The TripleLok Torque Converter for 1989-2003 Power Stroke is the only diesel torque converter on the market that has been awarded two patents from the United States patent office. There is no other torque converter offered anywhere that can make this claim. The 30 square drive tabs that are precision CNC cut into the billet cover is only one of the many patented aspect of the TripleLok converter. ATS engineered a unique two piece design that not only allows us to cut precision radial flank drive lugs into the cover but also utilizes a plasma weld ensuring an unmatched quality standard.
The patented radial flank drive tabs virtually eliminate the wear that is common with all other round tab multi-disc torque converters. This is the number one reason ATS can offer a 5 year warranty on all our torque converters.
Features:
- Billet Cover with Patented square Flank Drive
- Square Tab Construction (not round)
- Triple Disc CNC Laser Cut Clutch Plates
- Billet Piston with Patented flank drive tab design
- Proprietary ATS exclusive Clutch Formulation with unique bonding technology (ensures 100% chemical Bond)
- Redesigned Spring Dampener supports increased extend torque loads
- 4340 Harden turbine splines provide longevity due to engine torsional stress
- Fully Welded Turbine and Impeller Vanes
- CNC Stator with High Flow Windows Increase Oil Flow providing increase efficiency
- Full Roller Bearing Construction Between High Load Areas
- 4340 CNC cut Pump Drive Hub locks into Impeller Housing and Plasma welded for unsurpassed strength.
In 1999, the first diesel multiple disc converter was developed utilizing round tabs to connect the clutch plates to the cover. We soon realized this to be a problem, after several thousand miles the outer plate would start to hammer into the billet cover due to the engine piston pulsations. These pulsations are engine torsional loads that will destroy a converter and flex plate. We soon invented and patented the square tab design that you can see and only get from ATS today. The radial flank square tab is the back bone of the ATS TripleLok and Five-Star torque converter, all ATS multiple disc converters are 100% square tab construction. The billet cover provides a multitude of benefits, having the thick steel cover provides a base that will not flex. This is very important when needing a flat surface for the Lock-up clutches to couple with, this is also very important during times when there are high pressures created inside the converter due to extended load times when the converter is in a vortex flow. This pressure will cause the converter to balloon and the thrust bearings to get out of alignment causing converter failure.
The triple clutch lock-up system is used to transfer torque from the engine to the transmission during high power applications when the converter is in lock-up. The triple clutch provides three times the torque capacity of a standard single disc converter and ensures there will be no slipping during hard accelerations or when pulling heavy loads. There are basically two areas of operation in a torque converter. The fluid coupling portion and the lock-up portion. The fluid coupling section is the operation that takes place when you accelerate from a stop when the engine is spinning and the vehicle wheels are not moving or just starting to move. As you push on the accelerator pedal and the vehicle starts to move this is considered the torque converter stall speed. Once the stall speed is reached and the vehicle starts to move forward the converter is in what we refer to as the VORTEX flow condition of the converter cycle. The vortex flow cycle is one of the most important and over looked segments of a converter. When in this cycle the impeller is picking up fluid and slinging it into the turbine. As the turbine catches the accelerated fluid the turbine is forced to spin turning the input shaft of the transmission.
After the fluid is spun through the turbine it is redirected into the stator. At this point the stator must redirect the fluid back into the impeller in an efficient manner or the converter will build excessive heat and acceleration will be poor. This is the magic of the stator, A stator MUST be designed properly or the fluid coupling of the converter will be poor and drivability and acceleration will suffer. This is in a large part what you will experience from a stock converter. The construction of the stator is a key component in the TripleLok converter, we CNC machine the stator to allow fluid to be picked up from the turbine in a manner that will not disrupt the fluid flow and efficiently change the fluid direction so it will be channeled into the impeller with out tumbling. Comprehensive computer analysts are used to achieve the perfect vane profile providing optimal stall speed while maximizing torque multiplication.
