automatic to manual trans???

[jKsled]

i have a 1986 ford ranger with the A4LD auto trans. i am considering a swap to a manual transmission, depending on the availability and difficulty. I have found quite a few trucks for sale cheap, but they vary in years in and engine size. Could someone please tell me the best way to go on this project? what year/engine sizes would produce a good swap, and which would should i avoid? for example, could i put the 5-speed from a 1985 in, or a 5-speed from a 1990 4.0, etc.......??? Thanks!

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Any transmission from a 2.9 or 4.0 truck will work (pre-97/98ish)... I'd look for a later 4.0 M50D if ya can... Getting the entire truck would be easiest... There are a ton of threads about this... Search and you'll find what you need...

 

[cocoasranger]

+1 0n Beanmachine7000's advice. Also, If you can hear one operating (Drive the truck, buy the truck, then pull the trans) you are way better off than finding out there's a problem after it's installed.

 

[mjonesjr]

Any transmission from a 2.9 or 4.0 truck will work (pre-97/98ish)...

ALL 4.0 transmissions (OHV and SOHC) use the same transmission bell housing. I bolted a '03 4.0 SOHC M50D to my '97 4.0 OHV. There was no problem with bolt holes not lining up. All the holes lined up.

To the OP:
If you have basic hand tools, 2 sets of hands, 8 hours, mechanical knowledge, and all the parts needed it can be done easily.

Parts Needed:
- transmission
- flywheel
- transmission spacer
- clutch kit
- slave cylinder
- clutch master cylinder
- clutch hydraulic hose
- clutch pedal assembly
- PCM (not necessary, but nice to have)

 

[jKsled]

ok.. i read something about the starter not fitting if you switch to a 4.0 trans, might that be an issue? I am probably going to look for a similiar year truck, with the same engine and the manual tranny to do the switch with. the only other thing i was worried about was the alignment of the pedals, and raising/lowering the tranny because i do not have a specially designed lift for that. however, considering it will be a fairly straight bolt-in process, i should be ok i think... i just do not want to spend all my time modifying brackets or mounting holes/etc... as time is extremely limited now, and this is a daily driver.

 

[mjonesjr]

The pedal assembly will swap in directly.

The only modifying there is to be done is the for the wiring under the truck.

I would recommend getting the same trans from a '86-'90 same engine if you don't want to add a little more work.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

ALL 4.0 transmissions (OHV and SOHC) use the same transmission bell housing. I bolted a '03 4.0 SOHC M50D to my '97 4.0 OHV. There was no problem with bolt holes not lining up. All the holes lined up.

To the OP:
If you have basic hand tools, 2 sets of hands, 8 hours, mechanical knowledge, and all the parts needed it can be done easily.

Parts Needed:
- transmission
- flywheel
- transmission spacer
- clutch kit
- slave cylinder
- clutch master cylinder
- clutch hydraulic hose
- clutch pedal assembly
- PCM (not necessary, but nice to have)

Yeah, but Ford switched to an 8-bolt flywheel around 97-98...

 

[jKsled]

The pedal assembly will swap in directly.

The only modifying there is to be done is the for the wiring under the truck.

I would recommend getting the same trans from a '86-'90 same engine if you don't want to add a little more work.

ok, that's good. i am not worried about the extra work, i just don't feel like modifying parts too much... but whatever. ok, i'm going to look around for a donor vehicle then. should i stick with a manual tranny from the same engine, ro is it ok if it's different? since mine is a 2.9L, should i stick to other 2.9's, or should i look at 2.8's, 3.0's, etc..??? thanks

 

[Bent Bolt]

There is one bell housing bolt on the very top on the right side that may or may not line up. The SOHC engine moved the bolt location out of the way of the rear timing chain. It does bolt to a 2.9/OHV 4.0 engine just fine and it's not the end of the world if that one bolt is not installed.

The old style starter won't bolt to the newer bell housing but it's easy to swap in the newer smaller starter.

On my 2.9 powered truck I have the stock 2.9 flexplate, new style starter with my Franken-tranny ( has 4.0 SOHC bellhousing/pump ) with one bellhousing bolt not installed.

Manual tranny trucks will be similair.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Look for a 2.9 or 4.0 transmission preferably after 1990 (when ford switched to the Mazda produced and much stronger M50D-R1)... On the plus side, when you swap in your manual you can switch to a 4.0 clutch and have a bullet-proof drive train (except for that darned 2.9)...

 

[RangerFabWorks]

i have some parts you may be interested in, clutch pedal, clutch master, 75,000 mile 4-speed trans with shifter in great operating condition. bell housing slave cylinder and so on. if anything is of interest, shoot me a pm, there all from an 84 ranger

 

[mjonesjr]

There is one bell housing bolt on the very top on the right side that may or may not line up. The SOHC engine moved the bolt location out of the way of the rear timing chain. It does bolt to a 2.9/OHV 4.0 engine just fine and it's not the end of the world if that one bolt is not installed.

When I swapped in the 4.0 SOHC M50D, all the bolt holes lined up.

 

[Bent Bolt]

When I swapped in the 4.0 SOHC M50D, all the bolt holes lined up.

Yeah, at some point on the SOHC production, the bellhousing bolt was moved. Don't know when.

 

[baddis]

The pedal assembly will swap in directly.

The only modifying there is to be done is the for the wiring under the truck.

I would recommend getting the same trans from a '86-'90 same engine if you don't want to add a little more work.

the second gen clutch pedal assembely is different from first gens and the clutch master from a late second will not line up in a first gen and hook up to the clutch pedal

 

[jKsled]

ok, so here is what i'm understanding, (please double check this) = the best swap would be out of a post-1990 4.0 5speed M50D. this should be a very direct fit, but it might need a different starter. it does not need modifications of the driveshaft length.


heres another question... if i was to buy a donor vehicle that would match the above, would the pedal work too being from a post-1990 vehicle??

and... to blackwidow 67, how would a tranny like that match up with mine? also, is that from a 2wd or 4wd truck? because as i understand it, they have different output shafts...??