ATS SWAP CUMMINS TO ALLISON CONVERSION KIT

ATS Swap Cummins to Allison Conversion Kit

Fitment: 2007½-Current Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins

⚠ NOTE: If you have a 68-RFE transmission in your Vehicle you will need to have the ECM flashed to a factory external ECM Aisin® option calibration; we recommend that this procedure is completed at the same time as the Allison installation. The factory Aisin® style calibration directs the ECM to look for an external TCM as it does when an Aisin® transmission comes from the factory in the Ram trucks. If you have an Aisin® transmission no ECM reflash is required.

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 Swap Cummins to Allison Conversion Kit offers complete factory functionality from your late model 6.7L Ram; from push button start to tow/haul mode, adaptive cruise control, remote start, electronic range select and electronic transfer case functionality are a few examples. 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 all with 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 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 the ultimate 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.

• 1994-1995 Ram 2500/3500 5.9L came with the 47-RH 4-speed automatic transmission
• 1996-2002 Ram 2500/3500 5.9L came with the 47-RE 4-speed automatic transmission
• 2003-2007.5 Ram 2500/3500 5.9L came with the 48RE 4-speed automatic transmission
• 2007.5-2023 Ram 2500/3500 6.7L came with the 68RFE 6 speed automatic transmission
• 2007-2014 Ram 3500 cab & chassis came with the Aisin AS68RC automatic transmission
• 2014-2021 Ram 3500 came optional with the Aisin AS69RC automatic transmission

Due to the nature of the Dodge Ram 47RH, 47RE, 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 built 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 47RE 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 Aisin always seems a bit “clunky” and does not handle increased power levels well. The AS69RC transmission also relies on engine de-rate that happens between all gear shifts, this engine de-rate makes for a very poor shift quality and massive drivability complaints. Many of the parts to repair the 69RC are not available making the rebuild cost of the 69RC very expensive making the Allison a much more cost effective option.

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 Ram transmission or to replace it with an Allison conversion:

• Is your Cummins engine modified?
• Do you tow heavy loads for long distances?
• Is reliability a top priority to you?
• 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 48-RE 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 2007-2014 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 68-RFE transmission to the Allison depending on the year of the truck the engine calibration has to be re-flashed to an 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 cannot 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

ATS Allison 6 Speed Retrofit application Guide. When you are supplying you own transmission this will tell you what ATS install kit you will need to purchase. 

The information in this guide will explain the different combinations of Allison 5-speed and 6-speed cores that can be used when upgrading to the ATS Allison conversion kit. We have designed the ATS conversion kit to be able to use any GM Allison 5-speed or 6-speed unit manufactured from 2001 to 2019 that came out of a 2500 or 3500 GM Truck. There are 4 basic configurations of the Allison LCT-1000 transmission. Each one of these transmissions use a different pump, Pressure regulator system and Valve Body configuration. These three parts can not be interchanged without causing severe problems. The different ATS conversion kit options are designed around the transmission core you are starting with. Each kit is designed to be sure the kit you order is shipped with the exact parts you need when you rebuild and up-grade your transmission to be used in the ATS conversion package. 

2001 to 2005, 5-Speed Allison LCT-1000. When starting with this core type transmission you must install the ATS modified valve body with internal harness, Manual linkage shaft and Internal mode switch.

2006 to 2010, 6-Speed Allison LCT-1000, When starting with this core type transmission you can use all of the original components. The factory 06-10 VB is hydraulicly limited because of the design of the trim valves, this design limits the line pressure that is allowed to apply the clutch packs which reduces the transmissions ability to hold power. If your Cummins power level is anything above stock it is highly recommended to upgrade to our Valve Body. The ATS valve body is new and designed to provide full line pressure to the clutch packs of the transmission and ensures the transmission will hold increased power levels.

2011 to 2016, 6-Speed Allison LCT-1000, When starting with this core type transmission you can use all of the original components except for the output shaft. The factory output shaft is the wrong spline count to adapt to the Dodge/Ram transfer case. You will need to replace the output shaft with a stock 2001 to 2010 shaft or ATS billet output shaft when doing your rebuild. 

2017 to 2019, 6-Speed Allison LCT-1000, When starting with this core type transmission you must change out the pump/stator support assembly and input shaft to the 2011 to 2016 version. The factory output shaft is the wrong spline count to adapt to the Dodge/Ram transfer case. You will need to replace the output shaft with a stock 2001 to 2010 shaft or ATS billet output shaft when doing your rebuild.

Other after market conversions:

CA Conversion or PCS/Destroked Allison transmission, When converting one of these 5-speed or 6-speed Allison transmissions over to use the ATS control system these parts will need to be used. ATS modified valve body with internal harness, Manual linkage shaft and Internal mode switch and ATS electronics package. These conversions are all built a little different so there may be variances in the exact parts you need. It’s also recommended to add the ATS iDash monitor to this package to display the gear selection, trans temp etc.