ATS Install Kit Allison Conversion, Customer Supplies Transmission, Replaces 4-Wheel Drive Aisin AS68RC 2007.5-2009 68RFE TO ALLISON 1000 Conversion Kits For RAM 6.7L CUMMINS Common Rail
ATS Diesel has engineered the first fully integrated Allison transmission swap for Cummins powered vehicles. Backed by our proprietary TRANSLator technology and our exclusive, patent-pending Allison to Cummins Bellhousing, the ATS Diesel Allison Swap offers complete factory functionality from your late model Ram; from push button start to tow/haul mode, electronic range select and electronic transfer case functionality.
Our revolutionary new TRANSLator can-bridge module allows the Allison TCM to communicate with the Ram ECM and offers a seamless integration of all factory options on the truck with a nearly plug-and-play installation. Our exclusive, patent-pending Allison to Cummins Bellhousing allows a perfect factory match between the Allison and the Cummins with no additional fabrication required.
The all-new ATS Diesel Allison Conversion Kit includes all necessary hardware and software to install an Allison LCT1000 behind your Cummins. ATS Diesel Performance Is Now Offering A Complete Kit So That Our Allison 6 Speed Automatic Transmission Can Be Installed Behind The Cummins 5.9L And 6.7L Engine. For those of you that are not satisfied with the Dodge automatic transmission behind your Cummins engine, the Allison 6 speed swap is an excellent alternative.
If you're looking for increased reliability and a transmission that will hold under the power of the Cummins you will find that the Allison LCT1000 built by ATS is superior to the factory transmissions offered by Dodge. Dodge offered three basic transmission designs behind the Cummins equipped light duty 2500/3500 pickup trucks from 2003 to 2021. While ATS offers rebuilt versions of these three transmissions using heavy duty upgraded parts, they do not offer all of the benefits of a fully built Allison 6 speed automatic. 2003 to 2007 2500/3500 5.9L came with the 48RE 4 speed automatic transmission 2007 to 2021 2500/3500 6.7L came with the 68RFE 6 speed automatic transmission or 2007 to 2012 3500 Cab and Chassis came with the Aisin AS68RC automatic transmission 2013 to 2021 3500 came optional with the AS69RC automatic transmission
Due to the nature of the Dodge 48RE, 68RFE, and AS68RC having very small shafts, gear sets and clutch packs, the factory Dodge transmissions require very extensive modifications and expensive hard parts to compete with a rebuilt ATS Allison 1000. These parts include the hydraulic pump, clutch packs, shafts, and torque converter modifications to strengthen it to reliably handle the massive torque of the Cummins engine.
The Allison 6 speed automatic transmission comes from the factory with large shafts, clutch packs and gear sets. This gives the Allison a direct advantage over the 48RE and AS68RC Dodge transmissions. The AS69RC has similar size clutch packs, shafts and gear sets as the Allison, however, it does not have an ideal gear split so the AS69RC always seems a bit clunky and does not handle increased power levels well.
The AS69RC transmission also relies on engine derate that happens between all gear shifts, this engine derate makes for a very poor shift quality and massive drivability complaints. When all costs are taken into consideration with regards to what it takes to upgrade all of the small and under designed parts of the Dodge transmission, the upgrade to the Allison conversion could be argued as the most cost effective solution.
There are a few questions you should ask yourself when weighing the decision of whether to go with an ATS upgraded Dodge transmission or to replace it with an Allison conversion:
- Is your Cummins engine modified?
- Do you tow heavy loads for long distances?
- Do you have over-sized tires?
- Does your vehicle appear to be under stress with the workload you are putting it under?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you are a prime candidate for the Allison transmission swap. The 48RE transmission is very old technology that has been passed on for many years. Utilizing bands, hydraulic throttle valves and governor pressure to control shift timing, the 48RE transmission will never be a smooth shifting transmission or have the consistency of the newer designed transmissions.
The first three gears of the 48RE are spaced evenly while the 4th gear is a massive jump into overdrive. The big jump into overdrive creates a large RPM drop into 4th gear making it somewhat unpleasant for towing. The lock-up torque converter was added as an afterthought to the already outdated low-line pressure transmission making it difficult to control the application of the converter clutch providing unpleasant TCC shifts.
If you're looking to tow a trailer at a higher horsepower, the 48RE transmission may not be the best transmission choice. Although the 48RE can be upgraded to be extremely reliable and handle very high power levels, the shifting of an upgraded 48RE transmission still has the feel of an old school 4 speed automatic of the past. The 68RFE transmission has a fantastic gear split between its 1st through 6th gears providing an almost perfect gear ratio change. The torque converter is a PWM design allowing for precise application of the converter clutch which provides a smooth shift.
Unfortunately, this is where all praise for the 68RFE ends. The 68RFE transmission was clearly designed to be the least expensive to manufacture. As a result, there are many elements that must be upgraded in this transmission to make it reliable and handle higher power levels. Even the transmission case is cheaply designed and must be reinforced with a large aluminum pan and transmission brace over the top to keep if from cracking in half.
The 68RFE internals are actually larger versions of those found in a Dodge Caravan transmission that originally debuted in 1989. Chrysler used this basic design and adapted it to be used behind their gas engines calling it the 545RFE. They then made a few parts in the 545RFE transmission a little larger again to then be used behind the Cummins which eventually became the 68RFE that we know today. The 68RFE can be rebuilt with upgraded parts making it a great shifting transmission but it is limited because of the small clutch packs, gear sets and shafts that make up the transmission. At the end of the day the 68RFE is just a Gas transmission that was placed behind the massive 6.7L Cummins engine. Similar to the 48RE, the money spent in strengthening the internals of the 68RFE is likely better suited to be invested in the Allison conversion.
