[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-May-02 AT 03:47 AM (EST)]My truck is a '95 F-150 short box 4x4 with the 351W E4OD auto 4" Lift
3.55 gears limited slips in a front dana 44 and ford 8.8 LS in the rear
It has a class 5 hitch by eazy-lift

My question, has anyone tried the shift kit that electronically gives you 3 shift patterns, Its quite affordable made by B&M
My tranny has 180 000 kilometers on it, would a shift kit be harder on the tranny?

Also curious whats the first good mod to improve general towing performance?

Thanks

 

>My truck is a '95 F-150 short box 4x4 with the 351W E4OD
>auto 4" Lift
>3.55 gears limited slips in a front dana 44 and ford 8.8 LS
>in the rear
>It has a class 5 hitch by eazy-lift
>
>My question, has anyone tried the shift kit that
>electronically gives you 3 shift patterns, Its quite
>affordable made by B&M
>My tranny has 180 000 kilometers on it, would a shift kit be
>harder on the tranny?
>
>Also curious whats the first good mod to improve general
>towing performance?
>
>Thanks


hey 501 again. i have an 88 with the 351w, c-6 tranny and 3:55 gears. the coquihalla brings me down to 70 KMH with the horse trailer and i find that unacceptable too. looking into towing performance the answers i have come up with are 1.) 3:73 or 4:10 gear change......very expensive to do in a 4x4. 2.)rebuild motor with some aftermarket parts like a stroker crank to turn it into a 393!!!. i hoppe to go for the motor option cause i do not have overdrive and the higher gears will hurt my mileage. anyway before you buy a shift kit (this really won't help hauling much) look into a computer chip. i think you have a speed-density system not mass-air so the chip may not do much for you. but the chip helps your shift patterns negating the need for a shift kit as i understand it. post your question in the chip forum. you just might pick up some extra horsies and beter shifting from a new chip. if you are planning any performance mods to engine like intake, cam and exhaust, do them before you buy the chip. i have a 3" exhaust and the k&N air filter and it helped with hauling.
hope this helps.

Rusty.

 

I just installed one of those B&M shift switches tonight. It was in a ranger, but its the same idea....

It basicly just firmed the shifts in the position 1 and 2. 3 is off. It may be a little bit too much for towing, but they say it shortens the shift an eliminates alot of slip during it. It really held the gears longer also.. Instead of shifting it at 4000, it waited till darn near redline. I suppose heat buildup would be down from the quicker shifts.

not sure if thats what your after for towing, but its totally off when you switch to the middle position. Pretty cheap too!


I would look into a gear change over anything. It's expensive, but its worth it. I have done 4 myself, but its not something a novice would want to attempt.



Best of luck!


Chris

 

I installed one in my 93 Bronco about 5 years ago works great.No problems yet,40000 miles with it in.I did a lot of towing with it until I got a F250 to tow with.