I have a 1995 F150 4X2 5.0 5 speed with a lot of miles on it. I have a low mileage H.O. 302 to put in it. The transmission really needs to be rebuilt too, but I need the truck back on the road quickly. What is required to convert the factory Mazda 5 speed to the ZF? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Plenty of money if you don't have a ZF lying around. Even used, they start at $800; remans usually go for over $1000. The 4WD version is REALLY hard to find used. Plus, you'll have to change the lengths of your driveshafts (unless you plan to stay on-road until you swap back to the M5OD), shift the crossmember (bolt holes should already be there), and maybe change the clutch plumbing.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 14-Dec-02 AT 01:51 PM (EST)]I'm rethinking it now anyway I have found a place locally that can sell me a rebuilt M5OD for about $650. What sucks is my neighbor was one of the big rebuilders for these things in this area, but he moved away 3 months ago :-( I am mainly trying to get this truck to hold another few months until I can get a new 350. I do intend on keeping this truck though, but for lighter duty work

 

I hate my mazda, I want a ZF in there real bad, cost doesn't bother me.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

If you don't mind my asking, what is it about the M5OD that you hate?

 

It's extremely weak.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

>It's extremely weak.

That, and the ridiculously high reverse ratio. First isn't exactly low either.

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1995 F-150 Supercab XLT 155" 4x4 M5OD 302
1986 F-150 4x4 NP435 300

 

Well I went ahead an bought the rebuilt M5OD. The other one lasted 230,000 miles and, in fact, still works but pops out of third gear. I bought a 81,000 mile H.O. 5.0 out of a GT to go in it too. Been towing about 2500-3000 lbs with it regularly since it was new with 3.08 gears Figure I'll go ahead and throw a set of new 4.10's in that I had sitting around. How do you recalibrate the speedo on these trucks?

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 18-Dec-02 AT 07:33 PM (EST)]http://bbs.off-road.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=offroadfordbroncolate&Numb er=898100&page=1&view=expanded&sb=5&o=&fpart=
But you don't need to reset the speedo for a gear change. ONLY for a tire size change.

 

Why would you not need to reset the speedo with a gear change?

Changing gears and changing tire size is effectively the same thing.
They both effect tire ground speed to driveshaft speed ratio which will throw the speedo off.

 

The reason why you don't have to recalibrate it is because there is a sensor ontop of the rear diff. It reads off an excitor ring which is behind the ring gear. Changes in the size of the ring gear don't affect the reading because the excitor ring is behind the ring gear. The ring gear size doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure the actual reason why is because the sensor basically reads the speed of the carrier (since the excitor ring is bolted to the carrier), and the carrier doesn't spin any faster/slower with a change in gear size.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

Right - the ABS sensor reads the axle's RPMs; not the driveshaft's like cable-driven speedometers.

 

I saw some product in a jeep catalog made by superlift where you can program in youre tire size and gearing and it corrected your speedometer. May not be affected by the transmission but its still sweet.

 

That would be the Truspeed speedometer calibration product but I don't think they work for these trucks. Our speedo's you can do that w/o a special computer.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

Thanks for the help guys. One less thing to buy when doing the gears I just got the old engine out today. I picked up the trans and clutch yesterday, hope to have it running shortly.