How much to pay for a zf5 tranny?

[mankypro]

So I'm planning on dropping 3.65 or 3.5 gears, lockers and a zf5 in my 84' f-250 in order to make it a more comfortable and capable long range hauler.

I'm looking on fleabay for zf5's and they average $1,200.00 bucks for a rebuilt one? Is this a common price?

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Thats actually pretty good, cus I think without a core, you have to pay almost $2000 for one.

 

[mankypro]

Silly question:

What is the proper nomenclature for the oem 4 speed that shipped with the 6.9l in 84?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Borg Warner T19. Basically the same as the T18 used with smallblock gassers but with a higher first gear.

You can use a cheaper, more durable T18 with high axle gears to get the low highway RPM without having to use an overdrive trans.

 

[mankypro]

Interesting. So right now the tach is dead so I don't know what I get speed wise in the 2,000-2,500rpm range with whats in the truck now. Looks like it's actually the tach itself as the signal checks out all the way to it.

In any case I'm getting some play in the steering column at about 45mph thats a bit disconcerting, it's better than it was after the steering gear was replaced - but I think the steering column may need some serious help.

So the few things I need to get done in order of importance:

1. fix the steering play.
2. fix the tach
3. determine what I should do about gear ratios, transmissions and limited slips.

Any idea what kind of speed I'd get unloaded with the T18 on 4.10 gears @2000 rpm?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Assuming standard 235/85R16 tires, speed at 2K RPM will be 45.89 MPH. (1:1 4th gear)

3.55 gears would give 53.13 MPH

3.08 gears would give 61.23 MPH

The ZF-5 has a 5th gear ratio of .76

With 4.11 gears at 2K will give 60.38 MPH.

The benefit of the smallblock gasser trans is the much lower first gear which gives a wider gear "spread" than the diesel trans. This gives you a low first gear for loaded starts. Personally I don't care for the close ratios of the diesel gearbox, first gear is too high for heavy loads.

I'd be very cautious of buying a used ZF-5 that you can't test drive first. It's very common for the synchro's to go out on them. Remember there would have to be a "reason" a trans was removed from a diesel truck and sold. How many "good" diesel trucks are parted?

 

[mankypro]

60.38? How can that be I would think that the higher the ratio the lower the mph, was that a typo? Should it be 50.38?

Also if I went with 3.10 gears would it kill my load pulling capabilities? Worst case I'm pulling household items in the bed and an 8ft trailer with the same.

Assuming standard 235/85R16 tires, speed at 2K RPM will be 45.89 MPH. (1:1 4th gear)

3.55 gears would give 53.13 MPH

3.08 gears would give 61.23 MPH

The ZF-5 has a 5th gear ratio of .76

With 4.11 gears at 2K will give 60.38 MPH.

The benefit of the smallblock gasser trans is the much lower first gear which gives a wider gear "spread" than the diesel trans. This gives you a low first gear for loaded starts. Personally I don't care for the close ratios of the diesel gearbox, first gear is too high for heavy loads.

I'd be very cautious of buying a used ZF-5 that you can't test drive first. It's very common for the synchro's to go out on them. Remember there would have to be a "reason" a trans was removed from a diesel truck and sold. How many "good" diesel trucks are parted?

 

[BigRigTech]

Just my 2 cents worth....I have two 2wd ZF's here, both are good runners. I got one for $200 and I bought the other with a 7.3IDI (275,000km) and single mass flywheel included for $600....If you hunt around locally you will probably find what you are looking for cheaper. I found one of mine on www.kijiji.ca and I got the other from a buddy. I'm taking out my E4OD. These tranny's are not all the expensive to rebuild if you look around at the parts online. The real killer for ZF's is running a PTO on them, eats them up in short order....Too light duty for running a PTO IMHO.

 

[Diesel JD]

You'd be likely to find a good ZF in a junkyard with a wreck/rollover or maybe a truck with a dead engine. A used standalone ZF might be a bad idea or you might get lucky. Bad thing is they are not a DIY rebuild from what I hear, not as cheap or simple as the T19.

 

[BigRigTech]

It's hard to buy stuff like a tranny on somebody's word but I guess that's what your left with as most of the time I find the part I'm looking for it's in a non-running truck. There's still lots of IDI powered trucks & parts trucks around here and a lot of them have suprisingly low mileage....Rust is the killer. One of my tranny's was in a running truck that the cab was rusted out and failed MVI. The other came from a buddy who took it out of a running donor truck that he bought for the PSD engine....He didn't need the tranny as it his rig is 4wd....Both tranny's have 275,000km on them oddly enough. Nither had a PTO mounted to them so I'm hoping I'm good to go. If not I'll pull one apart and repair things as needed. Rebuild kits for wear items are pretty reasonable in price. I have a buddy with a transmission shop, if I get in over my head I'll take it to him.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Rebuild-Kit-for-...ryZ46103QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250123057674&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

 

[Mr_Roboto]

60.38? How can that be I would think that the higher the ratio the lower the mph, was that a typo? Should it be 50.38?

quote]

The 60.38 MPH is with the trans in .76 overdrive.

 

[mankypro]

Ok that makes more sense now. Just wondering what the speed would be at 2,000rpm on a t18 with 4.10 gears. In any case I'm considering switching gears anyway. And wondering if 3.10's would make the truck truly gutless for hauling, but much better for cruising, I definitely would like to be able to haul light ot medium loads and be able to bear the noise at 65mph...

60.38? How can that be I would think that the higher the ratio the lower the mph, was that a typo? Should it be 50.38?

The 60.38 MPH is with the trans in .76 overdrive.

 

[Diesel JD]

You won't like no OD and 4.10s on the highway I'll tell you that right now, 3.55s or 3.31s with a turbo, you'll get good mileage and pulling power as long as you aren't hauling TOO heavy. More than that you really need the 4.10s if you're going to be hauling 10K lbs/up much of the time. My opinion...

 

[mankypro]

I guess the question then becomes, upgrade the transmission to 5 gears (zf5) or simply switch the gears. Sounds like the transmission might be a cheaper route.

Is there an online calculator somewhere that I can plug in ratios and so on and figure out what my rpms would be at a given speed?

You won't like no OD and 4.10s on the highway I'll tell you that right now, 3.55s or 3.31s with a turbo, you'll get good mileage and pulling power as long as you aren't hauling TOO heavy. More than that you really need the 4.10s if you're going to be hauling 10K lbs/up much of the time. My opinion...

 

[FordGuy100]

I am also wondering what the price of a good ZF would cost. I've actually been looking for a wrecked/not running 88-97 Ford F350 4x4 diesel (either IDI or PSD) ZF-5 speed. I havent had much luck finding one of these that are cheap, or even finding them at all. The reason would be because it would have a ZF-5 speed, the linkage, the part of the floor pan I would need, crossmember, BW 1356, and a Dana 60 front. If I could find something like that withing a resonable driving distance, that wasnt running and had been rolled or something, and was under a grand, I would be all over it.

I might just settle for a F-250 4x4 diesel with a ZF and scrap the whole Dana 60 idea. I've seen a couple of trucks that match my description, like this one (You have to copy and paste it, for some reason it wont let me post a link)

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/car/517118267.html