2012 Ram 1500 - 65RFE to 8HP70 Swap

Reading a thread by jmikalchik; he made the 8HP70 swap sound easy!

His thread: https://www.ramforum.com/threads/8-speed-swap.180898/

So, I was inspired. Very inspired. I contacted SGA a couple days ago with questions, and ordered the kit for my '12 5.7 65RFE 4x4.

I've sourced all the parts (P/Ns attached), and the only two items I am waiting on are the PPE pan and the driveshaft spacer, both due in next week. Then, I hope to start the swap in November sometime when family life allows.

Who all has successfully done this swap?

Started buying parts for my swap as well. Post lots of pics .

More as I think about it....but certinally when the work starts!

I know Ians truck is a 4X4 so he's stuck with using a trucks 4X4 8 speed,so he can bolt a transfer case to it,but if i was doing the swap in a 2X4 truck,i'd seriously look at using the cars 8HP70.It doesn't have the bulky heat exchanger on the side of it,and uses threaded ports for the cooler lines instead of the push-in fittings the trucks use.

It's started...that 545RFE is a heavy...

Got the SGA controller wired in (used the tow/haul plugs), and mounted it where the console will cover it and the extra unneeded wires as well.

I've plugged in the 8HP70 and SGA stuff (w/o retuning the truck yet), and verified I could pull the calibration file from the 8HP70; in an attempt to verify the used trans was 'good'. Also pulled the pan, nearly zero metal shavings in it...and will replace with a PPE pan when I install.

Yesterday was the removal; today is the install of the 8HP70. Took about 4 hours to remove everything, and I'm going to assume it will take slightly longer to install. I'd like to get it fired up today. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I would love to have an 8 speed put into my 2011. But I'd have to pay a shop to do it, because I'm just too dumb.

I'm interested in how it turns out. Keep us posted, John.

Bumping this because I am planning this for my 2015. Should be easier for me. Spent 3 hours discussing it with russell drake. Since mine is a 2015 the programming is in the BCM so I don't need his kit. He says I should be able to enable it in the BCM. Now can I use a car transmission? Could that cause any issues? If I tow at all will this be a problem?

It's in! (sorry for late update).

I'll snap a few more pics later today / this week. There's not a whole lot to take pictures of!

I got the front drive shaft spacer from superlift (P/N 66-04-4603), and was able to modify my OEM cross-member by slotting the holes to move the transmission mount 'back' about 1/2-in. It fits (but barely)!

I reused my 545RFE driveshaft. It fit fine, seems as if there is enough room in the tailshaft for the suspension travel; but it should probably be replaced with a 8-spd driveshaft or shortened by 3/4-in, just in case the rear bottoms out the load does not do through the transfer case and transmission as well.

I used a transmission from a 2016 Ram. Car transmissions need additional fabrication work for the lower dust cover. And since mine was a 4wd, car transmissions were out of the question anyhow. A truck transmission will require the cooler lines to be tapped, which takes all of about 10 mins.

My truck was originally an Arizona market truck, and therefore did not have any factory transmission thermostat, as apparently some (most?) 545RFEs do. I did use an Improved Racing mini-thermostat at 145-deg F, which seems to be working well.

Shifts are very smooth, the many gear ranges available are night and day better than the 545RFE. Including the tuning, and the purchase of the HP Tuners box, I'm in it for $3,324.
Needed? No, the 545RFE was fine, but that's all it was...fine.

Worth it? Yes, to me.

Here's some pics. Before I did this swap, I thought....'why are there so few pics of the swap?' Well, it's a general transmission R&R - not a ton to take pics of that is overly interesting!

I went with the dial shifter. Some complain about it; but a lever on an automatic doesn't make a manual - and if I feel the need to row through gears, I've got a 6-spd fun car to do so with. The shifter bezel is still a work in progress, it's about 90% complete, and now all the small details and surface imperfections need attention. So, it is a lot of fill, sand, prime, fill, sand, prime, until the surface is smooth as it should be.

Also, here's a video link. This is about 1/3-1/2 throttle to show how it shifts. Those with the 545RFE know there's giant drops between the 1-2, and specifically the 2-4 shift...those are gone with the 8-spd.



I've not done a 0-60 or 1/4 mile, so I cannot specifically state if the truck is faster or not. I suspect it is. But, that's not why I did this, it's a truck; not a racecar. I did this because the transmission in my wife's Pacifica (9-spd) was so amazingly smooth and the van so well derivable at any speed, well, it was time to upgrade my truck. Now, the truck is 100x more drivable, and has power at any speed now. That's not something that could ever be said before.

Great job!
I remember just a few years ago people on the forum asking about doing this. Everyone said it can’t be done, or it would be cheaper to just buy a truck with the 8speed in it.

Thanks for posting the parts for this, starting to round them up now so I'm ready to go later on in the winter/spring. The only transmission in the province right now they're wanting $1800 and tax for which I can't justify, even though it only has 13k on it.

