Tier One's HD Towing AS69RC Transmission Features:
- Built AS69RC Transmission designed specifically for heavy towing and hauling at near-stock power levels
- Comprehensive hydraulic overhaul addressing the root causes of Aisin transmission failure
- Complete, drop-in transmission for 2013-2018 Ram 6.7L Cummins 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks
- Features a Tier One High-Performance Valve Body with Brand New Solenoids and extensive upgrades
- Includes a Precision Heavy-Duty Torque Converter, new High Energy friction module, and a new filter
- Upgraded with a PPE Raw Aluminum Deep Transmission Pan for superior cooling and increased fluid capacity
- Fixes common AS69RC issues like shift flares, overheating, TCC shudder, and pressure loss
- Valve bodies are rigorously leak-checked and dyno-tested on state-of-the-art equipment
- Comes backed by our 2-year, unlimited mileage warranty
- Requires additional core charge and freight shipping
- If you have questions or want a custom AS69RC build, contact Tier One or call 602-399-5484!
Engineered for Reliability: The Tier One AS69RC Solution for Heavy Towing
While the Aisin AS69RC is a step up from the 68RFE found in lighter duty trucks, 2013-2018 Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 owners often discover that the stock unit struggles under the sustained stress of heavy towing. High Gross Combined Weight Ratings (GCWR) put immense thermal and hydraulic strain on the transmission, leading to premature failure. Tier One's Built HD Towing Transmission is not just a rebuild; it is a re-engineered solution designed to correct the factory design flaws that plague the 2013-2018 Cummins platform. By replacing failure-prone components with upgraded hard parts and optimizing the hydraulic controls, we provide a transmission that allows you to tow 5th wheels, toy haulers, and heavy equipment with confidence, right up to the edge of your truck's rating.
The Build Process: High Energy Frictions, Precision Converter, and PPE Deep Pan
Every Tier One AS69RC build begins with a complete teardown and meticulous cleaning of the OEM core. We inspect the planetary gear train for stress fractures and verify all bearing and washer endplay specs. The heart of the friction system is upgraded with a complete
High Energy Friction Module. Unlike standard clutches, these High Energy frictions are designed to withstand higher heat and torque loads without glazing or slipping, ensuring positive engagement even when you are hauling up a steep grade.
To further combat heat—the number one killer of transmissions—we include a
PPE Raw Aluminum Deep Transmission Pan. This upgraded pan significantly increases fluid capacity and features internal heat sinks to pull temperature away from the fluid, keeping your transmission running in the safe zone. We also install a
Precision Heavy-Duty Torque Converter designed to resist the case warping and lockup burn-out common in factory converters.
Deep Dive: The Tier One High-Performance Valve Body
The valve body is the "brain" of your transmission, and it is where the majority of AS69RC failures originate. Stock valve bodies suffer from bore wear, solenoid failure, and cross-leaks that lead to burnt clutches. We don't just clean the valve body; we remanufacture it using
Brand New Solenoids and premium valve kits to restore and exceed factory hydraulic integrity.
1. Correcting Pressure Regulator Instability
The continuous oscillation of the stock pressure regulator valve wears down both the valve and the bore. Once this wear occurs, the valve cannot stroke properly to regulate line pressure, leading to erratic high or low pressure spikes that burn up clutches. We machine the bore and install an oversized pressure regulator valve. This valve features a hardcoat anodized aluminum finish to combat premature wear and an added spring pocket that increases contact area, ensuring stable, OE-spec pressure regulation for the life of the transmission.
2. Eliminating Shift Flares and Burnt Clutches
A common failure point in the AS69RC is the B1/B2 apply control plunger valve sleeve. When the sleeve wears at the B1 location, line pressure exhausts, causing 1-2 and 5-6 shift flares. Wear at the B2 location creates a cross-leak between line pressure and Reverse pressure, causing harsh or delayed engagements. We solve this by installing an upgraded apply control plunger valve kit. This kit utilizes a highly wear-resistant upgraded sleeve and a lengthened plunger engagement to provide better stability, preventing the cross-leaks that destroy your B1 and B2 clutches.
