What up guys? My tuck started life as a 97 F-150 4X4 4.6L. Now it has a lightning 5.4 with heads and cams and a 10lb pully. The stock tranny is still in it and is slippen bad and I can't pull anything becouse of it. I got 2 get a new tranny and I want one that will hold up. So I was thinking the 5R110 or the 4R100. I know the 5R110 has a lower frist gear for more power. On top of this when I get one what would be the best converter for it? I will be adding a shift kit.

 

You have a 4R70w now, and a weak one at that. I suggest at the very least upgrading to a newer unit which will require some wiring changes. The repin isn't as complicated as you would think and some good instructions have been posted.http://www.p71interceptor.com/tranny...ead/index.html
I would fear the stock converter for clutch issues and ballooning. Otherwise a 03+ trans for a 5.4 preferably or possibly a 4.6 would work well.
Alan

 

ok thanks what tranny would that be?

 

Any unit 98+ is considerably better than your existing unit. Alot of upgrades were made in 98 from friction type to removing the intermediate roller clutch in place of a mechanical diode assembly. In 2001 solid direct sealing rings were installed. If you need your speedometer (have a vss sensor) you will be limited to a model year 2002 transmission as the best you could use without going through it.
Alan

 

Whats a Vass sensor? Also how will I know If i have one?

 

VSS= Vehicle Speed Sensor.
If you have one it will be located in the tailshaft of the transmission.
Alan

 

I am new to this forum and still unsure on how to use it, but I have a question about a gear change out and wanted to see if you could answer it or know someone that could.

I have 2002 F150 fx4 supercrew. currently 3.55 in it and I am changing to 4.10 tomorrow. Is this wise? I want to increase my jump off the line (so to speak) and I tow a trailer etc with my truck. Gas mileage is a bit of an issue but it happens.

What do you think.

 

Modular motors love gear. Thats not a bad swap at all and gives you a little room if you go to put larger tires on it as well.
Alan

 

You have a 4X4, so you don't have a VSS sensor. Nothing to worry about there and because of that you are not limited to using a transmission 02 or newer.

Also, the info that 01 transmissions got solid sealing rings for the direct clutch is from the 'not exactly' category as well.

Darrin

 

That is the time when the plant started using them. To guarantee they are in everyone would be like anything else...impossible. Several buddies of mine work in the plant.
Alan

 

I supppose that's fine and all, but I have been through a ton of these transmissions and the only ones that even remotely had the solid sealing rings for the direct clutch anywhere near that early on were definitely not behind a 4.6l truck.

I would check with your "buddies at the plant" and see if you can get some good specifics on this.

Darrin

 

Well my Truck is 4x4. Ok then sense I'm not limited to a 02 tranny. What tranny would be the best up grade?

Also a 4.10 gear swap would give u a little better get up and go. Ur speedo will be off, but that can be fixed with superchips speed cal.

 

Lavonia could be different but sharonville started using them on all models in 01, That would include trucks. Given the shelf life that would mean vehicles beyond 03 could still have split rings. Not that it makes any huge difference....
Alan

 

Interesting...

That would mean that they should have shown up in at least some of the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, E-Series vans, Expedition, Excursion, Navigators and Town Cars. Now I dont work at a Ford plant or have a bunch of buddies that do that I can call to check this out with, but in the literally hundreds of these transmissions that I have gone through I haven't seen those solid rings on much of anything earlier than products that came out in model year 03 and came from the Lavonia plant.

I am not saying that they might not have been in other things, I am just saying that none of the ones I have taken apart except for those that I mentioned above have had them in there. I do know the rings were being made that early on and I am sure they were being used in something. I am just not sure what and I would really like to know.

Also, I am not so sure about that shelf life thing either. Anyone that really knows these transmissions knows that you can tell when the transmission was built because the year is actually cast into the housing. It's not the stamp or tag that I am talking about, there is a number that is actually in the casting that shows the year. Using that, I have never seen transmissions that had sat around for a long time being put into new vehicles. I can match the year of the transmission between that number that is cast in the housing and the ID tag on all of the transmissions sitting in the shop right now. Something doesn't add up here.

Like I said, maybe you could get with these buddies and find out exactly when those solid reings were used and in what models. I would love to know the real facts on this subject. If Ford spec'd them to go into a transmission then that is what should have been in there and it should be easy for your buddies to find this out.

Darrin