4.0 swap, but keep the BII floor shifter?

[Desertchild]

Basically, I'm considering doing an explorer 4.0 swap into my 88 Bronco II.

I've done a fair bit of research, and it seems everyone is split on whether the A4LD can handle the increased torque or not. If it can, fantastic; case closed, I'll keep my A4LD and my fancy floor shifter. If it can't, then my question is:

Can the 4R44E or 4R55E transmissions be swapped into it without the loss of my current floor shifter?

I know it seems silly, but I've never personally seen another BII with one, and I love it.

I appreciate any and all advice you can offer, and thanks for your help!

 

[PlumCrazy]

All depends on what you plan to use the truck for. IMO...A4LD are good for "About 4 Long Drives"...but then again Id would put an M50D behind the 4.0

 

[f3joel]

Is there a difference in your A4LD and the one that came with my 91 4.0?

 

[adsm08]

The later A4LD should handle the power about as well as it handles anything else. It can be used with the floor shifter, but you have to use factory manifolds and y-pipe. There are no 4.0 headers that I have found that don't interfere with the shifter linkage on the floor-shifted units.

And for the record, all RBVs with auto trans were floor shifter from 83 to 88. 89 was the first year they ever used a column shifter.

 

[Desertchild]

Thanks for all the info! I hadn't seen a floor shifter automatic before mine, so I guess I just assumed they were uncommon!

Now when you say later A4LD, what year does that start? That will give me a good idea of what year Explorers to look at for the swap.

For the issue with Exhaust clearance, is it a matter of not enough room overall, or would I be able to fabricate headers to fit without interfering with the linkage?

Thanks again!

 

[RonD]

There are upgrades for the A4LD, good read here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/a4ld.shtml

An old automatic is an old automatic, putting a higher torque engine in front of it can wear it out faster since human nature is to "test" how much more power there is after all that hard work, lol, and at every opportunity
"Drive it like you stole it" comes to mind.

A fresh A4LD can handle the 4.0l but that's usually not what happens, an older higher mile A4LD is used and blamed for failing because of the higher power engine.

You can convert a floor shifter from a linkage type to cable, and then it can be used with any automatic.
Picture here of the general idea for the conversion.

 

[country0001]

Find a 91-94 Explorer. You can make it work with your current dash, or you could swap in the Explorer dash. The upside to buying a whole explorer is you can upgrade the D28 to a D35 and the 7.5 rear to a 8.8. There are a few write ups in the tech library, plus a few build threads.

 

[Desertchild]

The upside to buying a whole explorer is you can upgrade the D28 to a D35 and the 7.5 rear to a 8.8. There are a few write ups in the tech library, plus a few build threads.

I like the way you think! I actually already have upgraded to the 8.8 and D35, but it's always nice to have spares. I could also use the second D35 to try a cut and turn.

I really appreciate everyone's input, I feel much better about leaving the A4LD in there until it breaks, then replacing it with a newer version of it. The trails haven't warranted the 4.0 upgrade yet, but I have a feeling they will in no time!

 

[Desertchild]

Picture here of the general idea for the conversion.

Not sure if it didn't come through, or if my browser isn't showing it. I'm definitely curious to see it though!

I like your take on the old A4LD simply being old, I never thought of it that way. It might be worth replacing mine with a NEW one if the 4.0 wears it out.

I have a second manual B2 that I might go "balls out" on and do a 302 conversion some day, and that will most definitely be a man-trans

I also just stumbled across this: A possibility if my Touch drive ever fails beyond my repair skills!

 

[adsm08]

Thanks for all the info! I hadn't seen a floor shifter automatic before mine, so I guess I just assumed they were uncommon!

Now when you say later A4LD, what year does that start? That will give me a good idea of what year Explorers to look at for the swap.

For the issue with Exhaust clearance, is it a matter of not enough room overall, or would I be able to fabricate headers to fit without interfering with the linkage?

Thanks again!

My red 87 had a set of pacesetters on the engine when I bought the truck. The outlet of the LH header of right on the cross-over pivot bar, to the point where the pipe bolted to it would have to be flattened and make a hard 90 to fit. I have not seen shorter headers for the 4.0.

 

[RonD]

Here is that link: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231126
The picture you posted is a much cleaner job, lol.

Yes, read Gloria's article in the first link about "soft" and "hard" transmission rebuilds(Even More A4LD Information), very enlightening on why rebuilds don't seem to last like the original trans did.

When having an A4LD rebuilt, there are a couple of things that you need to make sure of. First and foremost, do not let a shop do a soft parts fix only (clutches, servos, and bands). This will almost ensure that you will have another repair needed right after the 1-year warranty is out.

 

[PlumCrazy]

My JBAs are shorter on the driver side

Sent from XT1030 using Crapatalk

 

[PlumCrazy]

I actually had to upgrade to the JBAs to clear the motor mount that my Pacesetters hit

Sent from XT1030 using Crapatalk

 

[Desertchild]

The picture you posted is a much cleaner job, lol.

From what I was reading, it was FACTORY that way! I've never seen that haha

Good info on the floor shifter adaptation, and lots of good info on rebuilds too, thanks!

 

[Desertchild]

I actually had to upgrade to the JBAs to clear the motor mount that my Pacesetters hit

Awesome! Does your rig use a A4LD trans?