518 to 618 swap

[wpcheairs]

I'm wanting more hold back when pulling loads going down hill. I was going to put in a exhaust brake but I was told by a guy that before I get the brake I need to have a lock up trans to reap the full benifits of the brake. He said the 518 doesn't give the hold back that I'll need.

What do you guys think?

I can get a 47RE out of a 96. Will I need anything special for this conversion? Any help would be appriciated.

Thanks

Bill

[JD730]

The 47RE is an electronic trans, has no hydraulic governor like the A518 and 47RH(A618). You could do it with a manual valve body and 2 switches, but I don't think you want to do it that way.

You could however take the 47RE and you A518 and make a 47RH out of the 2. You would have to change the overdrive piston retainer to an aftermarket one, install a bushing in the main case where the connector comes through for the smaller 3 pin one for the RH trans and get a RH valve body. Use the overdrive section off you A518 and use the front section of the RE, thats how I did my last one.


Here's a write up on an A518 to 47RH swap I did on another site.
http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/showthread.php?t=114702

How this was helpful.

[wpcheairs]

Sounds like it might just be easier to get a 47RH to begin with. Thanks for the advice and the link to the other build. I will keep seaching for a 47RH instead of the RE.

[Philip]

Something else no one has mentioned.

Your thinking of adding a exhaust brake. When you are off the throttle the TV cable is at idle position. This means idle hydrolic pressures. Most of the time this is around 90 to 100 PSI. When you are using throttle the pressures are around 140 PSI + which is enough pressure for anything the trans wants to do in forward gears. But in a exhaust brake app idle pressures might not be enough pressure to keep the clutch packs from slipping.

I was going to do a 47Rh swap. But that thought has passed. There are better options out there with better gearing than the Dodge trans offers.

[GO OVRIT]

Are the outputshafts and the bolt patterns the same between the 518 and the 47rh?