ATI Performance Products is consistently leading the way in drag racing and ultra high performance transmission and drivetrain technology, not just bringing all-new products to market, but making existing OEM designs better, stronger, and more bulletproof than ever thought possible. And, just like they’ve done with the Turbo 400, the Powerglide, and other factory-style aftermarket transmissions, they’re doing the same with GM’s 4L85E, originally designed in the 1960s for pickup trucks, vans, and commercial vehicles, and now, thanks to JC Beattie, Jr. and his team at ATI, for all-out drag racing vehicles.

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ATI’s Max Duty 4L85E is a 2.10 low gear, overdrive/equipped piece that features a host of internals never found in a similar transmission from the factory, with a stout 300M output, input and intermediate shafts, a TH400/Powerglide length extension housing, a 36-element severe duty aluminum direct drum with steel inner and outer diameter sleeves, a Moroso sheet metal pan, and other key attributes to target it at the racing market. Overall, this 4L85E measures just one inch longer than an OEM Turbo 400, making fitment possible on a wide range of applications. And speaking of applications, ATI is making these available for Chevrolet, Ford small- and big-block along with Modulars, Mopar small- and big-block and Gen 3 HEMI’s, and Toyota applications.

“We kind of shied away from pushing with the 4L transmissions until we had everything sorted out, but this transmission is the culmination of everything that we’ve been working on to try to make it really hold some horsepower and be even more of a viable race and street transmission,” Beattie, Jr. shares. “That includes getting rid of some of the low gear so racers aren’t killing the tire at the starting line. We’re able to put our six-pinion aluminum reaction carrier and everything out of the Turbo 400, that we know works, right into the 4L. Everything that we learned with the Turbo 400 we adapted over to this.

 

“We have billet aluminum pistons, more clutches in every position and things like that, because you still can’t take 1,500 horsepower and go into overdrive, wide open throttle at full boost…it’s just never going to work out,” Beattie, Jr. continues.

Low gear options on these builds range from 2.10 to 2.98.

ATI is already taking orders and building the 4L85E, which Beattie, Jr. says is targeted at high-horsepower street and strip cars and the street rod crowd.