TF727 or TH400?

[SVO42]

I have never dealt with a TF 727 that didn't leak. I don't like the way-too-early 2-3 shift, either. I have no personal experience with TH400s.

Between the two automatic transmissions, which do you prefer and why? Tranny gurus: what say you? Is one a better design than the other?

I'm curious since I like to research things and like to know ahead of time (future FSJ purchases ).

[DAHoyle]

Some will probably disagree, but as far as I can tell, from a design standpoint, they are pretty much equal, and both have had many many variations over the years.

The one thing they have in common, is they were both placed behind their respective manufacturers most powerful big block engines. Both seem to have a reputation for parasitic drag.

Here is where it gets a bit sticky. The TH400 never came in a Jeep with anything besides a Quadratrac or D20, so swapping t-cases gets a bit trickier, if staying with Jeep only. Going aftermarket/custom, then the sky is the limit. you can also swap on a Chevy adapter and toss a 205 behind it.

The 727 can manage a 208, 207, 219, 229, and sometimes a D300 not to mention some of the stouter Baby Jeep offerings such as the 241, on the factory adapter, so the easy bolt on's are more plentiful. You can also swap a Dodge output adapter, and go with a 205 on them as well.

In the end, I would say it comes to personal choice, and I'm sure you will have many of each very soon.

[mattmopar440]

A TF727 is stronger I have never had a problem them. but with the th400s we have had just stupid little shifting problems to major failure with all of our th400 or 700r4 the two TF727 we have had are working and still working to this day

keep it cool best upgrade is a deep pan and syn. fluid and a large cooler TF727 are smaller so the generate more heat and have less surface area to dissipate it

[Ted Wendel]

I've never had any trouble out of Turbo 400,and I like that it uses a wire for downshifting,instead of a cable.A 727 can explode,it may never happen in a Jeep,but if you break a drive shaft,u-joint,or rear end,it can mess up the rear over running clutch,and that will let the front clutch retainer spin at 2.2 times engine RPM's which it is not designed for.A 727 is shorter than a 400,my son has a 727 in his CJ-8,it only has a few hundred miles on it,but so far so good.

[JeepNOFEAR]

I've always heard they were about the same in strength. You more then likely will have more problems with a TH400 considering most have been on the road longer. I bet rebuilding a TH400 is cheaper too.

[KaiserMan]

I will Forever maintain that 727's (or any Dodge auto) is crap. Everyone I know that owns or has owned (myself included) has nothing good to say about Dodge auto's. Be they from cars, trucks or Jeeps. Early deaths, crappy odd shifting. More early deaths. Hardly ever see problems with TH350/375's or TH400/TH475's.

Let's see: 180,000 miles on a '93 CTD with an A518, the OD version of the 727. Injection jacked up withing an inch of its life and abused almost daily.

Dad's '87 B350: 225,000 miles & climbing. Tranny is original & fine

Needed fast replacement for junk powerglide in drag car. Purchased junk yard 727. swapped in manual valve body/convertor & went racing. tranny was fine when car was destroyed in wreck 6 years later. Oh, the car ran 9.20's with the little 440 in it and 8.70's when we put the big dog in. Never did rebuild the tranny.

IF you break an axle with an open diff at very high RPM's on a 727, the factory sprag may be pulled out of the case. fairly rare indicdent, but most hipo 727 rebuilds use a bolt-in sprag. the kind of over-revving rpm's needed to pull the sprag are probably unachievable by a stock engine in most cases.

I have nothing against the TH400, just saying......

[mattmopar440]

Originally Posted by incommando

with the little 440 in it

I love them little motors

The only thing I can say the TH400 has over the TF727 is it take a hell of a long time for them to die I mean they kinda piss ya off My j10 Lost rev then third this took several weeks then finale got taken out of service

[TPICherokee]

Originally Posted by KaiserMan

I will Forever maintain that 727's (or any Dodge auto) is crap. Everyone I know that owns or has owned (myself included) has nothing good to say about Dodge auto's. Be they from cars, trucks or Jeeps. Early deaths, crappy odd shifting. More early deaths. Hardly ever see problems with TH350/375's or TH400/TH475's.

