BrownBomber90
Registered User
I got a **** tranny in my idi and i want to know what my opitions are for swapping it out or rebuilding it.. response would be very helpful
Transmission selections?
- Thread starter BrownBomber90
- Start date
david85
Full Access Member
How much you want to spend? and what do you want to do with it? Any plans for heavy towing or turbocharging in the future? That transmission can be built up but you can expect to pay a good $2000 at least if some one else does all the work for you.
So far, the ford rebuilts are pretty good in terms of internal upgrades, build quality, and price. A good rebuild and a billet converter should be a good setup.
You can swap to a 5 speed, but those aren't bullet proof either.
There *might* be a way to swap in a commercial duty transmission from a medium truck. There are some allison transmissions that bolt up and heard there may be stick shift HD trannies as well, but thats well beyond my knowledge.
C6 3 speed is also an option, if you can do without anything that resembles decent fuel economy.
All of the above mentioned swaps will involve drive shaft mods.
So far, the ford rebuilts are pretty good in terms of internal upgrades, build quality, and price. A good rebuild and a billet converter should be a good setup.
You can swap to a 5 speed, but those aren't bullet proof either.
There *might* be a way to swap in a commercial duty transmission from a medium truck. There are some allison transmissions that bolt up and heard there may be stick shift HD trannies as well, but thats well beyond my knowledge.
C6 3 speed is also an option, if you can do without anything that resembles decent fuel economy.
All of the above mentioned swaps will involve drive shaft mods.
SparkandFire
We're drinking beer
I agree with David85 on the trans. choices.
I am personally planning on adding a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to my truck, after I get the C6 tranny rebuilt.
My truck has the original C6, still running pretty good after 350,000 miles!
The C6 is strong, reliable, but ineffecient. If you want good fuel economy, I think the Gear Vendors OD unit is a good upgrade!
Plus, if you already have an auto in your truck, swapping to a C6 wouldn't be as much of a stretch as, say, converting over to a manual tranny.
I am personally planning on adding a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to my truck, after I get the C6 tranny rebuilt.
My truck has the original C6, still running pretty good after 350,000 miles!
The C6 is strong, reliable, but ineffecient. If you want good fuel economy, I think the Gear Vendors OD unit is a good upgrade!
Plus, if you already have an auto in your truck, swapping to a C6 wouldn't be as much of a stretch as, say, converting over to a manual tranny.
Do you have an E4OD?
Your options are: (all from an IDI donor).
Rebuit the E4OD with beefer parts.
Convert to a ZF5 speed (overdrive, aluminum case)
Covert to a T19 (no overdrive, cast iron case, aluminum bolt on bellhousing tough as nails)
Convert to a C6 auto (no overdrive, non-lockup torque converter, simple, can can be build very strong, and no computer nonsense).
Heath
Your options are: (all from an IDI donor).
Rebuit the E4OD with beefer parts.
Convert to a ZF5 speed (overdrive, aluminum case)
Covert to a T19 (no overdrive, cast iron case, aluminum bolt on bellhousing tough as nails)
Convert to a C6 auto (no overdrive, non-lockup torque converter, simple, can can be build very strong, and no computer nonsense).
Heath
Fishin76
Full Access Member
I vote T-19 and a GV overdrive. Best combination, IMO.
I've got a US Gear underdrive on the crew cab and that thing works great. They make overdrive units as well. They mount between the tranny and the T-case. Not that you'd need overdrive in 4x4, but I've used the underdrive in 4x4 to get really low gearing when backing up a trailer.
A little different from what I can tell from the Gear Vendor unit, but another option for an auxillary overdrive.
Heath
A little different from what I can tell from the Gear Vendor unit, but another option for an auxillary overdrive.