If you were to spend the money to upgrade the internals of the 68RFE, you would still be left with a transmission that has clutch packs, gear sets and shafts that are nearly half the size of those in the Allison. For those that currently have a 2007 to 2012 Aisin AS68RC, upgrading to the Allison is the only logical choice. The Aisin AS68RC transmission suffers from many of the same shortcomings as the 68RFE but also has its own unique issues.
Currently there are limited hard part upgrades for the Aisin AS68RC and there are many areas that need to be addressed, not only for strength but for longevity. Factory replacement parts are 2 to 3 times the cost of conventional parts which drives the cost of rebuilding the AS68RC to a level that is unreasonable.
For these reasons, ATS decided to focus our efforts on making the Allison 6 speed conversion affordable for anyone that needs to replace their failed AS68RC. Another one of the benefits of the Allison is it learns your driving style, different drivers, power levels, habits etc, the Allison TCM will adapt to them all providing a smooth shift through all the ranges.
Tap shifting capabilities and tow-haul are all still present as well. For the 6.7L Cummins you can use the factory shifter and for older trucks you can purchase a new shifter, which can be installed in a matter of minutes and still has all factory functionality. Overall the Allison can handle more power, with more functionality and longevity than other transmissions. An Allison swap is a solid choice whether you want it for your daily driver, heavy towing, or want to take your truck down the sled pulling track.
What would be the best all around transmission for a person that tows, wants to use the power of their high horsepower Diesel, is looking for reliability above all and still would like to have the ideal shifting transmission?
The Allison 1000 is the best option that is now possible behind the Cummins engine! This does not mean you can take just any Allison 1000 transmission and put it behind the Cummins engine, as great as the Allison transmission is; the stock Allison transmission does have it's limitations and downfalls. The great news is the Allison can easily and affordably be upgraded to handle a very high level of abuse and high horsepower while providing reliability and longevity. In order to properly transplant the Allison transmission into the Dodge Pickup there are many areas that need to be addressed.
How the transmission is adapted to the engine, transfer case, cooler line adaptation, manual linkage, fill tube, transmission electronic control system, and driveline modifications are the basics. This is another area where ATS shines, we have taken the time to cast a Factory fit bell housing and extension housing to replace the GM ones found on the Allison. The new ATS castings allow the Allison to transmission to bolt directly up to the Cummins engine with out any engine modifications.
Yes, this means you no longer need a different engine adapter plate, different starter, flex plate and most importantly you no longer have to grind material off of the engine block to make clearance for the starter. All of the factory wiring and fuel line brackets bolt to the original bell housing bolts as it came from the factory.
The transfer case bolts up the back of the transmission and it's positioned perfectly allowing the drive lines to line up properly. When converting from a 68RFE transmission to the Allison depending on the year of the truck the engine calibration has to be re-flashed to a AS68RC or AS69RC calibration.
This is as easy as using the factory Chrysler scan tool and loading the original factory calibration into the truck. Once this step has been performed you can apply aftermarket tuning to your truck as you have in the past if you are after higher power levels or other engine tuning modifications. The other area where the ATS Allison conversion shines is in our electronics package. Our Translator module bridges the gap between the Transmission Control Module (TCM), Body Control Module (BCM) and the Engine Control Module (ECM).
When the factory Chrysler transmission is removed from the truck the BCM and ECM no longer receive information from the TCM, this causes a huge problem with the operation of the truck.
A few of these issues are:
- Loss of cruise control, loss of factory remote start, loss of factory rear view camera, speedometer out of calibration, you can not shift to 4x4 Low range,
- Loss of Tow Haul mode,
- Loss of Tap Shafter,
- Loss of PRND 1,2,3,4,5,6 indicator on dash.
The ATS Translator module bridges all of this information making EVERYTHING work as it did from the factory. All functionality works perfectly allowing the truck to drive and operate as it did the day it rolled off the showroom floor!
Allison Conversion Package (Specific Parts Vary Depending On Year And Model)
- Allison 6 Speed Transmission with Cast Cummins Bell Housing and Extension Housing Billet Five Star Torque Converter ATS Deep Pans Transmission Oil Pan Translator Transmission Controller with Plug and Play Wiring Harness Transfer Case Adapter Kit Shift Linkage Kit Dipstick Tube Cooler Adapter Lines and Fittings Transmission Mount
Allison Conversion Package Cost - The average cost for an ATS Allison 6 speed Transmission conversion is between $12,000 to $15,000.00 depending on what Year and Model truck you have. All of the ATS trans packages come with a 5-year warranty.
We are in the process of releasing our Allison conversion kits to the public so you can provide your own transmission. As we release these year specific kits we will release pricing for the Kit less the transmission. Be aware that the stock Allison transmission is only good for stock power levels of the Duramax, which means when put behind the Cummins it is already pushed beyond its factory power rating so internal upgrades will be necessary.
- Transfer Case - You should not have any additional cost or modifications associated with this part, any parts required are supplied with our kit. Drive Shaft - Some driveshaft work may be required. Worst case is you will need to shorten one, and lengthen one; each truck varies depending on year and model. Installation - Estimated time to do the complete install if done by a professional is about 12 Hours.
In summary the Allison swap will probably cost you about 20 percent more than upgrading your factory Dodge transmission and your truck will be down for about a week while the drive lines are being modified.
The end benefit will be well worth the extra money you spend on the upgrade swap. Reliability, smooth shifting, more power to the wheels, being in the optimal gear all the time, better acceleration, responsiveness, less maintenance cost and overall driving enjoyment are a few of the reasons the ATS Allison 1000 6 speed swap is so popular.
ATS has developed the most compressive and advanced Allison swap on the market, you WILL NOT find another Swap that provides the features that are offered in this kit.
