Ok I've been reading, posting an learning.
I have the truck in my sig and I am starting to get worried about the tranny.(partially due to things I have read) It seems to be in good condition, fluid color is good, shifting seems kind of, well let's say, different than I am used to. Then I read the horror stories about the cost of overhauling the E40D. The truck doesn't book that high even in excellent condition. It has 115,000 miles on it and it seems from what I have read that these trannies don't live much longer than that. I don't know the history of the truck so I can't tell you if it's had any work done to it. Before I start sinking money into this truck. (tires, fuel tank upgrade, sound system etc.) I would like to know, if my tranny craps out, is it feasable to put a 5-speed in this thing? I am mechanically capable but I would like to know how much trouble it would be.
I wish I knew how the E40D was supposed to act. I guess the ? is, can a standard trans be put in this truck and is it worth the trouble? The truck is in excellent condition, no rust, no dents, even the inside of the bed is dent free. Very clean interior.

Any thoughts?

 

Ebay has great prices on E4OD's so dont worry about if it goes. It usually slips in OD 1st and that will be ur sign. If you were to convert youd have to get the bellhousing unless buit into the trans, the trans, flywheel, clutch setup, linkage and or hydraulic system, and pedal assembly. Then you have to see if you can use ur tcase and drive shafts as I dont know if the auto and manual are the same length.

 

If you are looking into a swap, You have 2 options for the 5spd, one is the lighter duty M5 and the other is the Zf.

From what I have seen most of the parts will be bolt on (trans mount/crossmember, driveshaft) the more involved stuff would be the hydrolic clutch (if applicable), and from the trucks I have seen if it has auto tranny then the floor is likely and one piece and will have to have th access cover cut out. The only exception I have seen is if the truck has an auto tranny with a manual shift transfer case.
To help you price it out here is a list of the parts you may need
Cross member with matching tranny mount
driveshaft to fit
clutch and flywheel
clutch slave, master, and lines (Zf tranny may have mechanical clutch linkages)
clutch pedal assembly
Floor pan?
There will also be some wiring involved but cant say what at this time.
Good luck maybe someone else will list what I am forgetting (because I know there is something)

 

I do have a manual shift t-case and i think the dog house is already a bolt in.
Years ago I did an old IH truck and it was pretty straight forward mostly punch panels for the linkage and such. It even had the rod under the dash to mount the clutch pedal.
With a donor truck do you think it would be that easy?

 

If the donor truck has the same t case, and is the same wb then that's great. everything you need, if you forget something you probably won't have to put the truck on hold to make a trip to the boneyard.

 

putting the project on hold sucks when you only have one truck to do your hauling. I did a manual to auto tranny swap at my shop and the driveshaft we had was the wrong one, the other 2 guys were droped off by there wives or took the bus, so I had to make the trip on my motorcycle (let me tell ya, jousting at 55mph is pretty interesting lol)

 

I just had a mental picture of that..... That's funny, I don't care who you are!