ATS Stage 1-3 Transmission Packages 12-18 6.7L Cummins 68RFE

ATS Stage 1-3 Transmission Packages 12-18 6.7L Cummins 68RFEWhile the 68RFE transmission has been a far superior transmission to any of the previous offerings from Dodge, its shortfalls have ultimately reared their ugly heads. On top of this, the 68RFE is heavily computer controlled, which means that when stall rates and other necessary items are upgraded, the factory computer gets confused, which can lead to the immediate demise of what should have been an upgraded transmission. The professionals at ATS have

While the 68RFE transmission has been a far superior transmission to any of the previous offerings from Dodge, its shortfalls have ultimately reared their ugly heads. On top of this, the 68RFE is heavily computer controlled, which means that when stall rates and other necessary items are upgraded, the factory computer gets confused, which can lead to the immediate demise of what should have been an upgraded transmission. The professionals at ATS have determined how to properly upgrade the 68RFE to ensure its longevity under any circumstances.

ATS started RD in 2007.5 and spent countless man hours and resources re-designing and strengthening the platform. This began with building their Five Star converter for the transmission. It features a billet cover, five square tab lock-up clutches, billet stator, furnace brazed impeller, billet piston and HD bearings - all stalled to the Cummins torque curve. Capable of handling 2500 ft/lbs of torque, this torque converter will handle whatever is thrown at it.

• The ATS Stage 1 68RFE Package is designed for stock up to 500 rear wheel horsepower.
• The ATS Stage 2 68RFE Package is designed for stock up to 650 rear wheel horsepower.
• The ATS Stage 3 68RFE Package is designed for stock up to 750 rear wheel horsepower. 

ATS has developed a combined technology utilizing recalibration of the hydraulic circuits inside the transmission, including revamped accumulator rates, reprogrammed clutch to clutch apply and release timings, and line pressure rise rate to perfectly match the torque output of the engine. These enhancements, along with other key hydraulic modifications which ATS makes, must be done to ensure the clutch packs have the correct apply and release rates when commanded on or off. As well, the transmission hard parts have many limiting weaknesses which do not allow for increased power levels over stock. Specifically, the light duty shafts and hubs, and the low one-way sprag; these hard part weaknesses must be addressed. Some of the areas that are addressed by ATS to complete the performance transmission upgrade package are listed below, starting at the front of the transmission working towards the back.

Pump Assembly:
The Torque converter regulator valve has been redesigned to prevent over pressure and ballooning of the converter, along with regulating minimum converter charge for proper cooling and lubrication of the transmission gear set. This redesign also eliminates the common problematic valve and bore wear that is usually the first cause of high mileage transmission failure. The main pressure regulator circuit is modified to enable a broader range of pressure that can be commanded from the TCM. This allows the pump to lower line pressure when the engine is at low loads and more responsively raise pressure above stock to react with increased engine torque and horse power levels.

Rotating Clutch Drum Assembly and Clutch Packs:
Clutch modifications are generally one of the most impactful and important items that can be upgraded in any transmission. In the case of the 68RFE transmission, there is little room for additional clutches, so modifications must be done to pressure plates, providing increased clutch surfaces. The clutch packs that are increased surface area listed below:

• The Under Drive (Forward) clutch pack surface area is increased by 21%, using single sided clutch plates.
  
• The Over Drive clutch pack surface area is increased by 17%, also using single sided clutch plates, this allows for better clutch control when overdrive is used at higher power levels.
  
• The 2C clutch pack surface area is increased by 34%, using double sided frictions.
  
• The 4C clutch pack surface area is increased by 34%, using double sided frictions.
  

The weak mechanical low one-way sprag is replaced with a stronger roller clutch design that used a "cam and roller" system. The factory low sprag not only has a very weak torque capacity, but it also fails from lack of proper lubrication. The stronger low roller clutch design used by ATS prevents the higher mileage failures associated with the sprag-type clutch. Although the new "cam and roller" low roller clutch design is much stronger, it still has limitations; the Co-Pilot transmission controller contains a direct function to route power around the mechanical clutch when extreme power levels are sensed.

Valve Body:
The valve body is considered the nervous system of the transmission; the valve body is responsible for converting the electrical signals from the TCM into hydraulic actions. The 68RFE uses a non-synchronous, clutch-to-clutch design. This means that the shifts from gear to gear must be timed perfectly, thereby releasing and applying a friction clutch to achieve a flawless shift. Because of the sensitivity of the hydraulic circuits, ATS heavily modified many areas of the valve body. Hydraulic oil flow is ported to certain clutch packs where additional pressure is needed. The accumulator piston seals have been redesigned to ensure hydraulic pressure integrity. The accumulator plate is made of high-grade material to compensate for the additional pressure that the accumulator pistons and springs exert during heavy power situations. Also, the ATS 68RFE valve body can be purchased separately and installed in a stock transmission for increased transmission capacity.

Shafts:
There are three shafts in the 68RFE that are of some concern. The forward hub/shaft, Intermediate hub/shaft and the input shaft. The forward hub/shaft is reinforced to eliminate breakage. The Intermediate hub/shaft is reinforced to eliminate breakage. The input shaft is an optional upgrade (comes standard above the Stage 1), and is made made from 300M billet material just like ATS' 47RE and 48RE shafts.

Case and Pan:
The main transmission case does not require a lot of conditioning aside from a few small hydraulic modifications to allow for proper oil flow. At higher power levels the transmission case does need to be strengthened. This is a simple fix that is taken care of with the included heavy duty transmission pan, which was designed in part to act as a girdle, thus eliminating flex in the case. The large oversized pan also provides for an additional five quarts of ATF allowing the transmission to run cooler.