32RH to AW4 transmission swap

Good to know , what exactly is the torque converter issue ? Not enough stall speed , too much , lock up too early/late ? It seems odd since GM used this trans with V-6 and V-8's you would think you could find an acceptable TC spec. Thanks.

Getting the stall correct.
 
Same thing I was thinking plus a lot of guys I know in the buggy world run a lot of different trannys and the 700r4 and the aw4 were the 2 I was looking into that would work good in my setup and with my end goal.
If they are both junk then I wonder what I should go with so I’m not having to change stuff around on a atlas later on.

What I find a bit funny is just how much bullshit folks will put up with due to how hard it is to change. I've driven a few KOH rigs for the stock and stock mod class. One thing they have in common is just flat out terrible scarily poor brakes. I wouldn't run that stuff for 10 feet on the street and they act like it is no big deal and proudly tell everyone to run out and get the same crap they have. Doesn't matter that they are sponsored and the parts don't work.

I'd not use anything anyone else does as a way to do something without getting in it and driving it.
 
I'd stick with the 32RH. It's good enough and strong enough for the dragstrip, it has been behind a lot of high HP race engines.

Drag racing and 32rh? I know of absolutely not a single person that uses a 32rh behind any motor and in an class… th350, th400, 700r4, glides and 4l80’s are the majority of any autos you will see in any class.
 
Drag racing and 32rh? I know of absolutely not a single person that uses a 32rh behind any motor and in an class… th350, th400, 700r4, glides and 4l80’s are the majority of any autos you will see in any class.

Not that it really matters that much but Fred over in AZ did a 32 swap into his TJ. He managed to reach down and knock the shifter into reverse at 65 on his first drive out to a trail. Took it back to his shop, yanked it, pulled it apart, then put it back together. No damage. They are reasonably stout.
 
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Not that it really matters that much but Fred over in AZ did a 32 swap into his TJ. He managed to reach down and knock the shifter into reverse at 65 on his first drive out to a trail. Took it back to his shop, yanked it, pulled it apart, then put it back together. No damage. They are reasonably stout.

Not saying they aren’t stout but it would be the last trans I would put in any drag racing scenario.
 
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Not saying they aren’t stout but it would be the last trans I would put in any drag racing scenario.
Googling of the subject would confirm it has been used on the dragstrip for many years and is still to this day being used for drag racing. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/TorqueFlite

Quoted from the Wiki site... "

A999 (32RH)​

The A999 (later renamed 32RH) was a heavier-duty, wide-ratio version of the small-frame A904 transmission for use with medium-power V8 engines and the 3.9 L V6 engine. It was equipped with five direct friction plates. These automatics had lower first and second gear ratios to allow the lower-powered engines to provide better acceleration without sacrificing highway fuel economy. Frequently used today in drag racing."

And similar in uses to the older 2-speed Powerglide automatic from GM, like my '57 Chevy had, which was also a popular choice for dragsters.
 
Googling of the subject would confirm it has been used on the dragstrip for many years and is still to this day being used on the dragstrip for many years and is still to this day being used for drag racing. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/TorqueFlite

Quoted from the Wiki site... "

A999 (32RH)​

The A999 (later renamed 32RH) was a heavier-duty, wide-ratio version of the small-frame A904 transmission for use with medium-power V8 engines and the 3.9 L V6 engine. It was equipped with five direct friction plates. These automatics had lower first and second gear ratios to allow the lower-powered engines to provide better acceleration without sacrificing highway fuel economy. Frequently used today in drag racing."

And similar in uses to the older 2-speed Powerglide automatic from GM, like my '57 Chevy had, which was also a popular choice for dragsters.

Guess my many years spent racing/ helping other teams at the drag strip and not ever seeing a single 32 makes me a dummy cause google says so 🤷🏻.
So the consensus here is the 32 is the only trans that anyone should ever put in anything.
So I will do an ls, a 32 and a atlas that’s what your getting to here?
 
So the consensus here is the 32 is the only trans that anyone should ever put in anything.
Not sure where you got the consensus part from? For what you described about your build and the reasons for swapping it to something else, the 32 makes the most sense time-wise, economically, performance-wise, and taking into account anything else you do only sucking slightly less. All the rest of the bullshit aside, that's where you are at.
 
Not sure where you got the consensus part from? For what you described about your build and the reasons for swapping it to something else, the 32 makes the most sense time-wise, economically, performance-wise, and taking into account anything else you do only sucking slightly less. All the rest of the bullshit aside, that's where you are at.

So ditching the aw4 idea, ditching the 32 and trying to plan ahead and go with a gm trans to will bolt right to a ls motor is a bad idea? I’m just trying to plan ahead for future goals so I’m not wasting a bunch of money and time through the whole build.
 
So ditching the aw4 idea, ditching the 32 and trying to plan ahead and go with a gm trans to will bolt right to a ls motor is a bad idea? I’m just trying to plan ahead for future goals so I’m not wasting a bunch of money and time through the whole build.

Not a bad idea, not a cheap one though since you will no longer need a couple of grand in adapters and will need a new torque converter.
 
Behind a 4.0 I agree but behind a ls there has to be a better way. The ls is my end goal so I can ditch the heavy 4.0 which is about shot in my jeep anyways.

None of the common GM trannies like the 4L60E or 700R4 would be anywhere near the top of my list behind an LS unless you are doing something like the 4800 or 5.3.
 
Not a bad idea, not a cheap one though since you will no longer need a couple of grand in adapters and will need a new torque converter.

I figure either buy adapters for a gm trans now or buy adapters for the 32 later for the ls. Stick with a 3 speed and wish I went 4 later, do I really need a 4? I have no idea I do see where I would like it it but it would be on very rare occasions. I’d love to go with the 42 and a rubicrawler if I already had the 42 that would be where I’d go.
Just trying to see what would be the best way about my end goal.
 
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None of the common GM trannies like the 4L60E or 700R4 would be anywhere near the top of my list behind an LS unless you are doing something like the 4800 or 5.3.

For high hp applications I agree, you can only build them so far. For crawling behind a 4.8 or 5.3 I could see them having a place. Btw I have an aluminum 5.3 that I was planning on throwing in my fox body but since I have put a built 5.3 in the fox the aluminum 5.3 might be changing it life to being in a jeep.
 
For high hp applications I agree, you can only build them so far. For crawling behind a 4.8 or 5.3 I could see them having a place. Btw I have an aluminum 5.3 that I was planning on throwing in my fox body but since I have put a built 5.3 in the fox the aluminum 5.3 might be changing it life to being in a jeep.

Generic aluminum 5.3 or the L33?
 
Same thing I was thinking plus a lot of guys I know in the buggy world run a lot of different trannys and the 700r4 and the aw4 were the 2 I was looking into that would work good in my setup and with my end goal.
If they are both junk then I wonder what I should go with so I’m not having to change stuff around on a atlas later

Getting the stall correct.

Since stall speed and effective torque transfer is largely dependent on engine torque and rpm. That makes me wonder if the 4.0 is the lackluster variable not the TC.
I remember low buck street racers would use a 10" Vega PowerGlide TC on a hot small block and at least one BBC. It would raise the Flash stall to around 5500 rpm. The same TC with a Vega 4 banger would flash stall around 2700 rpm.