I have a 79 f-150 with a 351/400 4 speed in it. I would like to find a newer model 5 speed transmission for my truck. If I need to buy a newer trans and transfer case that is fine. I was just wondering if anyone knew what transmission would work with my truck. If not I may go to an over drive transmission like GearVendors....Does anyone have any info on this? I would appreciate it very much. Thanks....

 

Hey, your question interested me as I am going to convert a 74F1002WD with a 289. I am lookin for more highway gears. A five speed sounds nice. I'd be interested in conversing with you on this drive train situation. I am also considering a new rear end. I haven't decided about the motor yet, but want to build a highway truck that gets off the line pretty quick. Any advise or resources are appreciated.

 

Rick I don't know what highway gears means, but when a tranny is in high gear it is at a 1 to 1 ratio regardless if you have 2 gears or 10. An overdrive will turn the tranny shaft faster than the engine. Having a 5 speed rather than a 3 means more gears to shift, the end results are the same.

John

 

John:

Actually the end results are not the same. You need to mate the transmission to the engine and your driving habits.

I am the original owner of an ’81 F100 with a 300 C.I. six and a four speed. Gears 1-3 of this trans were like a standard 3-speed’s gears (where 3rd was straight through) and 4th was overdrive. The gaps between the gears were such that the truck was a pain to drive, either around town or on the freeway. First was geared too high and made it difficult to start from a stop. At 25, 35 and 45 MPH (common speed limits) I was either revving the engine in a lower gear or lugging it in a higher gear. 55-60 MPH on the freeway was similar, I was either revving it in 3rd or lugging it in 4th. I hated that trans. Changing the diff. ratio could have helped, but I didn't do it.

In ’92, after 120,000 miles, it finally gave out and I replaced it with a 5-speed from a ’91 truck. I love this new trans because all the gears are closer together and around-town driving is much easier on me and the engine (I don’t mind shifting – I’ve done it so long that it’s second nature). 5th is also lower than 4th on the original trans so, theoretically, it is not as good, practically it is much better because I now use my O/D gear much more frequently than I used to use the old trans’ 4th. Six speeds may be too many – won’t know until I’ve tried it – might install one in my ’68 Shelby GT 500KR next year when I get it back on the road.

Mike and Rick:

Keep in mind that the bell housing bolt patterns for the 289, 302, 351W and 300 six are identical. The bell housing bolt patterns for the 351/400M is identical to the 429/460. This could lead you to a wrecking yard in search of a good candidate.

If cost is not an issue then get a Richmond Gears 5 or 6 speed. Use a centerforce clutch with an aftermarket bellhousing or scatter shield. You may need to convert from a mechanical to a hydraulic or cable clutch. I needed to convert from the mechanical clutch in my ’81 to a hydraulic. This necessitated some thinking and the help of a machinist, but I got it to work.

The easiest conversion to perform would be to get a 351W and its 5-speed from a newer truck. Have the trans serviced and rebuild the engine. If you’re lucky you may find a totaled Lightening and snag a really great engine. The real benefit of these newer 351s (and 302s too) is that they use roller cams and fuel injection. Makes it real easy to make a screaming V8 that also idles well and gets good gas mileage (when you keep your foot out of it).

Also, to the best of my knowledge Gear Vendors makes an overdrive unit that bolts to the back of your trans. You therefore need to shorten your drive line (reposition your transfer case and modify both drive lines if you have 4WD). Their unit gives you a ½ gear change in ratios, so it’s not really like converting a 4-speed to a 5-speed. Their prime applications are in motor homes and drag racers where a ½ gear change will either help you get up the hill or lower your E.T.s. If you need one its priceless, for the rest of us they cost $2,200 bare or $2,700 installed. That’s about the cost of a Richmond Gears 5-speed trans.

I’m interested in your thoughts

Bruce

 

Rick , what did you mean by highway gears?

