In my spare time I buy and sell stuff to make a few extra bucks. Anyways tonight I pretty much stole a ZF6. I bought a ZF6 from a 2003 F550 and the transfer case for $650.

I already have the flywheel, clutch, SD slave cylinder, etc from another 550 I bought a few months back.

I think would just need to buy the OBS clutch pedals, and figure out driveshafts and I'd have everything.

My current truck is a 97 F250 with an E40D. There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of it but going to a stick would be sweet.

Ideally I want to be able to tow 12-15k pounds without killing my truck.

Really just looking for thoughts and input and what not before I actually do something I might regret.

 

Being an 03 is it a 7.3 or 6blow trans?

6blow bell is different and no bueno.

Most people say it's not a worthwhile swap.
Me...well auto for the win lol

 

If its a zf6 from a 7.3, id say go for it. Too many naysayers. if you dont want an auto, and you can be into a zf6 with all the parts you need for the swap for cheap, do it.

I believe the e4od with a 4407 from engine to flange, incuding spacer is 53.5"
zf6 with 271 with no spacer is 55.5"

Minus getting drive shaft work done. It is a pretty much bolt in swap.

I think it is worth while. Iv driven zf5s and zf6s. I like the 6 better. anctually has a real granny 1st. Not like the zf5 that have high first and reverse ratios. if you are towing 12-15k, it will be a nicer transmission than a 5.

 

It's from a 7.3. Wouldn't of bought it if it was off of a 6.0. Haha.

My three main questions are this;

1. The shifter. Do I have to cut my carpet and cut a hole in my floor for the shifter? Obviously I know I need a hole in the floor, but I feel like I read somewhere about an access panel that's already there.

2. Cruise control. Do I lose my cruise control? I love cruise control on long trips.

3. I've never driven a 7.3 with a stick and don't know anybody who has one I can drive. Are they pretty torquey and nice to drive? (Would I be able to pretty much put it into low and let the clutch out no throttle and not stall?)

Thanks!

 

1 yes you have to cut the carpet. but the transmission hump part of the floor is bolt on. just take the 1 out of the truck you get the obs pedal assembly from, it will already have the hole.

2- cruise control will work. you just have to mess with the wiring a little. Also, if you have an obs transmission harness from a 5 speed truck, that would be handy, but not a must.

3 i like my truck with a stick. but it is nothing to write home about lol have to imagine there are some 5 speed and 6 speed trucks out your way.

 

I did my 95 about 2 years ago.

There is a panel that you can remove in the floor and replace with a manual version. Both panels are the same other than the hole so if you don't get a manual panel it's not too big of an issue to cut your own hole.

Cruise works fine but like said above you need to modify the harness. I used the ZF6 harness but only for the reverse lights. There are a couple of wires in the existing harness that need to be spliced together to emulate the auto being in neutral/park.

Don't forget the spacer for the ZF6, it's much thinner than a ZF5/auto spacer and is no longer an available part.

For the drive shafts, I held my OBS rear shaft up agains the transfercase and marked the center of the ujoint for length. It was about 1" that was removed and I had a 1410 yoke installed so I didn't have to use a conversion joint.

The front shaft from the ZF6 truck worked fine for me without modification but I am lifted slightly with a D60 swap.

 

At work I forgot to put the spacer on an 02 7.3 manual from when I did the clutch, and nothing happened, they put well over 100k until the clutch burn mostly a combination of an oil leak coming from the valley of death, hauling/towing heavy and a bad driver.
I forgot to mention that its the spacer between tranny and engine not the actual spacer that goes on the crank shaft to fly wheel.

 

Go for it!! I know a lot of guys on here love their autos but I wouldn't want a utility vehicle w/o a stick. I love my 5spd, although a 6 would be nice. It gets 19/20ish hiway not towing. I can easily let out the clutch idling and not stall, even when moving my trailer with Bronco on it. I sometimes use lo range to slow it down when backing or maneuvering the trailer in and out of the backyard. I taught my son to drive a stick with it and he liked how easy it was to get moving in 1st.