96 ranger 4.0 4x4 8.8 rear end with 4.88’s

[RangerRough]

Hello community!
I am seeking knowledge about the auto trans in my recently purchased 96 ranger 4.0. My buddy says they are complete garbage. I am taking it in today or tomorrow to be rebuilt and new torque converter. I tried for a long time to find one with a manual tranny but everyone holds on to theirs. Anyways, my concerns are that i have a 8.8 geared with 4.88’s for bigger tires, is this rebuilt tranny going to be reliable, i plan on using it for overlanding, travelling 200-300 mile hunting and fishing expeditions and need it to not break down on me. Is there anything i can do to make it stronger if they are garbage tranny’s? Shift kit? Billet pump? Etc. i plan to put 35’s on it if i can, if not 33’s. I am kinda nervous because of how bad he put down ford tranny’s but i did research and from 95-97 were built with the better drive trains. Please help me and any knowledge, info, advice is greatly appreciated, byw i am new to rangers and building them so i am kinda a nooby. Let me know!

 

[adsm08]

Please don't double post things.

 

[RangerRough]

Sorry i realized when i posted in the transmissions was for help with a problem so i thought i would post it in general cause its just general knowledge and i dont know how to delete a post

 

[rusty ol ranger]

96 should be the 4R44E i believe. Didnt the A4LD die in 94? (they were the junk ones).

But i think a 4.88 gear is awful steep, espicially for a 4.0. What size tires are on it??

 

[curtis73]

The 4r44e is an evolution of that a4LD. Built properly, it will outlast stock. How many miles are on it? You'll probably get that many more miles out of it and by then the rest of the truck will probably be wasted.

The question I see is; is it worth the rebuild cost? Many junkyards have good used transmissions for cheap with a warranty. Some of them are in vehicles that still move so you could probably find one you could drive. I have done that several times and only got one bum tranny (TH350 for an El Camino) and the only bummer there was the extra R&R on the transmission

Also (pain in the butt) but you could buy an M5R1 to put in its place. Find a junkyard unit and scavenge all the parts. Then you can either reprogram the ECM or use the one from the junkyard truck if it's compatible. That might be a way to get what you want for a little more money and effort.

 

[RangerRough]

96 should be the 4R44E i believe. Didnt the A4LD die in 94? (they were the junk ones).

But i think a 4.88 gear is awful steep, espicially for a 4.0. What size tires are on it??

I currently have 31’s on it but want to put 33’s most likely or 35’s if possible, im not worried about the rebuild cost, i definetly want a full tranny rebuild, i wont use a junkyard swap because i want a known reliable rebuild, was just wondering if the tranny’s themselves are good. I also was wondering if there are better after market internals or what not i could have installed during the rebuild

 

[curtis73]

Don't go nuts with aftermarket clutches. Stock replacements are great. You can get "reds" which are an upgraded friction material, but they wear faster. If you want to upgrade it, do a shift kit. It will shift firmer which can be a pain to drive, but the clutches will slip less and last longer. (at the expense of slightly more wear on bearings and U joints.)

I ran tranny repair shops for years and I wouldn't warranty a trans I built with "upgraded" parts.

Another thing that will help you a lot is installing an aftermarket cooler. Put it before the radiator cooler so it goes transmission - cooler - radiator. This makes sure it has additional cooling, but still gets warm enough to be healthy. The correct temperature is right. Cooler is not better.