Can the 6 speed manual transmission be bolted up to the 96 7.3?

Would I lose my pulling grunt to gain longer legs on the freeway?

(I need to put in a new clutch at minimum. Wondering how it would be to install a scrap yard 6 speed instead of the original 5 speed)

Thank you in advance,
Ryan

 

Yes you can. You will probably need a drive shaft as well. Or two and a transfer case if 4wd. The tunnel will need to be modified as well. overdrive will still be the same ratio

 

Do a search. There are several write up on the subject.
Most people believe it to be much more work than its worth to do that swap.especially since there is nothing to gain in od ratio.

 

X2^^^^^^^^^^

 

The hardest part was trying to track down the spacer that goes between the ZF6 and engine. I gave up and made one out of 10ga steel. The ratios on the ZF6 are a bit different from the ZF5 but you do have a tiny loss of RPM in OD with the ZF6, .76 on the ZF5 and .72 on the ZF6. The drive shaft lengths are different. I had my rear shortened about 1" with a 410 yoke installed and used the SD front shaft from the donor truck. You may also have to add a cooler. The ZF6 has a pump so you need a small trans cooler. You will also want to use the NP271/273 transfer case from the SD if your 4x4 as the input shaft size is different.

 

Thank you, Gentlemen. I know that you'd have experience in both doing it or reading about the pro's, cons and nightmares. That there isn't significant fuel savings in OD, it is really not worth it for me. Texas freeways are awfully fast and the truck does not sip when above 65MPH.

A guy can dream...

 

This. Seems like 2000 RPM is the "threshold", where the MPG just falls off a cliff. When we drive in-state, we can squeeze up to 22 MPG out of either of our PSDs. Our cross-country runs, with lots of 70-75-80 MPH driving, it's always 18-19. They're just about to raise the Interstate speed limit to 70 here in WI, so except for our two-lane excursions, I guess we can kiss the 22 goodbye. About your only other choice would be something like a Gear Vendors OD behind the tranny, for a "double overdrive" ratio. Of course, larger diameter tires and a speedometer re-calibration will drop the RPMs some, but the bigger footprint and greater rolling resistance, and added rotating weight, will probably come close to canceling out any MPG gains from the RPM drop. No free lunch.....

 

For the $$ I agree that the gear vendors would be the best way to go. The zf6 is cool but I feel like it would be a wash in the end.

 

Unless you are getting a ZF6 for just about FREE, it is an expensive swap that you will really gain Nothing by doing