Hey guys I have a 04 Dodge Ram 3500 with the 5.9 diesel and the 48RE automatic transmission, I use this truck for a living pulling loads of inflatable boats mostly from South Carolina to California on a 43 foot goose neck trailer so my gross weight is averaging 25/26 thousand pounds all the time, my tranny went out this will be the second time given I have 600,000 miles on the truck, I’ve been told that the 48RE trannys are kind of weak and I should go with a manual transmission, but before I put in all the work to go from an auto trans to a manual I just thought I would ask if there are any other stronger more reliable auto trans that I could put behind the 5.9 Cummins that would stand hauling this kind of weight all the time
thanks

 

You are averaging 300K on a rebuild? I wouldn't be complaining about that. Personally, I think that's doin' darn good.

I would just go with an upgraded rebuild, few more clutches/steels in critical areas, and down the road you go. The 48 IS a pretty stout trans.

 

ATS Diesel Co-Pilot. I run one on my 545RFE. Temps keep at or below 150 while pulling my toy hauler.

 

Thanks guys for the reply’s yes 300,000 isn’t bad on a rebuild as I said this is how I make my living so I’m probably overly easy on the truck when working it, sorry I didn’t say this in first massage but also looking to find something to pull a little hard climbing hills and last like the engine has, I’ve had vary little engine problems, through New Mexico, Arizona and norther California there are some pretty harsh uphill pulls where I’ve had to shift all the way down to 2nd and still seeing tranny temps in the 250 range, makes for a slow climb, but by doing this I think that’s why the trannys have lasted as good as they have, so that’s also why I’m wondering if maybe there maybe be a 6 speed tranny to put in it so I can climb a little harder or I’m I just being to easy on the truck if there isn’t what companies/parts would y’all recommend installing in the tranny and what does the ATS co pilot actually do to keep tranny temps down
thanks everyone

 

Have a look here. Might wanna call these guys and have a chat.

 

Ramps up line pressure and controls lockup and lockup application.

On my 545RFE it raises and controls line pressure, controls lockup, locks up the TQ solid, and modifies clutch timing. 250 degrees you're cooking clutches.

They sell resistors to boost line pressure but its rough, and that doesn't do anything for the TQ lockup application or clutch timing.

I'm not pulling 26k, less than half that, but it's also a half ton. There's this pass I have to navigate here in SoCal to get to the desert that's 10 miles of 6%. I just grab 2nd and let it eat.

For you, it would let you lock up all the way down into 2nd gear and hold it locked with no slipping.