I've about had it with my 1996 F150 I6 5-speed set up. Tired of changing clutches, noisy chatter, etc. What would be involved in swapping out for an auto? Which one to look for? Any computer issues with this? The truck is 2WD. Thanks !
Roger

 

Tired of changing clutches? A clutch should last for a long looong time. What have you been doing to it? Sounds like operator error to me.

 

As for having to swap clutches a lot and having a bunch of chatter this sounds like poor driving habits, severe overloading, or improper clutch installation (clutch missallignment or loose transmission to engine bolts. Try addressing these issues before swapping to a automatic.

To answer your question, you would need a tranny, driveshaft, flexplate, probably a cross member, shift linkage, and yes there would be computer issues unless you swapped to an non computer-controlled automatic.

 

Don't forget the radiator with tranny cooler in it and lines for it.

 

you dont need a cross member if u have the m5od transmission... it will tell u on ur cross member what trans it can be used with it....u can go back with a c6 or aod as for shift linkage i would get a ratchet shifter from B&M or hurst.... they have others ...... u dont have to have the radiator cooled trans cooler u can get an aft. mrkt. air cooled one....

the drive shaft length..... not really an issue coz junk yards should have thousands of them..... same with the trans and T/C but i would just buy a new one of those.....

 

Try a higher quality clutch kit,disc.pressure plate throwout +. pilot bearing. Your rearend might have a crappy gear ratio, swap in a 4.10. I`ve always run standard trans, the odd rig that had an auto always blew up. Hate them.

 

To do it right you would need a 4R70W or E4OD and the corresponding computer to go with it, steering column, shifter cable, crossmember, different radiator with cooler built in or a aux cooler, trans lines, and most likely a driveshaft.

 

Have you changed the flywheel? If it's "blued and screwed," (overheated/scored) that would cause chatter and premature clutch wear. Used to be, you could have a flywheel cut, but I was told you could not cut the flywheels of trucks with hyd. clutch actuation, as it the hydraulic slave can't compensate for the thinner flywheel (but I'm not sure that that is correct).

I put 100,000 miles on a clutch that already had 67,000 on it--and it still felt/worked like the day I got it. And my '88 F-150 lasted me 10 years on the (possibly original) clutch, and only the slave cylinder failed, finally.

You got some bad mojo going on...best figure it out before you cripple a perfectly-capable pickup by swapping in a slushbox.

Big Six

 

i dont know why u couldnt get the flywheeel resurfaced... they have shim bushings to put beind the slave cylinder that goes around the input shaft

 

LOL thats funny. Nothing against sticks but crippled with an auto? Thats pretty harsh. The E4OD in my 96 F150 has never been out of the truck and it just turned 320,000. It was a construction company truck with a pintle hitch when I bought it and its a street cruiser/work truck/occasional track truck with nitrous and it still gets me from point A to point B everyday. Im not saying he should switch to an auto but your statement was too bold to go undisputed.

 

i must agree with droppedf100, that was kinda harsh, i myself am a person who loves to shift my own gears in a standard, and dont much like auto's, but in my 90 f250 with the E4OD if you hit the gas kinda hard it will damn near snap your neck ( and i aint reffering to it being bad, actually quite good ) my only thing is the whole computer controlled thing that has me debating swapping it to a 4 speed standard