Tech Review—Sipple Max-Effort Transmissions
Written by Steve Turner
Photography courtesy of Sipple’s Speed and Performance
After establishing a reputation for building rugged transmissions for his personal modern Mopar muscle machines, Jon Sipple generated enough interest that he decided to launch his own business, Sipple Speed & Performance, back in 2020. It might have been a strange time to launch a business, but it worked out and four years later his shop is still growing and building stout automatics for these vehicles.
“I have been building transmissions for 33 years. I found the need to upgrade the HP90 in my personal Hellcat when I reached 950-wheel horsepower,” Sipple said. “I broke several and discovered there was a need for a stronger trans for the Hellcats.”
Sipple developed his palette of transmission upgrades that allow the HP70, HP75, HP90, HP95, and NAG1 transmissions to withstand four-digit engine outputs and single-digit elapse times. Rather than selling a range of scaled transmission packages, Sipple only offers its rugged Max Effort transmissions.
“Stage upgrades do not have the customer’s best interest in mind. Cost savings and going fast do not mix. The procedures for building them are the same. The parts are more costly but at the end of the day, the cost savings by omitting parts is not worth the risk of overpowering the trans and having to start over after a significant investment in a lower-stage unit,” Sipple said. “Most customers will increase their power level several times during ownership. They should only have to build the transmission once and have it good for the progression of mods to the car.”
Even though these transmissions are built to endure the harshest performance environments, they function perfectly well on the street as well, which makes them a great match for dual-purpose machines.
“All Max Efforts will perform well on the street and the track. We have worked hard to make them behave on the street,” Sipple explained. “Proper tuning is critical for the longevity of the trans. Some of the fastest Mopars in the world use our transmissions, and we build transmissions for over 100 shops worldwide.”
To ensure that the company’s Max Effort transmissions are not only reliable in all environments but stay current with the ever-increasing power outputs generated, Sipple continues to test its current and future products at the track to ensure they perform at a high level and retain the durability that the company’s products for which they are known.
“We have an extremely high success rate. I attribute this to in-house testing and always trying to improve the build,” Sipple added. “We have customers on their fourth season with their Max Effort trans running 8.50 quarter-mile times.”
Jon puts his products to work in his own Challenger by competing in the Dodge // Direct Connection Shootout at Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals events, as do many of his customers.
“Testing the Max Effort line ensures the customer gets the best we have to offer. The power levels increase all the time, so we have to stay ahead of the power level to ensure the transmissions will hold up,” Sipple said. “We upgrade the critical areas, including the pump, input shaft, E-drum, C-hub, output shaft, stator bushing, rear support bearing, valve body, and the frictions/steels.”
Each Sipple Max Effort transmission receives a laundry list of upgrades including a billet E-drum, extra-capacity performance frictions/steels, upgraded stator bushings, upgraded rear bearings, modified input/output shafts, new output shaft nuts, as well as new pan filters, new pumps, new chains, new pump bolts, and new output shaft nuts.
Another important facet of each Max Effort transmission build is the recalibration of each valve body to optimize shifting for improved performance.
Since its inception, Sipple Speed and Performance partnered with SunCoast Performance for torque converters. These converters can be bundled with the Max Effort transmission package and they are available with stall speeds of 2,200, 2,600, 3,200, and 4,000 rpm (The latter of which is designed for turbo applications.).
Each transmission is bench tested, and if you opt for the converter bundle the transmission and torque converter are shipped fully assembled, full of fluid, and ready to install.
SOURCE
Sipple’s Speed and Performance
(704) 903-3331
SippleSpeed.com
Written by Steve Turner
Photography courtesy of Sipple’s Speed and Performance
After establishing a reputation for building rugged transmissions for his personal modern Mopar muscle machines, Jon Sipple generated enough interest that he decided to launch his own business, Sipple Speed & Performance, back in 2020. It might have been a strange time to launch a business, but it worked out and four years later his shop is still growing and building stout automatics for these vehicles.
“I have been building transmissions for 33 years. I found the need to upgrade the HP90 in my personal Hellcat when I reached 950-wheel horsepower,” Sipple said. “I broke several and discovered there was a need for a stronger trans for the Hellcats.”
Sipple developed his palette of transmission upgrades that allow the HP70, HP75, HP90, HP95, and NAG1 transmissions to withstand four-digit engine outputs and single-digit elapse times. Rather than selling a range of scaled transmission packages, Sipple only offers its rugged Max Effort transmissions.
“Stage upgrades do not have the customer’s best interest in mind. Cost savings and going fast do not mix. The procedures for building them are the same. The parts are more costly but at the end of the day, the cost savings by omitting parts is not worth the risk of overpowering the trans and having to start over after a significant investment in a lower-stage unit,” Sipple said. “Most customers will increase their power level several times during ownership. They should only have to build the transmission once and have it good for the progression of mods to the car.”
Even though these transmissions are built to endure the harshest performance environments, they function perfectly well on the street as well, which makes them a great match for dual-purpose machines.
“All Max Efforts will perform well on the street and the track. We have worked hard to make them behave on the street,” Sipple explained. “Proper tuning is critical for the longevity of the trans. Some of the fastest Mopars in the world use our transmissions, and we build transmissions for over 100 shops worldwide.”
To ensure that the company’s Max Effort transmissions are not only reliable in all environments but stay current with the ever-increasing power outputs generated, Sipple continues to test its current and future products at the track to ensure they perform at a high level and retain the durability that the company’s products for which they are known.
“We have an extremely high success rate. I attribute this to in-house testing and always trying to improve the build,” Sipple added. “We have customers on their fourth season with their Max Effort trans running 8.50 quarter-mile times.”
Jon puts his products to work in his own Challenger by competing in the Dodge // Direct Connection Shootout at Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals events, as do many of his customers.
“Testing the Max Effort line ensures the customer gets the best we have to offer. The power levels increase all the time, so we have to stay ahead of the power level to ensure the transmissions will hold up,” Sipple said. “We upgrade the critical areas, including the pump, input shaft, E-drum, C-hub, output shaft, stator bushing, rear support bearing, valve body, and the frictions/steels.”
Each Sipple Max Effort transmission receives a laundry list of upgrades including a billet E-drum, extra-capacity performance frictions/steels, upgraded stator bushings, upgraded rear bearings, modified input/output shafts, new output shaft nuts, as well as new pan filters, new pumps, new chains, new pump bolts, and new output shaft nuts.
Another important facet of each Max Effort transmission build is the recalibration of each valve body to optimize shifting for improved performance.
Since its inception, Sipple Speed and Performance partnered with SunCoast Performance for torque converters. These converters can be bundled with the Max Effort transmission package and they are available with stall speeds of 2,200, 2,600, 3,200, and 4,000 rpm (The latter of which is designed for turbo applications.).
Each transmission is bench tested, and if you opt for the converter bundle the transmission and torque converter are shipped fully assembled, full of fluid, and ready to install.
SOURCE
Sipple’s Speed and Performance
(704) 903-3331
SippleSpeed.com