A4LD swap/interchange question

[jester1020]

So the basics:
1992 Ford Ranger 3.0 Auto 2wd regular cab

The problem:
almost always bypasses 2nd gear (1-3 shift) slips very badly as well

The back ground:
I'm trying to help out my boss. He drives this truck to work everyday to keep the miles off the new truck and to save on fuel prices. It never see's any towing or hauling duty.

I priced out getting a rebuild locally which ranged from 700 to 1300. He doesn't want to spend that much. I've hit up all the local junkyards but can't find a 91-93 3.0 trans (which is what they say i need) I can however find a few 94 mazda b4000 trannies and 2.3 ranger trannies are everywhere.

I am aware that the bell housing can be swapped to make either work. I of course would rather use the 4.0 trans, but have been told that I would need to swap the tail housing as well. Is that true?

If I do have to swap the tail housing does that mean that the shaft would be different as well? and if so would i be better off just grabbing the mazda drive shaft yoke and installing it on to the ranger shaft?

any help or point in the right direction would be welcomed
thanks in advance
-Rooster-

 

[exbass94]

2wd and 4wd transmissions have different tail housings and output shafts. So the only time you would need to swap the housing and shaft is if you got a 4wd transmission. Swapping the shaft requires disassembling the entire transmission.

 

[jester1020]

2wd and 4wd transmissions have different tail housings and output shafts. So the only time you would need to swap the housing and shaft is if you got a 4wd transmission. Swapping the shaft requires disassembling the entire transmission.

i will be sticking to 2wd stuff just to avoid that. I don't feel like I have enough trans experience to tear into one for someone other than myself. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[stegomon]

and stick with only 3.0

 

[jester1020]

and stick with only 3.0

why not use the 4.0 stuff

 

[jester1020]

ok so just to update. I found a 94 mazda b4000 in the junk yard. The only thing that needed to be changed over was the bell housing and the brackets for shift linkage. All in all a pretty straight fwd swap. I'm a little annoyed about a leak that seems to have started today. Yesterday I finished the swap filled with fluid shifted through all the gears topped off the fluid again and let it run roughly 30 min while I charged the ac. No leaks. drove to the end of the road and back a few times (about a mile total) again no leaks. Today I took my core back to the junkyard and when i got back I had fluid all over the cat..... have to get it back in the air to check where its coming from. Hoping it's not leaking at the bell housing. Shifted nice and smooth no slipping or anything though.