Bruce, I tried to qualify my reply, and what I thought "highway" gears meant. I took it that it's highgear, and the rears are more what he is looking for. I have found that most guys here are looking for a lesser priced fix than $3000.00
I also feel that no 3, 4 , or 5 speed is worth one good auto. I just got rid of a good 3 speed for a C6.

Good shifting to you, though
John

 

John, that expression ("highway gears") has been around for a long time. It usually refers to numerically low, "tall" gearing, like a 2.76, which is great for cruising on the highway at fast speeds while keeping revs down. Not much for off-the-line performance though, unless you have a very deep (numerically high) 1st gear.

 

John:

Automatics definately have their place and they are much easier to drive. Most of my cars and trucks have automatics and I love those vehicles. I've just noticed that over the years I have a special fondness for the few vehicles I've owned that were sticks.

Perhaps its just the frugal side of me that knows that I'm getting better gas mileage or maybe it's the control side of my personality that likes to tell my vehicle what gear to be in and when.

I drive between 15,000 and 20,000 miles per year, half of it in my '81 F100 with a stick and the other half in my '68 Mustang with a 289 & C4. When I drive the Mustang I often manually shift the trans when decelerating (it sounds great and the negative Gs are fun) or nudge it into N when going down hill (even though that is not legal in CA, I do it anyway). I even put it into N while at stop lights so I don't need to keep as much pressure on the brake pedal.

Maybe I'm too much of a gear-head. I like to have fun when I drive which is probably why I drive so many Fords.

Thanks for your comments.

Bruce

 

My first Ford pickup was a 79 with the 300 six and that 4 speed trans. What a piece of trash. You were lucky to get 120,000 miles out of it. At 70,000 the bearings gave out on me and I had to have it rebuilt and virtually all of my driving was on the highway. That transmission and a host of problems both before and after expiration of the 12,000 mile warranty left me with a bad taste for later model trucks.

 

Good point Charles, I went back to the original, and, unlike Bruce who has a I6, Mike has a 351/400 and I would that mpg is his biggest concern. Maybe he will respond and we will properly know.

John

 

Geez guys,

I didn't mean to stir up a controversy, but I am glad there are so many of you interested in what I am talking about. It's been awhile since I've messed with the Fords. I used to be the owner of 17 Mustangs back when I was more able. Lately, it's been Harley's so when I talk about running on the highway, I usually just change sprockets for a long trip. I was just thinking that there was a way to make the final drive gear "taller" or maybe get a bigger gear in the tranny or something like that. The comment about being 1 to 1 in the final drive was a concept that I was not aware of. It seems to me that a taller gear can always be installed until you get to the bog point, at which point it is pointless anyway. But it seems to me I should be able to get more bang for my buck in the top end, theoretically, just like the bike. Am I barking up the wrong tree here or what. I know there are gears for the bottom end (i.e., "the mud gear")and so forth. I am not really familiar with customizing drive trains. I have built the 289 and all the six's many times and have refurbished many top load tranny's and a few side loaders but never messed around in the rear end, other than being nosey. So I really don't know what I am talking about here. Just concepts, ideas, and wantados. Glad to see there are so many of you guys out here to bond with. lol

Rick

 

O.K. I just went back and read all the posts again and I guess I need to explain what I have and what I am doing.

74F1002WD w/289 3sp man./?rear (how do I know which rear end I am running). I recognize the motor and trans as an older (65 or later) style setup from a car, like a Mustang. I know it doesn't belong there but I like the 289, so it stays. The tranny is a top load with a segmented shaft and a carrier bearing.

I want to find a trans that will give me some jump in first and second and cruise high mph at low rpm on the highway. I would prefer a 4 or 5 speed manual if possible. I am assuming that such an animal does not exist and that I will need to build it. What should I start with and where can I find the gears, and which gears do I need. Also, I am not sure about the rear end. I would like it to be posi but, as with the bike, I'm sure if I put any high gears in there, I will lose the bottom end. I hope this clarifies my situation and thanks for all the replies.