I have a friend that owns a transmission shop and has an 89 GW and he can't wait for the 727 to blow up so he can replace it with a better tranny (probably 700R4 or something similar).

The thing I hate about the 727 is the rinky dink kickdown linkage, it looks way too complex with too many parts to fail or maybe Rube Goldberg designed it...

[fulsizjeep]

I have years of driving experience with both of them and for the best of each breed, they are both CRAP. You asked for it.

[TPICherokee]

Originally Posted by fulsizjeep

I have years of driving experience with both of them and for the best of each breed, they are both CRAP. You asked for it.

LOL

[janie]

Originally Posted by fulsizjeep

I have years of driving experience with both of them and for the best of each breed, they are both CRAP. You asked for it.

Flint, don't sugarcoat it like that. Just say what's on your mind!

The TH400 in Tequilla, WILL be my last slushbox.......

[mattmopar440]

Originally Posted by janie

The TH400 in Tequilla, WILL be my last slushbox.......

you say that now but once the high cost of getting you driveway seal coated every year when you jeep use to do if for free

I found now that if I have one at storage and the other at home as long as there not in line of sight of each other they dont get in leaking wars

[Kali]

simply from an observational standpoint, i see a lot more threads on here with 727 complaints than i do 400s. Now, is that because the 400s have been in trucks a few years longer and most have been rebuilt already whereas the 727s are just starting to fail? Possibly, but probably not. From what I have seen on here, the 400 is a safer bet.

[gsmikie]

considering that they are 40 year old trannies and everybody has messed with them and the fact that they are in 4x4 5000lb trucks that most people dont know how to drive i think thay are doing real well..... the one i like the most is the one that dont break or the one i happen to have parts for when it does break

[TooRisky]

Rebuilt the th400 along with my 401 and have never had a problem with either of them....

[bigun]

I had a buddy that blew up a few 727s of course they were behind his 500 Ci 750 HP big block in his Dart race car!! He found out that there was a problem with the passages in the case if the mold slipped the passages were not lined up and they restricted flow and KaBoom

[Dmntxn77]

Wow, I am surprised that the 727 is getting any votes.

Not that it is a POS tranny or anything, but you are putting it in competition with what is widely known to be the most common, most versitile, strongest, and most popular auto tranny for all kinds of applications ranging from drag cars to huge (both in size and hp) 4x4's...

With that said, IF I happened to have a FSJ with a 727, I wouldnt ditch it for a th400 unless a rebuild was due, and switching would be cheaper... In my case, it would probably be cheaper for me to swap in a 727 since I think it will bolt right up to my Klune, where as the th400 will require a new tailshaft and adapter in order to mate up. However, since I want the best on my rig, I am probably going to stick with the th400 regardless.

[COLOFIREMAN]

Ok I vote for the TF727. I plow ALOT and I have had to swap or rebuilt many TH400 to the one TF727 that I had in my GW88 with the plow. I love it Torque Flight tranny so much I've had the younger brother in my CJ, the TF904, with a pissed 360, one tons, and 39's. For rock crawling, back and forth, low speed, high torque, engines it's the best in my mind.

Now that I've said that I love the TH400 for long towing jobs, but that's about it.

Ok I just about have all the SPF 1000 on.....

[duncanstives]

Having burned up lots of autos (I abuse them.. They get water in them, I don't change fluid as often as I should, etc) I really researched the 727 before buying the waggy... This article convinced me to buy one: http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmis...-tom-hand.html

I have no expirience with a th400 but everything I have read says its also a great tranny... That said I have had my tanny overnight in water/mud, run for a long time locked in first with pretty high RPMs, offroaded in ways that shock loaded the crap out of it and otherwise thrashed... I am slightly embarassed to admit I have never changed the fluid but it still runs like that day it came off the line