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ATD or extreme auto 4L80 reverse manual Streetable?

Winchested

Winchested

IH Scout SSII
Joined
Jun 19, 2020
Member Number
2128
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1,410
Anyone got any experience driving one of these reverse manual valve bodies on the street and wheeling?

I've got a 4L80 sitting here to potentially swap out the NV4500.

I'm concerned about the street manners of a reverse manual shifting, engine braking etc.


I drive my rig to the trails and camping and usually drive it 4 to 15 hours at a time.

Never honestly driven a manual valve body automatic so not sure what to expect.

I'd assume I want the engine braking option offered.

They say auto TCC lockup in 4th (OD)

When else would you want to use the manual TCC lockup override? I've always had manuals so not 100% understanding how the TCC lockup works.


Basically need to know that down shifting it isn't going to blow it up!
 
Oh and am I going to miss the 5.6:1 low gear on the NV4500 or will converter slip make up for it.

Right now my low range is 160:1 with the doubler.

Would only be 71:1 with the 4L80.
 
I have no experience on the 4l80, but my land cruiser had a rmvb with compression braking turbo 400 in it. It drove just fine on the street. Really isn't any different on the street or off-road. Only thing I noticed with the compression braking, you have to come to a complete stop before shifting to first, or the rear wheels would lock up.
 
bradp674 said:
I have no experience on the 4l80, but my land cruiser had a rmvb with compression braking turbo 400 in it. It drove just fine on the street. Really isn't any different on the street or off-road. Only thing I noticed with the compression braking, you have to come to a complete stop before shifting to first, or the rear wheels would lock up.
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Well them two trans are pretty close enough in design.

You always shift back to first only when stopped, couldn't go through first to neutral then back to first?
 
Winchested said:
Well them two trans are pretty close enough in design.

You always shift back to first only when stopped, couldn't go through first to neutral then back to first?
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You can go to neutral first if you wanted to. If you are accelerating in 2nd and need to drop it to first it was fine, but on the street pulling up to a stop sign or red light I would shift down to second until stopped, then put it in first. No matter how slow I was going, it would always lock the rear up, even with 43's.
 
engine braking sucks for anything but crawling. it's harsh on trans internals as well.

it's an electronic trans. no need to shift it manually.
 
I had a c4 with rmvb and it was fun on the street. Clutchless stick shift basically. Mine would chirp tires going to first. I say do it. You’ll be giving up some crawl ratio but be able to shift up during climbs which you can do with nv4500 easily.
 
Rangerrod said:
I had a c4 with rmvb and it was fun on the street. Clutchless stick shift basically. Mine would chirp tires going to first. I say do it. You’ll be giving up some crawl ratio but be able to shift up during climbs which you can do with nv4500 easily.
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Ya watched a bunch of Vids yesterday on the YT and most said no shifting to first unless under 10 mph or stopped.
 
bradp674 said:
No matter how slow I was going, it would always lock the rear up, even with 43's.
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If you were locking gears when going from 2->1 at whatever road speed you'd be idling along at 1st in that sounds like a transmission order of operations problem (two gears engaged at same time), not a RMVB problem.

Winchested said:
unless under 10 mph
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Now that sounds like how it should be working
 
arse_sidewards said:
If you were locking gears when going from 2->1 at whatever road speed you'd be idling along at 1st in that sounds like a transmission order of operations problem (two gears engaged at same time), not a RMVB problem.
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It's a common issue with TH400/4L80

Winchested : What is the reason for your desire to put a manual VB in a trans that could be better served by an electronic controller? For your purposes (dual sport type rig) I would not want a race type trans engagement.
 
Bebop said:
It's a common issue with TH400/4L80

Winchested : What is the reason for your desire to put a manual VB in a trans that could be better served by an electronic controller? For your purposes (dual sport type rig) I would not want a race type trans engagement.
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Because I want the reverse close to the wheeling gear. Since I would now lack a clutch to roll back.
 
Winchested said:
Because I want the reverse close to the wheeling gear. Since I would now lack a clutch to roll back.
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You could simply use a gateless shifter?

But a RMVB with engine braking would work fine. I just wouldn't downshift to 1st on the road until you're stopped, that's it.
 
Bebop said:
You could simply use a gateless shifter?

But a RMVB with engine braking would work fine. I just wouldn't downshift to 1st on the road until you're stopped, that's it.
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Which is fine no doubt, second isn't a lock up gear so see no reason not to run it down to idle.
 
For what it's worth, I street drive my FJ45 with FMRVB TH400 w/ compression braking in 1 - 2 - 3. It's cake once you get used to it which doesn't take long. Power shifts are fun and slow to a stop in gear then shift to 1st once stopped. Down shifting is fine too; you'll learn what vehicle speed and RPM won't throw you through the windshield.
 
Can't you run an electronic shifter like the RA Designs rail shifter or some of the paddle shifter kits on a 4l80e? Then you can leave the trans alone and control the 1-4 shift with the rail shifter. You would get the best of both worlds, you can get from 1 to R quickly and you can have normal automatic function for the street. RAIL CONTROLLERS
 
I'm experimenting tuning the stock LS computer to basically be a Manual Valve Body in Tow/haul mode. Still in the tuning stages, but It holds 1st gear til 35MPH wheel speed, and I have to blip the throttle before it will upshift to 2nd. So far, so good!

I like the RMVB, but If I'm shifting gears, I'd leave the NV4500 in it.
 
bad zuki said:
I'm experimenting tuning the stock LS computer to basically be a Manual Valve Body in Tow/haul mode. Still in the tuning stages, but It holds 1st gear til 35MPH wheel speed, and I have to blip the throttle before it will upshift to 2nd. So far, so good!

I like the RMVB, but If I'm shifting gears, I'd leave the NV4500 in it.
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The NV4500 has friggen terrible shit gearing for the 5.3L it's behind.
 
benw said:
Can't you run an electronic shifter like the RA Designs rail shifter or some of the paddle shifter kits on a 4l80e? Then you can leave the trans alone and control the 1-4 shift with the rail shifter. You would get the best of both worlds, you can get from 1 to R quickly and you can have normal automatic function for the street. RAIL CONTROLLERS
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The VX shifter is nice but if I was going to go electric control I'd just do one of the $100 ebay controllers. But it retains the standard shift pattern which I don't want.
 
Winchested said:
The VX shifter is nice but if I was going to go electric control I'd just do one of the $100 ebay controllers. But it retains the standard shift pattern which I don't want.
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Whats wrong with the standard shift pattern if you're controlling 1st through 4th gear manually using the rail shifter? You put the primary shifter in the "D" position, then shift 1st through 4th with the rail. So you're still close to N & R with the primary shifter. You can slap to N or R easily, and go right back to the forward gear you had selected with the rail shifter.
 
benw said:
Whats wrong with the standard shift pattern if you're controlling 1st through 4th gear manually using the rail shifter? You put the primary shifter in the "D" position, then shift 1st through 4th with the rail. So you're still close to N & R with the primary shifter. You can slap to N or R easily, and go right back to the forward gear you had selected with the rail shifter.
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Ah okay makes more sense. What kind of tcm would you need?

I have a T56 engine harness so no TCM control. No VSS and don't plan on running one.
 
Winchested said:
Ah okay makes more sense. What kind of tcm would you need?

I have a T56 engine harness so no TCM control. No VSS and don't plan on running one.
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I think if you want to always shift it manually you don't need a TCM. If you want both manual control and automatic shifting then you need a TCM.
 
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