billet apply leaver?

olddodgetruck

olddodgetruck

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Sep 6, 2008
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is a billet apply leaver needed for strength, or do they make them billet to change the ratio. it was recommended that i run a 2.5 leaver with my valve body,reason i ask is i found one in a 46re Gasser tranny.
 
i dont see how you would break one(though im sure someone will prove me wrong). I think the aftermarket ones are mainly to change ratios
 
You can get anywhere from 2.5 to 5.0 ratio levers from the factory, depending on model and year. Remember, the 727 trans has been around for a long time!


The main reason going billet is for strength. When you double the stock line pressure or add an upgraded servo with more surface area, you create enough force to break the factory cast levers.

I personally haven't tested the exact limits of an OEM cast lever, but I have seen enough pictures of broken ones to spend the $40 for a billet lever.

As an added bonus, you can get custom ratios in-between the typical factory ratio(s) of 2.5, 3.8, and 5.0.
 
I actually have never heard of a lever breaking but what do I know. Mainly its for timing, try to get a 4.2 lever, the 5.0 holds the band to long and wears down the front clutch.
 
i have been trying to find a billet 2.5 but had no luck. my buddy has a billet 3.8 i think im going to run. its got to be better than the 4.4 thats in there now.
 
I broke one before in a tranny that was supposed to have a billet one but didnt.
 
You might want to ask what material your trans shop of choice is using to machine the lever out of. 1018 steel is much softer than 4140...
 
Lower ratio levers have less leverage, therefore, apply less force to the band, therefore lower the torque capacity of 2nd gear.

The higher the ratio, the farther the 2nd servo has to move to apply and release the band, therefore it is true that 5.0 ratio levers take longer to apply and release than the stock 3.8 ratio lever.

Alot of people run 4.2 ratio levers 10% more leverage than stock 3.8 ratio at the expense of less favorable apply/release timing (there is more chance to overlap the 2-3 shift with a higher ratio lever).

I think DTT is the main aftermarket tranny supplier pushing the 4.4 ratio levers, 15% more leverage than stock.



What tranny building is requesting that you run a 2.5 ratio lever? The only time I could see that being beneficial is on a high revving gasser motor doing 8000 rpm shifts where speed of the shift is more important than ultimate torque capacity in 2nd gear.
 
I just put in a goerend VB in my truck and dave made me take out my suncoast 5.0 lever and put in a billet 3.8.
 
jeff garmon told me to run a 2.5, the valve body makes 200lbs line pressure so he said my 4.4 could break the case. when i pulled it apart the lever put about a .010 indent in the pin. also when i pulled it apart i found a burnt band, i assumed i couldn't be slipping it with a 4,4 and 200lbs of line pressure so it must be dragging on the 2-3 shift
 
I have seen broke levers and bent apply straps and even split anchor ends. I have always used billet 3.8 levers with no issues to date. If you have the valve body setup properly and all shifts timed correctly and all the servos leak free there should be no issues with a band dragging. Also keep in mind with excessive line pressure there is a possibility you can over extend the bellville spring.
 
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OK that's the flat spring in the pack that clips onto the input shaft, behind the forward band. i didn't know what that spring was called, i thought you guys were busting my a$$. i was waiting to hear that the bellville spring can over compress the muffler bearing and you tranny will be junk lol. what kind of line pressure can i run before this becomes an issue?
 
olddodgetruck said:
OK that's the flat spring in the pack that clips onto the input shaft, behind the forward band. i didn't know what that spring was called, i thought you guys were busting my a$$. i was waiting to hear that the bellville spring can over compress the muffler bearing and you tranny will be junk lol. what kind of line pressure can i run before this becomes an issue?
Click to expand...

Some say 190, some say 220.

Will (BigBlue24) mentioned doubling it up in another thread, but that would mess up the clearances right? I want to try that if its possible next time the trans is out. Which with my luck will be fairly soon LOL
 
Big Blue24 said:
Lower ratio levers have less leverage, therefore, apply less force to the band, therefore lower the torque capacity of 2nd gear.

The higher the ratio, the farther the 2nd servo has to move to apply and release the band, therefore it is true that 5.0 ratio levers take longer to apply and release than the stock 3.8 ratio lever.

Alot of people run 4.2 ratio levers 10% more leverage than stock 3.8 ratio at the expense of less favorable apply/release timing (there is more chance to overlap the 2-3 shift with a higher ratio lever).

I think DTT is the main aftermarket tranny supplier pushing the 4.4 ratio levers, 15% more leverage than stock.



What tranny building is requesting that you run a 2.5 ratio lever? The only time I could see that being beneficial is on a high revving gasser motor doing 8000 rpm shifts where speed of the shift is more important than ultimate torque capacity in 2nd gear.
Click to expand...

DTT also supplies you a stiffer front servo spring with the billet front servo in combination with the 4.4 lever to help with the 2-3 shift. The stiffer spring helps to retract the front servo quicker to reduce the chances of a 2-3 bind. I really don't know of anyone else at this time that does the same but I could be wrong. Good info here. As with all things in a tranny, it is about balance.
 
raychem said:
DTT also supplies you a stiffer front servo spring with the billet front servo in combination with the 4.4 lever to help with the 2-3 shift. The stiffer spring helps to retract the front servo quicker to reduce the chances of a 2-3 bind. I really don't know of anyone else at this time that does the same but I could be wrong. Good info here. As with all things in a tranny, it is about balance.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure my rebuild kit from hts did. I didn't understand what the reasoning was at the time, but I do now. I thought my lever was 4:2 though. I can't remember its been a few yrs.

Thanks
 
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