I am going to put a lightning engine in my 1997 f150 changing it from a 4.6 to a 5.4sc and I know my current tranny even though it is manual wont hold it so I know I need to get a new one and so my question is will this transmission work with the lightning and also is the shifter located in the same place

Model: ZF6
Type: Six speed heavyduty overdrive
Years: 99-06 F-superduty
Engines: 5.4, 6.8, 7.3, 6.0
Fluid: Mercon
Display:
R.1.3.(D)
L.2.4
Ratios:
L 5.79:1
1st 3.30:1
2nd 2.10:1
3rd 1.31:1
4th 1.00:1
5th 0.72:1
R 5.23:1
Trans code: 6 (diesel), 5 (gas)

 

no, go with the ZF5. are you 4WD? you will need the proper transfer case to go w/ that as well. expect to have to go through a lot of fabrication, it is not an easy swap.
you may be better off going w/ the M5OD, what the F-150 came stock w/. granted, you may break a few, but it'll still be cheaper than this swap. you could also keep your current transfer case as well.

 

I am 4wd so since you are saying that I would need the proper transfercase I can only assume that the one I have know would not work and also how much fabrication is alot if i currently have a M5OD-R2 transmission(I think thtat is what I have judging by the sticky in this topic)also is there a such thing as rebuilding the transmission with heavy duty parts

 

you currently have the Borg Warner 4406. It will not bolt onto the ZF5. You would need the proper transfercase that mates to that transmission. I cannot recall the name offhand.

however, yes, you can rebuild a transmission w/ heavy duty parts. i would see what your local transmission builder can do for you. using your stock transmission, you could retain the stock B/W t-case.

from what i have read, the swap you are thinking about is complicated, and costly. bear in mind those parts are super duty parts, and are more expensive than light duty F-150 parts.

 

I was looking around and I found this picture of the tranny that I have next to a zf s5 tranny and it does not look to different(looks can be decieving though) and was going cleanly from what I could tell into the vehicle they were doing a swap on ( a 95 bronco, there may be more space there than in my truck) but if I am able to rebuild with heavy duty parts in the tranny for difficulties sake it might just be the thing to to also would I need to rebuild the transfer case with heavy duty parts or should the transfer case do fine against the lightning engine


here is the picture

 

the transfer case you have now will be fine w/ a Lightning engine. the transfer case is not even used unless you are in 4WD. it just will not bolt onto the ZF5 transmission. as far as a 95 Bronco to your truck, you are talking a whole different generation of trucks for comparison... if you are serious about this, you need to talk to JMC. i believe he knows exactly what this swap will entail.

btw, if you swap transmissions, you will need to swap pcm's as well...

 

man this seems like it is gonna be alotta work I think I am just gonna go with the rebuild see how that goes but first I need to start by pulling out my engine get my engine in a pretty good state of running get the lightning engine and sell my stock engine then rebuild that one then get my tranny rebuilt with heavy duty parts and hopfully that will work if not it is off to plan b of getting this tranny the proper transfer case and start the long process of fabing the frame and what not to getting this thing up and running
and also I did not know that you would have to swap pcms for manual tranny i thought that was just on automatic but o well you learn something new everyday right. and or look really hard for a lighting that came with a manual tranny(which may not even exist) and get that to work on my truck

 

no ford lightning came stock from the factory w/ a manual. they all came equipped w/ the auto 4R100. yes, you have to switch pcm's when you switch transmissions, be it auto-auto, stick-stick, auto-stick. like i said, it is not an easy or cheap swap.

some more food for thought: you may have to upgrade the rear axle as well. you have the 8.8. all 5.4's, Lightning's came stock w/ the 9.75. the torque of that s/c'ed engine may blow that 8.8 rear axle

 

I see well it is a good thing that I plan on taking sometime to do this job and that I dont intend on finishing it with in a few months(think of my truck like a big hot wheel)

also what does upgradeing the rear axel entail is it just replacing the gears or is it replacing the whole thing

 

Yes,,you would have to put the whole rear in.
But,,I think your 8.8 will hold up just fine. So don't worry about it till you rip it out a there. Then you might want to upgrade.

Phil

 

hmm replacing the whooe rear end may be a positive because right now it is leaking oil from somewhere under the U bolts that hold the rear axel to the rear leaf springs also it will give me a chance to go from drum brakes to rear disk brakes also sorry for the stupid question(most of my automotive knowladge lies in the motor of the car) but what is the difference between a 8.8 and a 9.75 differential is that the ratio of drive shaft turns to wheel turns like 8.8 turns of the drive shaft = 1 turn of the wheel