i just wanted to jump in and add my .o2's {yes i know i'm an out of stater, but fords know boundies } i had a 95 F-150xl sc 4x4long bed 5.0 E4OD trans.
i tow and show equip, i have a 18ft cronkite trailor w 5000lbs of tractor.
i bought the truck with 40,000 miles on her, had it 5yrs and put 370,000 miles onit, two engines and other misc stuff, But i never touched the tranny except fuild changes and yes it did have the shudders, but that disappeared after 2 fluid changes, i did not baby the truck, i drove it hard, even while towing that weight, the e4od is a solid transmission, i just bought another truck and it has the same tranny, i will stand by this tranny, it is a solid perfoming transmission, yes there maybe some that will fail, but over all it is rock solid, now my with who is a courier driver bought a 94 E-250 5.8 E4OD with 70k on it , and put over 400,000 on that transmission, no issues, she now has a 99 E-250 with the 5.4 w/ E4OD its up to 175,000 miles now, no signs of failure, i'm not disputing that there may be problems, But i will stand behind what i've had and have, thanks this it is not meant or intended to flame anyone.
so freightrain this where you been hiding
, you can remove the flame suit, they still get hot, even when there's no flames. unless you just like to sweat.