Couple of questions if you don't mind...which tcase do you have? Just wondering if the 44-44 will bolt right up, or if I'll have to go 44-45 (have heard conflicting things).
And what is that center console from that's laid on your front seat in one of your pics? I'm assuming it's your stock one that you cut out where the original shifter was? If so, nice job. I'm planning on going the Charger/Challenger shifter route, too bad the Durango shifter wouldn't work (that I know of) as I can get it cheapest on eBay.

And I haven't really seen anything mentioned about exhaust, but I know ARH has a 5/6 speed y-pipe and 8 speed, so I'm wondering if I'll have to swap over or if there'll be enough clearance.
Thanks a lot!

Either of the 44-45 or 44-44 will bolt up; my truck (Sport) originally came with the 44-44; and I swapped it to a 44-45 transfer case about two years ago. Both transfer cases have the same bolt pattern.

The center console is exactly that - fantastic eye. I am still filling and priming it to get a perfect finish. It's not that it has really taken me two months to do, it's that I work on it maybe a day a week; as I don't want to spray paint in my basement due to the fumes (I have little kids and don't want them breathing it); so once a week I take it into work and use the lab there to paint it.

I bought both the dial shifter and a center console from a Durango; the console simply because I wanted the piece the dial shifter bolted to, which is what I grafted into / onto the stock shifter cover.

Will post pics when that is done, I am hoping next weekend!

Awesome man, I was scratching my head for a second because it looks factory. Looking forward to the final pics!

After reading this post, you've given me hope that I can get a 8HP70 in my truck! Is there any reason you didn't go with the 8HP75?

What year/model Charger/Challenger console did you go with?

t0ymach1n3 said:

After reading this post, you've given me hope that I can get a 8HP70 in my truck! Is there any reason you didn't go with the 8HP75?

What year/model Charger/Challenger console did you go with?

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The 8HP70 is quite abundant - and reasonably inexpensive. But, mostly, I picked it because I don't stricktly think there is a huge advantate of the 8HP75 vs. the 8HP70; I'm at stock power level, and even if I get a wild idea to drop a 6.4l in it; the max torque rating of the transmission is ~100 lb-ft greater than the 6.4l. Meaning, I'm covered in any scenario.

Regarding the console, I picked up a dial shifter from a Durango, and I am in the process of grafting it into the stock console shift location where my shift lever was.

I'll post pics when done. I got it all painted, but it did pick up a bit of fuzz. Meaning, one more quick sand with 500-grit and another coat of SEM trim paint. Next weekend, now.

emjohn4 said:

The 8HP70 is quite abundant - and reasonably inexpensive. But, mostly, I picked it because I don't stricktly think there is a huge advantate of the 8HP75 vs. the 8HP70; I'm at stock power level, and even if I get a wild idea to drop a 6.4l in it; the max torque rating of the transmission is ~100 lb-ft greater than the 6.4l. Meaning, I'm covered in any scenario.

Regarding the console, I picked up a dial shifter from a Durango, and I am in the process of grafting it into the stock console shift location where my shift lever was.

I'll post pics when done. I got it all painted, but it did pick up a bit of fuzz. Meaning, one more quick sand with 500-grit and another coat of SEM trim paint. Next weekend, now.

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Holy ****! I've wanted to do this for quite some time now.

I have a 4.7 2013, has the same flexplate/auto from the 5.7L of the same year with the same transmission. I might just do it.

emjohn4 said:

The 8HP70 is quite abundant - and reasonably inexpensive. But, mostly, I picked it because I don't stricktly think there is a huge advantate of the 8HP75 vs. the 8HP70; I'm at stock power level, and even if I get a wild idea to drop a 6.4l in it; the max torque rating of the transmission is ~100 lb-ft greater than the 6.4l. Meaning, I'm covered in any scenario.

Regarding the console, I picked up a dial shifter from a Durango, and I am in the process of grafting it into the stock console shift location where my shift lever was.

I'll post pics when done. I got it all painted, but it did pick up a bit of fuzz. Meaning, one more quick sand with 500-grit and another coat of SEM trim paint. Next weekend, now.

Click to expand...

My thoughts as well. I've been entertaining the idea of a 6.4 and a few bolt ons with a tune and still be able to play nice with something a bit stronger than a 65RFE.

Any reason you didn't go with the stock dial shifter? I'd be keen to see some pics of your work when you're finished with the shifter install.


I was told I might be able to do the swap without the SGA kit being i've got a 14 and I should be able to wire everything up using what I already have. Anyone have any experience or second hand knowledge of that being done?

Talked to SGA yesterday and was told the following. Can anyone confirm this has been done?

"Dodge made the Ram with the 8 speed in 2014. You can use my kit to do this swap but from 2013 and up it is a factory option. So in reality my kit is unnecessary if you wire it like the factory and either replace or reprogram the appropriate control modules"

t0ymach1n3 said:

Any reason you didn't go with the stock dial shifter? I'd be keen to see some pics of your work when you're finished with the shifter install.

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I went with the Durango dial shifter. But, since my truck is a 2012, it does not have the place on the dash to install it...

emjohn4 said:

I went with the Durango dial shifter. But, since my truck is a 2012, it does not have the place on the dash to install it...

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I'm an idiot.... I saw you said that in your previous reply lol