A4LD swap help please

[actimm1967]

Hello all.

I've reached the point where I really need to do a tranny swap on my 89 XLT Ranger. I've priced having the stock tranny fixed and it's way beyond my financial reach ($1500 or more depending on what needs repaired). Basically at highway speeds, the truck is shuddering. When I took it into the local wrench he told me that it has a lock-up differential and it's failing, along with the OD clutch and gearing. It has had a replacement pump installed and the belts adjusted about 6 months ago according to a receipt I got with the truck. So I figure it's toast.

I figure it has to be cheaper and better to swap out the tranny for something that works. Soooooo.

What, in detail, will I be doing to swap out the transmission? I've looked at several posts and they talk about swapping out c-4 bell housings to c-5 transmissions, changing pumps, one person mentioned swapping clutch packs between the two. Another person mentioned something about swapping out the tail shaft?

I'm a fairly good mechanic in that I can usually put together what I take apart. I've worked on cars and trucks for a long time but only insofar as I've troubleshot problems and fixed them. I used to be a deck machinist, which means I've also torn apart hydraulic packs and rebuilt them, but I haven't done much in the way of adapting auto parts from one vehicle to another, I usually end up working from scratch.

I'm not asking exact dimensions or for wiring schematics, but a better idea on what I need to do the job at hand. Not that I won't turn down a checklist or two, but I am working into a little bit of new territory for me.

So, to wrap up what is a turning into a very long question.

What is the best transmission to shove in behind my 2.9L V-6 engine and what do I have to do to make it work?

 

[cocoasranger]

I have the same truck, and after installing two A4LD transmissions I stopped fooling around and put in a Mazda M5OD R-1 5 speed manual trans from a 4.0L Ranger along with the 4.0L starter and clutch. It's like a completely different vehicle. Overheating is gone; acceleration and mileage is up; fun factor is way up.

I am average as far as mechanical skills and had no trouble with the swap. It's simply a bolt on affair with little or no modifications required. Costed about $600 total. Got the parts on TRS and Ebay and installed them myself. I would highly recommend this swap.

 

[actimm1967]

update, sort of

Well, it's now a different swap. I am getting a running doner 1985 T-Bird for $200. It has a 302V-8 and an automatic tranny.

So, now I'm going to just swap the engine, tranny, and computer from the T-Bird.

I'll have a little bit of a wiring harness issue, but I think it's a little bit easier than trying to adapt the tranny.