I have a 1996 ram 1500 5.9 gas with a 4x4 automatic tranny and a guy from a transmission shop said that I can only put another 96 transmission in my truck. Is this true? If not what other years have the same transmission?

 

All 2nd gens (from 96-01) with a 360 have your tranny which is a 46re. Any of them will bolt in. The problem comes in with the electronics , somewhere in 97 they change the connectors inside the tranny. Now if I had to guess they would still work as the 8pin connector is the same throughout the years.

 

Since yours is a 4x4, any trans from 96 to 99 will bolt right in, hook right up, and work. 00 and newer will require the electronics be changed for the older versions. Bear in mind, that transmissions 98 and newer will NOT have the mounting holes for the 4x4 shift lever.... So, ideally, you want a 96 or 97 trans. Older simply will not work..... (ok, not *technically* correct, you will get the first three gears, just no TCC or O/D...... and the CEL will instantly come on, as stuff the PCM expects to see, doesn't exist on the older trans.)