Seriously considering putting a mustang 5 speed or a mazda or zf in my 84 4.9 6cyl because im never really gonna tow anything or do hard work. swapping a v8 is a headache here in cali 😕 just wanna have fun going through all the gears and with my fresh posi🙂 i never really see anything at junkyards,craigslist, etc for the mazda tranny and zf

 

or how good is a mazda 5 speed that came with these trucks and zf trannys for essentially city driving and going through the gears cus i want a closer ratio tranny then my new process tranny

 

The ZF is a strong trany as it is a truck trany but hear it shifts a lot better than your NP435 or the BW T19/T18. I also think the ZF has a grand first and over drive 5th.

Now the Mustang T5 comes in many flavors and would not look at any from a 4 cly or v6.
You want a world class WC T5 I from a v8 gt car as some I think we're non-WC.
Google how to tell a WC from a nonWC if look at used ones.

if you want a warranty get a new one say thru Summit Racing or Jeggs because by the time you rebuild it with good parts if it needs a lot you would be better off with Summitt or Jeggs.
don't ask how I know!

I don't think the mozda is a good trany but that's me.
Dave - - - -

 

If you want a trans that will bolt in with the right parts and everything fits, you will have to use the zf or the Mazda. They are both truck transmissions, so they are not going to shift like a car transmission. If you want to use a car transmission you will have to do some research on the web to figure out what you need and what needs to be modified or purchased to make it work. It has been done, but it won't be stock so some minor changes will be necessary.

 

What gear ratio do you have in the rear? I am assuming it's not 4x4? Here are the choices for a 88 f150, it will have the 5 speed in it.

MT, 4 speed (Warner T-18), 4x2, 12" extension
MT, 4 speed (Warner T-18), 4x2, 4" extension
MT, 5 speed, Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), 4x2, 2.73 ratio
MT, 5 speed, Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), 4x2, 3.08 ratio
MT, 5 speed, Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), 4x2, 3.55 ratio
MT, 5 speed, Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), 4x2, 4.10 ratio
MT, 5 speed, ZF, 4x2
MT, 5 speed, ZF, 4x4
MT, 4 speed (Warner T-18), 4x4
MT, 5 speed, Mazda (Toyo Kogyo), 4x4

 

for a street truck the ZF is a bit much but servicable. they are also hard to find in small block form and the slave is internal. but for towing or for rough work-nothing better.

 

Having owned multiples of the ZF and the Mazda in my DD over the years, I can confidently say you will want the Mazda. Much smoother and shorter throws, plus the gearing is MUCH better suited for the street. Plus, they're easier to find and cheaper.

 

Don't touch the M5OD, it's a weak trans and not suited to a truck at all. Your options for "best" reasonably easy swap are ZF5 or NV4500. I feel the NV4500 is superior as the case is stronger and all my many ZF5 failures are aluminum case related. ZF6 would technically be better than a ZF5 (more torque rating and closer ratios) but not sure it's possible for anything other than a diesel.

 

He only has a six. I have never owned one, but would think the Mazda would hold up behind it?

 

Going back to the original request, I've never driven the ZF5, NV4500 or M5OD-R2, so I've stayed out of this so far. All I've got is what I've heard about those trannies, and my experience with T-18, NP435, ZF6, NV5600 and NV3550.

The ZF6s I drove were much worse for "having fun going through the gears" than a T-18 or NP435. The NV5600 was similar to the older 4 speed, but at least has more gears which was better. Both of those are heavier 6 speeds, so I don't know how much it applies, but from what I've heard, the ZF5 and NV4500 also aren't at their best as a "fun" street transmission.

My NV3550 is close to a fun street trans, but it still shifts harder and slower than the manual cars I've driven. From what I hear the Mazda trans is similar. So that would be the easiest decent (if not great or maybe even good) option. And if your truck is 4WD it's probably your best option.

If you have a 2WD you can use any trans that goes behind a Ford small-block in a car. Mustangs have had some really nice shifting 4 and 5 speeds. Getting the shift linkage and crossmember set up will be more work than putting the Mazda 5 speed in. And getting a clutch that works with everything might require a little searching. But there are definitely better shifting trannies to be found if you don't mind the effort.

That said, if it was me I'd probably go with the Mazda as a reasonable compromise. Easy to implement and better than your old 4 speed. Not great for heavy work, but that's not what you're looking for.

 

Well said NS.

I am in the same boat of not driving some of the listed tranys (ZF & Mazda and newer NV) but have driven the NP & T18/T19 and they are not "car shifting" tranys.

I do have a WC T5 in a car but have not driven it yet but being it came out of a Mustang its got to shift more like a car and be fun to "row the gears".

Because of the hear say on the "weak" Mazda I don't think I would go that way so I would look at a T5.
Dave ----

 

The mazda m5r2 was used for 20+ years, I have put over 500,000 miles in daily drivers with this tranny, never had a problem. The one thing that needs to be checked is the rubber plugs at the shifter tower. These should be replaced with metal plugs.

 

Before believing any of the misinformation surrounding the M5OD's ability to hold up to abuse, head over to pirate 4x4 and see how much crap they can really take. My guess is the posters regurgitating something they heard on the net have never owned an M5OD, let alone in a vehicle that was built to bash like a trail rig.

 

My concern with the Mazda trans for the OP isn't strength, it's how well it shifts. Again, I haven't driven one, so I certainly yield to those with durect experience. But the NV3550 in my Bronco does not shift like a sporty car, it shifts like a light duty truck. If the Mazda is similar it might not be the best choice for someone who is looking for "fun going through all the gears."

 

One thing I do know for sure, the 300 six is not going to give much "fun through the gears" anyway. It's a heavy slow lug, you will have plenty of time to get ready for the next shift waiting for the rpms to climb on the old six. And when does the stock six fizzle out, 3500 rpm? Sure you can probably go higher but are you gaining anything?

I have the "fun going through the gears" truck. My little 2.9 v6 ranger. It's not very heavy, has stock tires with 3.73 gears, and it loves to rev, pulling the whole way. It has a little 5 speed in it. It's very fun to drive and has a lot of get up and go to it. I will be doing 55 mph at 3500 rpm in 3rd gear, and have 2 more gears to go. If I drive like I have some sense, I get 20mpg.