auto to 5 speed swap

[PetesPonies]

I just picked up a sweet little '84 Bronco II. 54K original miles, sweet body and decent interior. It is an automatic trans. I would like to switch to a 5 speed. I have a parts truck Ranger to get the clutch setup, but it is a 2.3 and a 2wd. So . . what trans do I need to match up to my transfer case? I am a Mustang Restorer, this is just not in my daily realm. Help me out . . what will work and what else might be involved?

 

[MAKG]

Well, swapping in a TK5 or FM145 would be the least painful retrofit. But they suck. Stupid design error using ball bearings in the input for thrust loads.

4WD M5ODs are much better, but require moving the transmission mount, shortening the rear driveshaft and lengthening the front.

Your original transfer case will probably work fine, but the front driveshaft won't unless you put in a POS transmission.

The sticky at the top has quite a lot of transferable information, even if you aren't considering either of the transmissions at hand.

 

[PetesPonies]

I'm not an offroader . . so do the stock transmissions hold up for street use and moderate 4x4 if properly maintained?

 

[mjonesjr]

They don't hold up for any amount of time even on the road.

I recommend the M50D from a 4.0 also. There isn't harder work to do the other work than there is to do the auto to manual swap.

 

[MAKG]

A design error is a design error.

It's not that they don't hold up to offroading -- the transmission really doesn't care like the suspension and driveshafts do. It's that they don't hold up to use.

If you HAVE one and it works, leave it be. If you DON'T have one, get a decent one instead. Remember, EVERY FM145 is at least 21 years old.

 

[mjonesjr]

Also the M50D's are easier to find in decent shape than a FM-145.

 

[PetesPonies]

what 5 speed trans is used behind a 2.9 '90 Ranger 4X4 ??

 

[mjonesjr]

either a FM-146 or a M50D.

 

[04 EDGE]

if it were mine i would leave the C5 in it!