Heath
I thought the U.S. Gear unit wasn't being made anymore? Or did they re-start production?
smokin69
Always smokin'
Something I've always been thinking about was mating 2 T19's together and then running high gears in the axles and leave one in 3rd as you go through all the gears in the other one then shift it into direct(4th) through both for good highway mileage. You could probably figure out different gear ratios and run through them like an old mack shifting both at once with your arm through the steering wheel lol. Plus if one was a gasser box, that would be an amazingly low first gear in low range.
If you put the first t19 in low gear, you could easily break the second tranny. That's why if you look at the specs on trannies, the same exact tranny with a higher nummerical first gear will be rated for less ft/lbs capability.
For instance the zf's with the 4 something first gear are rated for more ft/lbs than the zf's with the 5 something gear.
If you have enough gear ratio, even a 4 cylinder can break something in a driveline. I will never forget a gearbox we used at work on a silo unloader. It had a 1000 to 1 ratio. The input shaft was 1/2 inch and the output shaft was 2 inch.
For instance the zf's with the 4 something first gear are rated for more ft/lbs than the zf's with the 5 something gear.
If you have enough gear ratio, even a 4 cylinder can break something in a driveline. I will never forget a gearbox we used at work on a silo unloader. It had a 1000 to 1 ratio. The input shaft was 1/2 inch and the output shaft was 2 inch.
Fishin76
Full Access Member
I think two t-19, with rear most reversed would be cool. You would never need 1st or 2nd or reverse unless you ran some ungodly rear gears. (5.88's come to mind)..... It would be cool to run (IIRC 3rd is like 1.42:1 in a t-19 and 4th is 1:1 of course) 42% overdrive. Run 4:10s and still cruise at 65 at 1300rpms, now thats wicked.
Hybrid455
Full Access Member
I will never be sorry for dumping the C6 in favor of the ZF5. The C6 is a good trans but sacrifices in fuel economy and performance make it too much of a compromise for me. Over under drives go a long way in improving this but they are expensive. Still... if you can't stand shifting or dealing with a clutch in tight situations the C6 with a gear venders may be the best choice for you. Early E4OD's were weak. If you run one make sure they have all the upgraded components.
Fishin76
Full Access Member
If you can stand the poor economy, the C6 is about the ultimate in reliability for these trucks (as far as auto transmissions go). Because of the aluminum case that a ZF has, I have to give the nod to the T-19 for manual trans.
timothyr1014
Full Access Member
maybe we should start another thread just on OD options.....the reversed t19's sounds awesome....so far there have been twice (in 3 months) where I have wished for something slightly deeper then my 4.10....the GV iis great, but coming back on the I-10 I can still barely keep up with the truckers (late at night its not to hard to find a group rolling at 90)...
I have never driven a true dual trans...I am assuming that to shift on the second one you would just float it?
I have never driven a true dual trans...I am assuming that to shift on the second one you would just float it?
Hybrid455
Full Access Member
C-6 aluminum case, aluminum is light and strong, ZF aluminum case is light and strong, cast iron is heavy. ZF has overdrive, T19 doesn't. Direct drive in anything will never get you the economy that an overdrive will. Direct drive(4th gear) with an IDI at 65 mph and 4:10's the motor is screaming. 3:55's make it better but you will still be watching the fuel gauge go down. These transmissions were being used when the speed limit was 55. My ZF with 3:55's allows me to cruise at speeds of 75MPH at about 2000 RPM and delivers 18.5 MPG empty. In this day and age fuel mileage is the one of my priorities. I like driving my truck everday. I could not afford to if it was only getting 12 MPG like it used to with the C6. T-19 was a tough trans but it is dated. It would be great on the farm but for everday use you need an overdrive. The ZF is one of the easiest least expensive yet reliable ways to get it. Something else where overdrives are concerned. If you break down on the road you can get a ZF or an E4OD fixed easily. Parts are readily available. I'm not sure that you would find the same thing true with a gear venders or other add on over under drive set up as these units are far and few between and alot of technicians have never even seen one little own open it up for repair.
