t19 to zf questions

[Exekiel69]

For those who made the switch from a t19 to a zf, were you able to mate the zf to the t19 adapter? what about flywheel, clutch (don't know if the t19 input have the same # of splines as a zf) and hydraulics?

Now correct Me if I'm wrong but the t18 and t19 are the same when compared for a swap as this one, right? Meaning if I have a t18 and want to swap a zf I would have to do the same as if I had a t19.

I need this info so I can bolt an OD tranny on one of My vehicles with out too much part hunting.

RLDSL is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to this and I've been harassing Him with questions just too much .


Thank You.

 

[Silver Burner]

Hey man. So with the ZF, it has its own bellhousing, so you don't use the adapter from the T19. The absolute main thing is making sure you get a diesel ZF bellhousing. if you get one from a 460, you have to modify that adapter to make it work. There is a write-up on here somewhere about that. Now the other main thing is that the ZF has a 1 1/4 inch input shaft where the T19 has a 1 1/8 inch, so you will need a clutch setup for a ZF specifically. You will be able to reuse the Single mass flywheel (just resurface it) or you can get a stock dual-mass setup if you want it to be quiet. I was able to grab an entire 11" Luk Repset off Ebay for around 170 shipped and it came with the clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing and alignment tool. Still works great. I'd add an extra quart of ATF in it to quiet down the gear rollover noise with the SM flywheel. You'll also need the rear driveline from the ZF equipped truck or have yours shortened and you'll need to redrill the tranny crossmember about 2 inches farther back to make it all work. Took my uncle and I a weekend to do the swap once we had all the parts together. Hope that helps man! Good luck!

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Basically, all the clutch hydraulics are the same, some say they are not but they are, I'm using the original T19 setup in my brown truck with its ZF. The clutch fork is different. The flywheel is different, trust me, if the previous poster is using a T19 flywheel I'm not sure how because the ZF flywheel has a spacer located on the crankshaft side of the flywheel that offsets the flywheel by about 3/4". So if you used the stock T19 flywheel I'd think there would be little to no spline contact with the clutch disk and the input shaft.
I personally did not have to redrill the crossmember in any way it lined up the same as the T19, which was odd because everyone said I'd have to drill the frame to make it work. I'm not sure, I know my crossmember has slotted holes for the tranny, maybe in the past someone slotted those holes?
You will need the ZF's shifter tunnel panel, its specific to the ZF.
Other than that, drive shaft from the ZF truck is a must, or expect a couple hundred in having one made.

 

[Silver Burner]

Basically, all the clutch hydraulics are the same, some say they are not but they are, I'm using the original T19 setup in my brown truck with its ZF. The clutch fork is different. The flywheel is different, trust me, if the previous poster is using a T19 flywheel I'm not sure how because the ZF flywheel has a spacer located on the crankshaft side of the flywheel that offsets the flywheel by about 3/4". So if you used the stock T19 flywheel I'd think there would be little to no spline contact with the clutch disk and the input shaft.
I personally did not have to redrill the crossmember in any way it lined up the same as the T19, which was odd because everyone said I'd have to drill the frame to make it work. I'm not sure, I know my crossmember has slotted holes for the tranny, maybe in the past someone slotted those holes?
You will need the ZF's shifter tunnel panel, its specific to the ZF.
Other than that, drive shaft from the ZF truck is a must, or expect a couple hundred in having one made.

I can tell you after the input shaft engaged to the clutch disk that the tranny went in well over an inch to seat onto the block. I have a ton of engagement and I basically followed what everyone here said to do. My crossmember was slotted as well, but the bolt up point was literally 2 inches farther back and the slots did not allow that much movement, so I had to drill 2 new holes to move the crossmember back by that much. I am amazed that you made it work without moving it. The ZF is definitely a longer trans than the T19. It amazes me how there seem to be so many ways to do the same thing. Who knows, maybe I did do it wrong, but I've put almost 5 thousand miles on the truck since the swap and towed a 7K trailer with it as well and no problems at all.

 

[hahn_rossman]

The adapter gizmo between the bellhousing and the block is the same. The input shaft is.a.different diameter and spine count. I have had really good luck with a SMF. There is complete kit from south bend clutch,or LUK. The ZF5 is a great transmission and really changed the feel of driving the truck. I wasn't able to reuse my crossmember and ended up fabricating on using tubing and parts of both the t19 and zf ones. The clutch hydralics interchanged. I didn't need to use a.different driveshaft, but reused my transfercase.

 

[Exekiel69]

Good thing the zf will bolt to the same plate as the t-19, would it be the same if it was a t-18?
This isn't on a ford truck, not even an international engine. You see, when ford step vans where retrofitted the 4bt they used a t19, right now I have a GM 4spd behind it and I'm looking for ways to put an OD transmission. I though if the t19 plate can take a zf then all I need is the t19 adapter, FW, clutch and PP to mate it to My 4bt.


Thank You guys.

 

[hahn_rossman]

I looked into this some. All the various engines have an adapter bolted to the back of them which allows the bellhousing to bolt up. Unfortunately the cummins has a bt series engine to small block Ford bellhousing adapter, while the IDI has an international to ford diesel bellhousing adapter. So you still need a adapter to diesel bellhousing from destroked or somebody else. Or use a small block Ford zf5, which may not have the right ratios etc.

 

[82F100SWB]

Yup, if you get the Ford stuff it's all going to be SBF 1/2 ton stuff, and it may be fun trying to find a clutch that will live, and the concentric slave cyl sucks.

 

[sle2115]

Just did my swap, driveshafts were unchanged and are working fine. My frame was drilled for the lower crossmember, but had to re-drill for the "wings". I'm guessing that in the op's application, none of this matters as it's going to be a total different situation.

As for bolting to the engine, yep, they are the same at the T19/T18. The ZF will bolt right up, flywheel is different, but I have no idea about using stock T19 parts other than the input shaft is different. I'm running a new SMF and clutch setup.

 

[Exekiel69]

Thank You guys and You're right only the small block zf will bolt to a cummins t-19 adapter plate the big block and diesel zf will not.
I don't know what I'll use yet, there is a lot of OD options some for a large sum of $$$$ and some a little less $$$. I've got a lot of help from some members here, that I always appreciate.