Transmission Identification Help

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Jan 24, 2025 | 09:57 PM

brantoday2

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1st Gear

Joined: Jan 2025

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Transmission Identification Help

I am currently looking to buy this 1986 F150 with a 5.0 and can't seem to find any info on what transmission this may be. The closest I've been able to find is the Tremec T170FT RTS 4 speed with overdrive (link below) but it shows a 4 where this one has the "O". I appreciate any help, I'm new to the classic truck community, if I am able to buy this one it'd be my first.

https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/TremecT170FT.htm

Jan 24, 2025 | 10:52 PM

85e150

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Joined: Apr 2004

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There were several variations, and your link seems to be correct iirc, regarding the RTS variant.

These were based on the '60s performance 4 speed with some internal fiddling to make the old 3rd gear into OD.

I'll try to find you some more links to them tomorrow.

They are not the strongest transmission, and the gear spread from 2nd to 3rd can be miserable depending on your axle and tire combo.

But, it's lasted this long and will probably continue to work just fine.

Jan 25, 2025 | 08:23 AM

Franklin2

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Joined: Jan 2001

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From: Virginia

In all normal 4 speeds, 4th gear is straight through 1 to 1. In this 4 speed overdrive that you have, they reversed the linkage so the labeled 3rd gear is the old 4th and is 1 to 1. The labeled 4th gear is the old 3rd and they made it a overdrive gear instead.

Jan 25, 2025 | 08:53 AM

FuzzFace2

FTE Legend

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 30,981

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From: Angier, NC

Welcome to FTE
There should be a sticker on the left door frame post up a picture of it and we can decode it for more information like axle ratio(s), color inside and out.
Dave ----