have 09 ram 1500 4x4 w/ 5-spd auto. Would like to change up to 8-spd auto. Has any one done this ? Haven't talked to trans shop. Don't know if this could be a diy project or tranny shop only. Would appreciate all input, an happy new year to ya all.
The 8HP70 swaps have been done so many times by plenty of people, shops and individuals alike. It is only a DIY Project if you have the skill, money, time and patience to accomplish this task.
You will need the transmission and torque converter, a truck or car shifter from an 8HP equipped vehicle, a custom driveshaft from your local driveshaft shop with a slip yoke, a Sonnax yoke for the trans or someone else's who makes one, a pilot bushing for the crank depending on what year torque converter you pick up because there are two different size hubs on the 8HP converter, a Sound German Automotive 8HP70 swaps kit which the last one I purchased was about $1350 shipped, fabricate a transmission mount, trans cooler lines, a factory cooler with bypass valve or make your own. If you use a car version of the 8HP70 you will will need to fabricate a structural dust cover
(the cover for the lower half of the bellhousing). The truck transmissions have a different bellhousing so the truck cover will not fit and the cover for the car transmissions is integrated into the oil pan. The car oil pan utilizes a front sump and it will not fit in a truck. You will need to make one yourself. You will also need a starter and flex plate as well as the adapter plate that locates the starter and this is the shim that goes between the engine and the trans. The part number can be an absolute bi*ch to locate from the dealer so it's 4591948AB just in case you ever go through with the swap.
You will also need a laptop with HP Tuners VCM Suite which you can download the latest version from their website as well as an MPVI-3 from HP Tuners and you will need to purchase 4 credits to tune the truck. Two credits for the PCM and two for the trans.
If you don't know how to do any trans tuning as well as engine tuning your best best is to get in touch with a local Mopar/Dodge Ram tuner and have them tune the truck after you get the trans in place and running. You will need to make sure that torque management is used in the tune for the shifts. 8HP transmissions do not like full power, wide open throttle shifts and they will break in short order without torque management. There are plenty of Chargers/Challengers running in the 9.XX's in the quarter mile at speeds of 140mph-155mph with stock 8HP transmissions and they are all using torque management to cut the timing during shifts which is what it is designed to do.
There is so much more that I could add but this will get you started.
www.ramforum.com
