46RH 46RE OD housing differences

Looking at using a 46RH 4wd transmission in my 05 ram 1500 4wd. It’s basically a bolt in and a few guys on hemitruckclub have done it as the 545rfe likes to smoke itself to death with any added power or heavy footing it. What I’m looking for is the differences between the 46RH and 46RE OD housing. On the 4wd’s they’re a different length. If I put an RE tailhousing on an RH it’s the same length as an RFE and I don’t have to modify my driveshafts. A member on the other forum has done this but used a manual valve body and indicated that it had to be used with that particular setup (unless I misread it) which I’m not interested in. Is there anything in the 46RE OD housing that would prevent a 46RH from shifting automatically?

RH is a hydraulic governor.
RE is electronic governor.

Regarding RE, In full sized trucks they were used from 1996 to 2007. Either as 46/47/48 depending on engine size.


The RFE I believe had a stand alone controller where the RE was controlled by a PCM.


On RE versus RH - the output shafts differ, the RH has provisions for a key way and governor support with tubes that the RE does not have.
So to your question, if you installed a RE housing you would have no governor assembly.

Using a manual valve body would allow you to use any OD unit. A true auto valve body would need a governor "system" - either the electronic governor or the true hydraulic governor.

I have to imagine taking out a RFE and installing something jury rigged is going to leave a CEL illuminated on the cluster.

A properly built RFE will live if you get the earlier converters out of them and replace them with a good - very good aftermarket converter that has the phenolic stator puck replaced with a billet puck. I can fail a production early RFE converter in 5 minutes if I want to, you can too.

The basic architecture of the 545 is the same as the 64/65/68 RFE design except for size of components in the geartrain.

But only real serious power and weight screws up the 545 once you have a good converter in the box.

Thx for the reply. What guys are doing is reflashing their PCM’s to a standard transmission one so the PCM isn’t looking for any trans inputs. They’ve been attaching the kick down cable to the gas pedal by adding a linkage to it. Guys who’ve done it seem to like it. Most guys add a floor shifter but the column can be adapted. I’m wanting to add some hp to my 05, maybe even a blower at some point. From what I’ve read on some guys problems with the RFE it’s got me a little scared. From their experience kicking down from a higher gear to passing (2nd) burns up the OD clutches (just regurgitating what I’ve read), and these are on built transmissions from good name companies.. My 05 has about 120K on it and so far so good, just trying to think ahead. As an aside, when my generation of truck first came out in 02, you could get a 5.9 has with a 46RE, but for only 1 year

Like in my PM to you - depend so on parts and controls.

Good luck with the project. 👍

Are the Overdrive units at the back of 1994-1995 46RH’s identical to the 1996-2007 Overdrive units at the back of 1996-2007 46RE?

360view - no. RH's have a governor assembly inside the OD unit, RE does not.