Full high-energy friction plate set for GM 700-R4, 4L60, 4L60E and 4L65E rebuilds, for fixing clutch slip and delayed engagement.
If your Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban, Camaro or Corvette slips into overdrive, flares on the 2-3 shift, or comes out of the pan smelling burnt after a summer of towing, the clutches are usually the first thing to go. This is the RCPS-15 Stage-1 friction clutch pack: a complete set of red Stage-1 friction plates for every clutch pack in the GM 700-R4, 4L60, 4L60E and 4L65E family. It is built for the rebuilder who wants more holding capacity and heat tolerance than a stock tan or plain high-energy plate gives, without stepping up to a full race-grade friction.
The 4L60E makes its four ratios with five multi-plate clutches plus two one-way clutches and the 2-4 band. Each clutch is a stack of lined frictions splined to one part and plain steels splined to another, squeezed together by a hydraulic piston. RCPS-15 replaces the friction side of all five packs. The manufacturer's application data lists the contents as:
That 3-4 count matters. A stock input housing runs five or six thicker 3-4 frictions; eight thin .062 plates add friction surface to the pack that fails most often in this transmission, but they only work when paired with the matching thin steels. The maker states this set must be used with its STMGM17 steel module. Steels are not in this box, so plan on buying the correct thin steels rather than re-using your old ones.
New frictions will not fix a pressure problem. Scan for codes first: a pressure control solenoid fault that sets P0748 can make shifts soft enough to burn clutches, and TCC slip codes point at the valve body. Sonnax's research on burnt 3-4 clutches traces most repeat failures to low line pressure and leaks in the 3rd-gear circuit, so air-check every drum and inspect the input shaft sealing rings once the unit is apart. Our 3-4 clutch pack diagnosis guide walks through those checks, and the forward clutch and sprag guide covers the input sprag wear that often turns up in the same teardown.
The manufacturer lists RCPS-15 for the TH700-R4, 4L60, 4L60E and 4L65E from 1987 on. Older listings sometimes say 1980-up, but the reverse input friction in this set is a 1987-on design, so a pre-1987 700-R4 should be checked plate by plate before you commit. The 4L60E saw input housing changes over its run, including deeper housings with more 3-4 plates, so count and measure the frictions you pull out and compare tooth count and outside diameter against the list above. If anything does not line up, send us your year and VIN before ordering. You can see every 4L60E part we carry on the 4L60E parts page.
Shipping weight is about 3.3 lb in a flat 16 x 16 x 2 in. box, so the plates arrive flat and undamaged.
| Part Number | |
| Fits | |
| Contents | |
| Friction Material | |
| Shipping Weight | |
| Box Size |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. It is frictions only: 24 Stage-1 friction plates covering the overrun, low/reverse, reverse input, forward and 3-4 clutches. The manufacturer states it must be used with its matching steel module because the 3-4 pack uses eight thin .062 in. frictions.
It is listed for the 700-R4, 4L60, 4L60E and 4L65E from 1987 on. Input housings varied over the years, so compare tooth count, outside diameter and plate count with the parts you remove, or send us your year and VIN to check.
Yes. Stage-1 material is designed to hold more torque and tolerate higher temperatures than stock tan or high-energy plates, which suits trucks that tow and mildly built engines. Line pressure still has to be correct or any friction will burn.
Use Dexron VI ATF in a 4L60E or 4L65E, and soak the frictions in the same fluid for at least 30 minutes before assembly.
Replace the steels with the matching set, all piston seals and sealing rings, and the filter. Inspect the input sprag, sun shell splines and drum bushings, and fix any pressure or valve body problem that burnt the original clutches.
