Edhard_Stark
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2014
- Posts
- 77
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Connecticut
- First Name
- Ed
- Truck Year
- 1979
- Truck Model
- K10
- Engine Size
- 350
So I lost 3rd gear in my TH350 two days ago. I've been planning to rebuild a spare TH350 I have with a nice rebuild kit and converting it to a lockup style. I feel in terms of strength and moderate fuel economy, this would be well rounded with 3.42 gears and 33inch tires. However, my buddy raised a good point with a 700R4. He suggested a 700R4 and do 4.11 gears. Between the extra gearing in first and the overdrive allowing the lower gears, that could be a great advantage off road.
So here's my crossroads, I don't know what to do. My engine regardless of trans is an LS swap making about 350-400whp with a well rounded powerband. I'm also staying with 33's for at least a year or two. 35's would be the biggest tire this truck sees. It will be off road a lot, but I will be doing quite a bit off out of state driving to go to off road parks, mainly to rausch creek in PA. Right now, I'm biased to the 700. Having all that gearing(since I'm rebuilding my axles anyway) and OD would be great for the trips. However it seems like it can get expensive real quick to build one up, and get all the parts to swap it over. I'd wouldn't know what to get to rebuild it either. The TH350 is a lot simpler. I'd most likely do a TCI rebuild, and get the appropriate lock up components. With the 700R4, I might as well grab the different output shaft from ORD to use an np205. Or maybe I should use the 208 to save weight and get the better gearing?
This isn't a race truck, and I don't floor it in mud. It'll mostly be a trail crawler on a weekend or two a month, and it'll be a street queen other than that. Factoring that I'll only be rocking 33's and off-roading some of the time, I feel like a 700 would be a great way to go. I just don't know if it'll handle my needs. I'm not afraid to spend the money and rebuild it myself, but if it's going to be significantly more than my th350, it'll lose some appeal to me. I should also not that regardless of what trans I go with, I'm re-gearing from my current 3.08 gears. I'm thinking 3.42 if I stay with a th350, and 4.11 if I go 700r4.
So here's my crossroads, I don't know what to do. My engine regardless of trans is an LS swap making about 350-400whp with a well rounded powerband. I'm also staying with 33's for at least a year or two. 35's would be the biggest tire this truck sees. It will be off road a lot, but I will be doing quite a bit off out of state driving to go to off road parks, mainly to rausch creek in PA. Right now, I'm biased to the 700. Having all that gearing(since I'm rebuilding my axles anyway) and OD would be great for the trips. However it seems like it can get expensive real quick to build one up, and get all the parts to swap it over. I'd wouldn't know what to get to rebuild it either. The TH350 is a lot simpler. I'd most likely do a TCI rebuild, and get the appropriate lock up components. With the 700R4, I might as well grab the different output shaft from ORD to use an np205. Or maybe I should use the 208 to save weight and get the better gearing?
This isn't a race truck, and I don't floor it in mud. It'll mostly be a trail crawler on a weekend or two a month, and it'll be a street queen other than that. Factoring that I'll only be rocking 33's and off-roading some of the time, I feel like a 700 would be a great way to go. I just don't know if it'll handle my needs. I'm not afraid to spend the money and rebuild it myself, but if it's going to be significantly more than my th350, it'll lose some appeal to me. I should also not that regardless of what trans I go with, I'm re-gearing from my current 3.08 gears. I'm thinking 3.42 if I stay with a th350, and 4.11 if I go 700r4.
