More 4L80E discussion

[SouthernDuke]

So I saw the thread with the parts and the how. But what I am curious about is where do you guys that have done the 4L60 to 4L80E swap get the transmission? I don’t have a good junkyard around me. A quick google shows a lot of people that will sell you a rebuilt trans but has anyone gone dumpster diving and rebuilt one themselves? If so did you do anything to toughen it up?

The 4L60e in my 01 suburban made it less than 1500 miles following a professional rebuild from a top notch trans specialist. Only 600 after a 6 in RC lift and 34 inch tires. My current trans is the only thing keeping me from forced induction. So this is going to happen one way or another.

 

[S33k3r]

So I saw the thread with the parts and the how. But what I am curious about is where do you guys that have done the 4L60 to 4L80E swap get the transmission? I don’t have a good junkyard around me. A quick google shows a lot of people that will sell you a rebuilt trans but has anyone gone dumpster diving and rebuilt one themselves? If so did you do anything to toughen it up?

The 4L60e in my 01 suburban made it less than 1500 miles following a professional rebuild from a top notch trans specialist. Only 600 after a 6 in RC lift and 34 inch tires. My current trans is the only thing keeping me from forced induction. So this is going to happen one way or another.

If you are thinking of going 4L80e for the ability to handle more power, I will suggest against it. You are much better off building a 4l60e or 4l65e to handle what you are throwing at it -- a "built" transmission -- than swapping out to a 4l80e. Firstly, the cost will be about the same, but there will be less hassle than swapping transmission types. Secondly, the 4l80e is geared for towing and hauling and not off the line acceleration. You will likely be disappointed with the gearing. I have 2 vehicles with 4680Es -- a 2500 Suburban and a 2500 Silverado, and one vehicle with a 4l65e -- a Sierra Denali. I've also done a lot of reading across a lot of forums... I hope you find my advice useful, even if you do not take it.

 

[SouthernDuke]

I appreciate your advice. I am wanting to go with the 4L80e for several reasons. I really don’t care about off the line acceleration. I also have no plans to tow with it. This is a project vehicle I originally bought to transfer the drive train into a chevelle I have. Sadly I uncovered way to much rust for the amount of time I have right now. Since this was the Suburban my wife and her family bought new and took in all their road trips she has some sentimental value in it. I thought it would be cool to repurpose it into a project vehicle for my son and I. But he is 6 and spending hours in the shop busting knuckles isnt fun...yet.

So I have an upgraded 4L60 in it right now. I haven’t swapped the hard internals. Just a beefier torque converter and clutches. I would consider putting more money in it if it had lasted more than a few hundred miles after I lifted it. I even raised line pressure 15% in HPtuners after I lifted it. I honestly believe it needs a bigger trans and better brakes.

 

[PNWYukon]

https://streetsmarttransmission.com/remanufactured-4l60e-transmissions/