how strong is a hydramatic ?

[Renze]

I have a co worker who is into classic USA cars, and he knows his way into the parts trade.

I was wondering, if i found a cheap Hydramatic transmission, would i be able to get some hours out of it if i used it in a home built wheel loader or a bulldozer, with a 100 hp engine in front of it ?

The Allison automatics of fire trucks are way too expensive to buy used.

 

[patrick_g]

I have a co worker who is into classic USA cars, and he knows his way into the parts trade.

I was wondering, if i found a cheap Hydramatic transmission, would i be able to get some hours out of it if i used it in a home built wheel loader or a bulldozer, with a 100 hp engine in front of it ?

The Allison automatics of fire trucks are way too expensive to buy used.

I'm sure you will get an entire spectrum of responses.

I vote against the idea for the following reason:

The automotive hydromatic transmission may have been coupled to an engine in excess of 100 HP but the duration of actually transferring 100 HP (if it ever did) was short. To expect a light duty trans to survive in a situation where it is working hard for hours at a time, as in dozer ops, is in my opinion, wishful thinking.

You are free to give it a try and prove me wrong but it might be an expensive experiment.

Pat

 

[Jimbrown]

A 4L80 might work Thats the heavy duty one used in 3/4 trucks and up even motor homes. Any thing in the 4L60 range is light duty and will fail. Key items would be low gearing and and a big cooler. The hot rodders seem to have good luck with modified powerglides. Thats the old two speed from about 1955 or so. Don't think any of them will work in stock form. And the modified ones ain't cheap.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Must be some youngsters here. A Hydramatic is not exactly a light duty trans. There was a time when Hydramatics ruled at the dragstrip in the upper classes. Co's like B&M made their rep building race ready Hydramatics.

Don't know how useful or practical your idea is, but the trans you've suggested is no weak sister.

YMMV

 

[ultrarunner]

A variation was also used in WWII tanks...

 

[skidsteer.ca]

The powerglides where known to be tough, but they only race them in light cars now because they don't have as low a gear as the turbo 400. either would likely need some aftermarket parts to beef them up. Further you would need a hi stall torque converter to match the power curve of your engine as most the factory converters stall to low.

 

[Bird]

My first experience with an automatic transmission was my parents' 1948 Oldsmobile 76 (6 cylinder engine in a black 4 door sedan with a hydramatic transmission). I later owned a 1952 Chevrolet 4 door sedan with a powerglide and a 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille with a hydramatic. They were good cars and never had a transmission problem, but I'd expect Patrick to be right; not a good choice for your stated use. But of course, I've never tried it or seen it tried so I can't say for sure.

 

[wrenchturner]

100 hp is really not that much power. Think about it, that is less than what you get out of your economy grocery go getter. It is torque that matters.
For normally aspirated gasoline engines you can estimate about 1 lbft of torque for each cubic inch. Put a hydramatic turbo 400 in it and it will never break. I pull a 9000 lb camper with a 78 pickup with a 489 in it and routinely hold it to the floor accelerating. The trans is a 400 and never been rebuilt. A hydramatic 350 is not as strong but still strong. Stay away from the electronic transmissions. When you build your dozer, the gear reduction should be at the drive axles anyway. Also, parts are cheap for the 400 and 350.

 

[john_bud]

Renze,

It's worth a try. From reading your other posts, it seems you have the time and skills --> but not the big bucks. You may want to get a shift kit for it. Probably an RV or Towing kit as your application is lower RPM's.

Auto trans fail when fed a steady diet of High Torque at low RPM's. If you have a 100 hp engine that puts out it's power at 4000-4500 rpm, that would be better for the trans longevity. Do what ever you can to keep the fluid cool. Plumb in a reservour with 5-6 gal (20-25 L) capacity and a honking big cooler (w fan) and that will go a long way.

Good luck!
jb

 

[bx23barry]

If ya are talking about the 50s hydramatic, they are tough. Variants were used in tanks and APCs with engines up to 6v71 detroits, also 5 ton trucks. Keep the fluid cool and it should be fine. I even think a th400 would work too.