you're RFE is on borrowed time behind a tweaked 5.7. Don't waste any money on building the RFE,as nobody has been able to make one live behind a modded 5.7,and lots of guys have spent big bucks trying