why hate on the a4ld?

[4.0B2]

i'm confused... i understand that it's an auto, but let me ask a serious question...

why does everyone hate on the a4ld? how much of it is hear say, how much is first hand knowlege? i've ran 2 of them in my b2, one 88 b2 and other 93 ex (swapped with motor b/c i had it)-- but neither one of them caused me problems. i've beat on them, overloaded my b2, not changed fluid as i should have, and so on... trails, mud, slight rocks.... and it just keeps turns fine.
and my mom has one in a 92 ex that's a 2wd... never been messed with other than fluid/filter change. never had issues with is either.

i'm just curious guys. i see everyone hating on it, like in the choice of 3 trucks thread. and under construction stuff- everyone is complaining about it.

 

[4.0B2]

"While the A4LD has gotten a bad rap, it is actually a good strong transmission. The newest version is still an A4LD, it just goes by another name due to the fact that it is completely computer controlled, and has a 5th gear."

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/AutoTrans.html

has a lot of good info, and gives so mods available for the a4ld.

but i'm actually talking about in stock form now.

 

[adsm08]

I bash the A4LD for the same reason I bash the AX4N, the C-series, the AOD, AODE, EOD, E4OD, CD4E, and even the 350, 350 Turbo, 400, and 400 Turbo.

it's an auto

If I can't pop it in gear myself, I'm not interested.

 

[kunar]

the only 1st hand info i have pertaining to the a4ld is the fact that i bought my truck with a bad trans and a blown engine (over-revved because of a slipping trans) and got a great deal on it. i think all automatics are failure prone to a point, but manuals can be broken too. more than anything it depends on maintenance and driving habit.

 

[4.0B2]

I bash the A4LD for the same reason I bash the AX4N, the C-series, the AOD, AODE, EOD, E4OD, CD4E, and even the 350, 350 Turbo, 400, and 400 Turbo.



If I can't pop it in gear myself, I'm not interested.

okay, i'll take that... but what about the guys that bash just the a4ld yet drive a 44r4e or whatever?

i konw most people like the manual, but my question is for the auto guys

 

[adsm08]

Well, the later Bordeaux transmissions didn't have the pump seal issues. Still a royal PITA to go through.

 

[4.0B2]

now see, i've never had seal issues... in the 88 or 92 or 93. maybe i'm just lucky...
i mean sure, i'd love to have the md05 or other manual but i have the a4ld and it's treated me just fine.

 

[adsm08]

You are probably lucky.

Now what I would really love to mod into my truck is a Chrysler FluidDrive. Now that was a transmission.

 

[EMB1230]

I bash the A4LD for the same reason I bash the AX4N, the C-series, the AOD, AODE, EOD, E4OD, CD4E, and even the 350, 350 Turbo, 400, and 400 Turbo.

Hey, the AX4N although still not perfect is a big step up from the AX4S aka AXOD-E. But +1 on the CD4E those are Total crap!!

 

[4.0B2]

You are probably lucky.

Now what I would really love to mod into my truck is a Chrysler FluidDrive. Now that was a transmission.

the chrysler 727 (?) was a heck of an auto.. we never broke that one. R to D never letting off the gas in mud...

 

[4.0B2]

ya stay away from the truck with the a4ld tranny mine was went out twice once when my grandparents had it and it had no miles off road they were all high way miles and then i just lost the tranny in it saturday after playing in a 50 foot mud pit i put 11 miles on it before i smoked the tranny and cought the truck on fire lucky i save the truck except for the wireing so my advice is replaceing a clutch is way better the a complete tranny and wireing harrnes the harrnes alone is $1000 so get truck 2

i happen to have a 1989 ford ranger with 189,000 on it and the motor is in great shape the tranny on the other hand is junk like i said in my previous post i love my 89 ive got a 5.5inch lift and she rides great handles awesome and its just an all around good running truck but STAY AWAY FROM A4LD TRANNYS the junk

Yea I would lean to truck 2. The auto in the first one will likely give you problems, and number 2 is the tested and proven 5 speed as well as slightly lower miles. Number 3 couldn't be bothered to wash his truck for the pictures he's using to sell it, so that turns me off automatically...

Truck #2

1 is an auto....and the a4LD is just plain crap.

2 is a good looking truck, 4L and 5spd. A clutch is an easy day job, and you can use it to drop the price.

3 just looks like it might have been used and abused. I'd be cautious about it, as it could turn into a money pit.

all of these in just 3 pages of which truck to buy
http://therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101429

this is what got me curious b/c of the "bad rep" compared to my 1st hand knowledge.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My first A4LD with unknown milage puked after me (a high school kid) kept driving it while it was puking out fluid. I did my best to keep fluid in it... but it eventually locked up drive. Anything but park it would want to go ahead.

Second tranny was in for 8 years and worked fine.

Parents have a '94 Explorer with darn near 180k on it and the A4LD hasn't been touched.

 

[4.0B2]

My first A4LD with unknown milage puked after me (a high school kid) kept driving it while it was puking out fluid. I did my best to keep fluid in it... but it eventually locked up drive. Anything but park it would want to go ahead.

Second tranny was in for 8 years and worked fine.

Parents have a '94 Explorer with darn near 180k on it and the A4LD hasn't been touched.

so other people have had decent luck to..
yet, EVERYONE seems to bash them instantly (like shown with quotes above)

 

[adsm08]

the chrysler 727 (?) was a heck of an auto.. we never broke that one. R to D never letting off the gas in mud...

My grandpa has a 47 New Yorker with the fluid drive trans. Not the 727, the original one that you had to put in High or Low manually. It still has the original clutch.

 

[master hec0]

I hate it because its an auto and it blew at 102000 kilometers. sending my bronco to an early grave