Dodge has a well deserved reputation for quite simply the WORST automatic transmissions in the industry. Sad considering that they used to have the best in the old 727 TorqueFlite

 

I never said Dodges were crap, at least it's not an import. As far as your unfortunate experiances with your Fords I can almost guarentee you it was the mechanic. The 302 doesn't make alot of torque required for the big trucks, I would go with a 351, and throw in some gears, exhaust and slicks and take as much weight off as you can and i'm sure it'll run real nice, just as nice as a Dodge or GM (that would be a cool test, but I don't know of ne1 who has done it, look into some 2 wheel drive truck mags). Anyway you go, you'll have to spend big money to go fast and Ford has the best and cheapest aftermaket. Sounds to me like you already made your decision before you came on here. What does your first line say? "I hate this I know someone who crap"?

 

Well, first, what i meant was i hate it someone gets on the internet and says, i know someone's 2nd cousins uncle that had this trouble so all Dodges or whatever are crap (would love to see some actually proof that strange Ranger has that shows for a FACt Dodges have the worst trannies, i haven't seen it. In fact i have more than a few friends with Dodges with tons of m,iles and NO tranny issues, i personnaly have experience with a 99 Dakota R/T, 93k miles, tranny still shifts like new, 97 LHS had 90k miles when traded in, shifted like new (in fact only thing that needed replaced was the battery). And are you including the 45RfE and 545RfE in your statement????? FYI those have proven themselves as great trannies since intro in 99 in Jeep GC. The 46RE found behind the 360s is also a great tranny and i have heard little or no complaints about them. in fact few, very few, R/t owners with really quick trucks have had any trouble. now, the 318s and 3.9 V6s had even different trannies, i have heard little or few complaints of the 44Re in the 318, the trouble is mainly with the 42RE found behind the V6 Dakota and Ram, the 5 speeds are basically trouble free in any of these trucks. See what i am saying? you are talking one tranny of like 6 mentioned, and it is not even going to be offered on anything after 04 as the 3.7 is backed by the 45RFE...... Back further, the Dakota like i am looking at.... that is a different series of trannies altogether. i know nothing of the trannies offered on 4 bangers and 6s, but the V8 is backed by what is basically a 727 with an overdrive gear, can't remember the exact designation right now though and again, I have seen no issues with the 5 speeds...... I also doubt my Ford troubles are just the driver...... i know too many eople that have actually had them and had a TON of trouble (i know, i am doing what I jumped about, but....) Anyways, IMHO, the 92-96 F-150s are fine trucks, i was actually considering them, the old 350 TBI FS Chevies and the Dakota.... After some analysis, the Dak will be the best bang for the buck for me. Also, if you look, the cheapest and most available parts are probably for the tried and true small block Chevy, though the 5.0 is no slouch., but there is really not much difference in the prices for any of the biug 3 once you really look into it, especially when I considering where I would be starting. and I would have to do to make the Ford even the Dakota, heck, it would be a challenge to catch up to a 350 Chevy with what they run. Didn't mean anything by it, again, great trucks, just after some analysis, it is a far 3rd place for my needs.

Brian

 

The current big Dodge trannies are as similar to the 727 as the E4OD is to the C6. Same basic concept with an OD grafted on, much cheaper materials of construction, much less reliable. Go ask any good tranny shop. They'l have little regard for either the Ford or Dodge trannies.

Here's what I don't understand. You come to a Ford board and ask for information and or advice, reject it out of hand, then spread your crap around. Why don't you just go find a Mopar board?

 

Actually i am taking the advice I got here, most stated this is NOT what I want for a fast running truck...... Also the current trannies have NOTHING in common with the old 727, the 200+ Dakota 4.7, and all 2002+ Ram 1500s run the 5 speed 454RFE (the 5.9 models of 02 only being an exception.....). i am sorry, ou still have shown no actual proof they are bad trannies..... All i know is that at home, there is a 99 Dakota R/T with well over 90k miles of HARD driving, running at the strip, and high speed jaunts woith a 100% trouble free 46RE that still shifts like new........ i couyld say the AOD is junk because of all the reports on the net about tranny failures ((actually don't see many about Dodge trannies), but I am not, I know my T-Bird needed 2 tranny rebiolds, but who know...... i would probably buy a another car with an AOD.... of course i had forogotten my 94 Grand Marquis (traded in on my Caprice), it's tranny wasn't doing too well either, and the throttele body getting stuck open, and...... and...... nobody makes perfect cars of course....


Brian

 

I had just turned my Dodge in before I bought the Ford and right before I returned it, the tranny completely dropped. I had an 01 1500 ext. cab off-road w/360. I liked the color (DNR green) and it seemed to be a good truck besides the tranny problem, but the gas mileage was horrible. It got like 9.5 average mpg and my Ford with a supercharger gets about 2 mpg better and it's older. It had 31,000 miles on it when the tranny dropped. This was just a couple months ago. I have no idea what tranny was in it. O well, everyone probably has a story or two. Like I broke my wimpy 5-speed in my stang so many times that the dealer voided the warrenty. I then got smart and built a Lentech AOD and threw it in, now it should handle around 900 hp with O/D and that's only half way built I could build it to hold around 1500, but then I would loose O/D. Besides I have a long way to go before I even get close to 900 hp.

BTW, I never said driver was at fault, I said mechanic. If ne1 working on a vehicle does it right the first time, then there wouldn't be any problems would there? You must do some research and correct any weak links and tolerance what needs to be (tighter/looser/factory). To many sloppy mechanics out there.

 

stewlt1,

First you said: "...the V8 is backed by what is basically a 727 with an overdrive gear"

Then you said: " ...Also the current trannies have NOTHING in common with the old 727"

So which is it? If you're going to come in here and blow smoke up everyone's *** at least get your story straight. Better yet, go hide under a bridge with the rest of the trolls.

 

Damn, Strange is dishing it out!

 

I think you know that I'm willing to work with anybody on this board with an idea or a problem or whatever. I try very hard not to get involved in flame wars; in fact I've largely stopped posting over at FTE just because of the flaming and the attitudes over there. But when somebody comes in here and spreads a bunch of crap around just to cause a commotion, I'm going to call him on it. I don't post on C***y or Mopar boards telling them what I think of their trucks; it's their board, they deserve to be left alone on it. I expect that the same courtesy will be shown to the members of this board.

If I'm out of line with that. please tell me.

 

He should have taken the fact the trucks were too slow (in his eyes) to start off with thanked everyone for the input and left.

i've never owned anything other that Ford, and there's been a bunch, and only occasionally think of others like Audi or Porsche or something...or Aston Martin. Then I go buy a $700.00 F150!

 

My times 302 e cam long tubes 24lb injectors long tubes gt40p heads. 4r70w trans and a tune

 

Nice! I like your truck. Needs a wash.

 

if I wash it there won't be nothing left. Lol.

 

I will say this if ya want fast dont bother to get a new intake. I swapped out mine for a trick flow heat thinking I see 14's but still a 15.1. Just get a bigger throttle body. BTW I also have 373 gears from a explorer. 95 trucks can be tuned with a quarter horse.