3. Solving Overheating and TCC Codes
Many AS69RC units suffer from chronic overheating and converter slip codes due to wear in the cooler, main converter pressure, and converter relief bores. This wear allows critical fluid to leak, resulting in low cooler feed and poor converter charge. Tier One reconditions these bores and installs oversized cooler, main converter, and converter relief valves. These steel valves use annular grooves to center the valve in the bore, reducing side-load wear and ensuring your torque converter stays locked and your fluid stays cool.
4. Fixing TCC Shudder and Pressure Loss
The secondary pressure regulator plunger valve is responsible for throttle control of the converter charge circuit. As the OE sleeve wears, SLT pressure escapes, compromising the circuit and leading to TCC shudder and codes. We install an upgraded secondary pressure regulator plunger valve kit, featuring a hardcoat anodized aluminum valve and wear-resistant sleeve to restore precise hydraulic control.
5. Accumulator Piston Upgrades
We replace the B1, B2, K1, K2, and K3 accumulator pistons. In stock units, wear at the valve body bore allows apply oil to exhaust, resulting in harsh shifts or slipping flares. Our upgraded piston kit restores the hydraulic clearances, smoothing out the engagement of apply components and preventing shift shock.
Testing & Quality Control
We take pride in every build. During the manufacturing process, all core parts are disassembled and cleaned. We perform all machining in-house, maintaining
.001” runout or less for pistons and backing plates to ensure the top-tier quality you expect with every Tier One product. We carefully inspect the planetary geartrain for damage and spec all bearings and washers. We utilize precision dial gauges to ensure all clutch clearances and end plays are set to a much tighter standard than OEM specifications. After final assembly, the valve body is dyno-tested to verify solenoid function, and the complete transmission is air-checked and spin-tested to guarantee it is ready to dominate the road.
Specifications:
- Vehicle Fitment: 2013-2018 Ram 3500, 4500, 5500 6.7L Cummins
- Transmission Type: Aisin AS69RC
- Power Rating: Near-stock/Heavy Towing applications
- Torque Converter: Precision Heavy-Duty Torque Converter
- Flex Plate: OEM (Billet Optional)
- Valve Body: Tier One Performance Series with Brand New Solenoids
- K2 Hub: OEM
- K3 Drum: OEM
- K2 Piston: OEM
- K3 Piston: OEM
- Friction Module: High Energy Clutches
- Transmission Pan: PPE Raw Aluminum Deep Pan
For Ram 3500s with AS69RC Only: This transmission will only fit 2013-2018 Ram 3500s, 4500s, and 5500s that came from the factory with Aisin AS69RC Transmissions. If you have a Ram 3500 with a 68RFE transmission, please take a look at our
2007.5-2018 Ram 6.7L Cummins 68RFE HD Towing Transmission.
For 2013-2018 Ram Only: This transmission will only fit 2013-2018 Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 6.7L Cummins models. A version for
2019-2024 Ram 6.7L Cummins trucks is also available.
Backed by a 2-Year, Unlimited Mileage Warranty: Each of our AS69RC transmissions comes backed by a 2-year, unlimited mileage warranty. See our
warranty terms and conditions for more details.
Optional Upgrades: The following upgrades are optional, but are available if you're looking for even better reliability and cooling:
Tuning Requirements: This transmission is designed to run with
factory tuning. You must complete the transmission relearn procedure until it is successful. Failure to complete a successful relearn will result in transmission failure and is not covered under warranty.
Recommended Gearing: The following gearing is recommended for the following tire sizes, and is required for Tier One to honor your warranty:
- 35" Tire: 3.73 gears or higher
- 37" Tire: 4.10 gears or higher
- +38" Tire: 4.56 gears or higher
Transmission Break-in: In order to maintain your warranty, this transmission requires a 300-mile break-in and a 100-mile relearn. Please check out
Tier One's Break-In Procedure & Policy here.
Core Charge Policy: This transmission includes a $3500.00 core charge that will be refunded once Tier One receives your stock transmission, inspects it, and finds it in acceptable condition. The core charge can be waived if you send in or drop off your stock transmission ahead of time. You
will not receive a core charge back if you did not pay it up front. If you drop off your core ahead of time you will be charged for any hard parts that are required to build your core.
Freight Shipping: This transmission ships via freight. Please carefully inspect your transmission before signing your Bill of Lading. If your transmission arrives damaged, please call us directly at 602-399-5484.
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