Rick

 

Rick, I think that you are in the right area. The bike and (truck) use the same principle. You changed the sprocket, (rearend gear) The transmission was not changed. The output remained the same to the sprocket (rears). Now sprockets are cheeper and easier to change, and also changing either, changes the speedometer reading. I just changed a 3.25 to a 2.75 in my 66 to increase the mpg. The 352 has a lot of tourque on the lower end and more than enough power. I don't plan on needing a lot of pulling power, so I could even go farther, but don't want to (bog) the engine.

Hope this clears some things,

John

 

You could also get a "Ranger" two-speed auxiliary transmission from Advance Adaptors. Comes with either a 17% underdrive, or 27% overdrive (the other "gear" is 1:1).
I'd love to have one; my '65 F-350 dually is really screaming at highway speeds (4.88 rear, 1:1 fourth gear), about 3200 rpm at 60. The New Process 435 is a very durable transmission, but it really could use a 5th gear...
Unfortunately the two-speed costs about $1500, plus you have to pull your transmission (it fits between the bellhousing and the trans) and then have to shorten the driveshaft.

 

Rick:

The best way to determine your rear end ratio is to try to find the factory tag, provided the rear gears have not been changed. If you believe they have been changed then jack up the back of your truck so both wheels are in the air. Chock the front wheels first first because you need to put the truck in neutral and take off the parking brake. Put a mark on the drive line and then slowly turn the right rear tire and watch the drive line. Count the number of rotations (and the final partial rotation) of the tire until the drive line turns one complete rotation. The number of times the tire goes around tells you your approximate rear-end ratio.

Also, if you turn the right rear tire and the left rear turns the opposite direction then you have an open rear. If the right and left rear tires turn the same direction then you have posi.

The easiest way to swap in a 5-speed is to get one from a mid ‘80s or newer Mustang or truck that had a 5-sp. It will bolt right up but since the trans is probably longer than your 3-sp you will need to shorten your drive line. The problem with this conversion on 289s is that Ford made two versions of the 289. The early version was the big brother to the 260 and had a 5-bolt bell housing. I believe Ford made these until early or mid ’65. Later 289s and all 302s have a 6-bolt bell housing. You need to check this out before you start buying parts. You should be able to get a good used 5-sp from a wrecking yard for about $500. You can get one cheaper from someone parting out their wrecked Mustang or truck.


John:

How long did it take you to swap the rear gears?


As a side note:

In CA CalTrans paints large white stripes exactly one mile apart on the shoulders of most highways and freeways. They run perpindicular to the highway. These allows the Highway Patrol airplane to calculate a vehicles exact speed so officers in cars can ticket speeders. I like to use these stripes to calibrate the odometer and speedometer in all my vehilces. The odometer is easy, just check it when a stripe goes by and check it again when you reach the next stripe. I like to use 4 to 5 miles and average the results.

To calibrate your speedometer is just as easy. You need a stop watch and an open highway. Do exactly 60 MPH as indicated on your speedo. Start the stopwatch when you pass one of the lines and stop it when you reach the next. To determine your actual speed you need a calculator. Divide the number of seconds it took to go one mile into 3,600. The answer was your actual speed.

For example, if it took you 64 seconds then you were actually traveling 56.25 MPH. 3,600 / 64 = 56.25.

Have fun

Bruce

 

If you are looking for a 5 speed transmision, you might want to check out the NV4500. They are used in the newer GM & Dodge pickups and can handle the torque of Dodge's V10 and Cummins diesel engines. It has a 5.61:1 ratio first gear compared to your 3 speed's 3.03:1 and a 27% overdrive fifth gear. Basically the same as what you have now with the addition of a granny-low and overdrive. A much stronger tranny than anything Ford bolted on their cars (except for the C6 auto).

Advance adapters sells kits for about $2500 (including the transmission) to replace the 3 speed on the older small block equiped Broncos. Your application, being 2WD, will be different; but they still may be able to help you out. I am sure that they can at least get the transmission to bolt to your 289 bellhousing for you. Their number is (800) 350-2223 California. www.advanceadapters.com

Good luck with what ever you decide to go with!

Kris