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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

trans swap

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Old Nov 3, 2005 | 03:46 PM
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trans swap

Hello every one. I have an 83 f150 4x4 with a 302 and a 3spd auto. It sucks on the highway. I can get an overdrive trans out of a 86 f250 2 wheel drive. what is involved to do this swap or will it be a waste of time trying?
thanks
 
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Old Nov 3, 2005 | 04:58 PM
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You will have to tear down the 2 wheel drive tranny and change the output shaft so it mates to the transfer case. You might also have to get another adapter piece to mate the newer tranny to your transfer case. Try to get a set-up with the transfer case, or at least a tranny that came out of a 4wd.

You may also find that the 302 with overdrive may not have enough guts to pull the truck in overdrive. It all depends on how much you are hauling, your tire size, and your rearend gears you have now.
 
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Old Nov 3, 2005 | 10:51 PM
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i believe that the tranny would swap up pretty easy. to swap ou ta c6 to a aod is an easy swap. But get one with 4wd to swap with. yes a 302 can pull you in over drive NP at all. I have an AOD with 3.08 gears and i go just fine...good milage too, i get 19 mpg average at 70 mph. you may need to get an adapter plate aka flywheel for an auto
 
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Old Nov 3, 2005 | 10:59 PM
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I have a 302 with a C6 and 3.00 rear end, it far from sucks on the highway, it pulled a 3000lb+ travel trailer last week up the grades of Eastern Washington and did it at 50 MPH, what do you mean by "sucks on the highway"
 
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Old Nov 4, 2005 | 04:29 AM
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Just because a truck has an overdrive transmission doesn't mean you have to leave it in OVERDRIVE. Take that little lever and move it to DRIVE. Voila, pull to your hearts content!
I have the manual 4 spd (3 + OD). I put it in 3 when pulling heavy duty (it has the 1:1 ratio).
 
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Old Nov 4, 2005 | 03:09 PM
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The 302 is out of a 93 mustang gt converted to carb. The truck has 3:73 in the rears. It has plenty of pulling power. on the highway the motor screams. and I thought with an aod it might help on gas mpg . I'll just look for something that had 4 whee drive to make it easier. the truck is my daily driver so it has to be a 1 weekend deal
thanks
 
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Old Nov 4, 2005 | 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by o2outlaw93
The 302 is out of a 93 mustang gt converted to carb. The truck has 3:73 in the rears. It has plenty of pulling power. on the highway the motor screams. and I thought with an aod it might help on gas mpg . I'll just look for something that had 4 whee drive to make it easier. the truck is my daily driver so it has to be a 1 weekend deal
thanks
AHHHHH that makes more sense.

Given 31 inch tires and a C6 final drive ratio of 1:1 I have you at about 2800 RPM at 70 MPH Bigger tires would decrease that and smaller would increase it.

A 302 is right at home in that RPM range..... here is the formula if youd like to play with it

rpm = mph x gear ratio x 336 / tire daimeter
 
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