4L60E to 4l80E swap

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VanGo

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Have any of you done this? I'm faced with replacing my trans and trying to decide to go with an improved 4L60E or convert to the heavier duty 4L80E. I tow a 4000# sailboat and plan to eventually get one that weighs about 10,000#.
This site describes what the swap entails. The only drawback for me is modifying the crossmember. I don't weld. It can be done though.
http://www.ls1truck.com/forums/front-page-news/14163-how-4l60e-4l80e-trans-swap.html

The 4l80E is heavier and gearing is different. I'm not sure how MPG is affected. Not that we own 'burbs for that reason. Still, it's nice to be in the high teens. :o

Or maybe I should convert to a manual transmission???
 
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well the article seems to pretty much cover the whole thing in detail. Wonder if you could mock up the crossmember and then take it somewhere to be welded. Would think the manual conversion would be alot more work.
 
I love the idea of going with more strength! However, I have the same concerns about the gears, etc...so I would want to be sure the gears line up well with my differential. The cross member does not appear complicated, but do you have a shop you trust to do that part alone? I have a great mom & pop tranny shop I would sub this out to, but really, if I were to have them do that, I would just have them install the whole thing. For me, the price of the installation is a cheap insurance policy against problems down the road, and spending more of my own time under the suburban instead of driving it. I highly respect the fact that you have the knowledge and skill to perform this swap (I certainly don't). I just thought I'd be a contributor and put in my two cents.

Let us know how she runs with the new tranny!
 
I thought I found a source for a custom made crossmember but he hasn't built any for our 'classic' older 'burbs. Maybe if there was more interest?
Aside from the xmember and the reprogramming, this appears to be a bolt-on swap. Just need to round up the parts beforehand to minimize downtime. The gearing is different in the 4L80E. It should accelerate like the 3/4 tons do. I'll look for the post that talks about it.
Here is the one about the tubular crossmembers:

http://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...tubular-crossmembers-521976/page14/?styleid=1
 
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