A4LD Decision time...

[wildbill23c]

A proper rebuild should last longer than 13K miles. But . . as far as A4LDs go, it's not if , it's when it will die. They are poor choice for a Bronco II ( just as the 2.8 was as well ). Pinto engine and Pinto transmission shouldn't be in a 4x4 truck

Maybe the 2.8L wasn't everyone's choice, however I've had 2 trucks with them and I have no complaints, my 84 Ranger pulled a 16' travel trailer all over the US and never had a problem until the local Ford Garage messed with it, never ran right after that and ultimately ended in the truck's sell. Wish I knew of TRS back then.

 

[PetesPonies]

My 2.8 only had 54K miles when I got it. It would hardly break itself out of a wet paper bag. Too little power for a vehicle that weighs that much. The 2.9 with FI was reasonable. The 2.8 was a carryover from the 70s, smog laden and huffing for every breath with the emission garbage. It moved Pintos OK, even the first few Fox Mustangs. But put it in a heavy truck, 4x4 and it is a dog. I even out headers on mine, carb and ignition upgrade . . weak little engine

 

[wildbill23c]

^^Yep wasn't built for racing LOL. Never really cared, that engine has got me through a lot, and even in my ranger on its worst days at least it never left me stranded anywhere which is far more important than how fast it will go how much HP and torque it has, etc.

You want something worse than the 2.8L V6, try the 4 cylinder automatic ranger you'll really like the 2.8L after driving one of those 4 cylinder trucks LOL.

Still want to try a ranger with a 302 someday though but I'm gonna leave the V6 badges on it LOL. It will also be a 2WD, manual transmission and some sort of posi-trac rear differential as well. The NADA blue book lists the 460 as an optional engine for the Ranger and the Bronco 2 WTF, I want one LOL.

 

[PetesPonies]

I have logged over 150 K miles on 4 cylinder Rangers. I have no problems with them, actually like them. My '89 Ranger would run circles around my BII when the 2.8 was still in there.

 

[Lost Bushman]

Ok, now do any of you guys know anything about which year Explorer I can pull a trans from?

 

[wildbill23c]

I think any Explorer with the automatic transmission up to 1994, 1995 I think they went to a different transmission after that, someone correct me if I'm wrong. Can't remember which year they finally decided the A4LD wasn't the greatest of their transmissions.

 

[BLOODBANE]

I have 220,000 on the A4LD in my 94 Explorer. Yes I wheel it (4:88's, locked front and rear on 35's). first thing I did when i bought it in '06 was take and have the tranny flushed. Get all the old fluid out. it has the external cooler and yes it is starting to get a little weak in the shifts (not bad, just a little less than when I got it). It still does its job though. I dont stand solid on the A4LD, just mine (I seem to be one of the lucky ones). It cant take the beating like the C-6 in my Ranger does, and I know this. No towing, just wheeling. Abuse it and it will fail.

 

[Lost Bushman]

I have 220,000 on the A4LD in my 94 Explorer. Yes I wheel it (4:88's, locked front and rear on 35's). first thing I did when i bought it in '06 was take and have the tranny flushed. Get all the old fluid out. it has the external cooler and yes it is starting to get a little weak in the shifts (not bad, just a little less than when I got it). It still does its job though. I dont stand solid on the A4LD, just mine (I seem to be one of the lucky ones). It cant take the beating like the C-6 in my Ranger does, and I know this. No towing, just wheeling. Abuse it and it will fail.

That's solid. Like I said, I just want it to work, I don't get crazy, and only put it 4WD when I'm stuck, or at serious risk of getting stuck. That's what got me in this mess in the first place, I went over a sandbank, it gave way, buried the frame, tried hard to get out, and couldn't. I had to call in the cavalry to pull me out. Now, I've got to hammer it to get it to move at all. So here I am, with a nice little Eddie Bauer B2, that won't move.

 

[BLOODBANE]

Didnt the C4/C5 work on those bell housing pattern? I remember something on that. Its been a while but maybe search the forum. the C4 is a solid tranny that will take some abuse. It doesnt have the overdrive, but would move your BII nicely. I might be drinking my bathwater on this, but there was a swap something like that...

 

[wildbill23c]

Can't remember on the bellhousings either, my 84 Ranger if I remember right had the C5 transmission in it and it pulled a 16' travel trailer all over the country and never had an issue, had an auxiliary transmission cooler installed the day the truck was purchased, and never had an issue with it. If you can get one to work I'd definitely look at the C4 or C5.

 

[1BadRS]

I agree with wildbill on the C5 trans. I had one in my 84 with an external cooler and it worked great. I just installed a M5OD into mine and have the C5 setup for sale if interested. I'm also probably not to far over in NC. Here is the link for my for sale thread.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146585

 

[PetesPonies]

I converted my '84 C5 to a C4 and it's behind my V8 now in my BII.

 

[Lost Bushman]

I agree with wildbill on the C5 trans. I had one in my 84 with an external cooler and it worked great. I just installed a M5OD into mine and have the C5 setup for sale if interested. I'm also probably not to far over in NC. Here is the link for my for sale thread.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146585

Where are you and how much?

 

[richard booth]

M5od swap? Mine cost about 500 bucks w a new flywheel and everything and it is a pretty sturdy trans, I am stoked w it and I don't miss the auto. (Just my 2cents)

 

[Lost Bushman]

Richard, I'd love to go manual, but if you read up earlier in the thread, I explain why it's not an option right now.

 

[BabyBronco89]

I just picked up everything for my m5od swap for 140$!!!!! Black Friday 50% off at the junkyard, got pedal assembly clutch master and slave cylinders, clutch basket n flywheel, m5od separator plate,. Plus two nice warn locking hubs!!! All for 140$
I'm getting rid of the bad a4ld in my 89 bronco 2, and I think I'm going to pull the 4.0 outta the 86 b2 and drop it in the 89 as i had my manual 1350m races blow up, n I need a vehicle, on the road, I also picked up another 91 4.0 harness for 30$ so I can plug and play the 4.0 and m5od in the 89 b2 auto with a 92 ranger 4x4 computer!!
I think I can do the swap in 1 day!!


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[Lost Bushman]

I just picked up everything for my m5od swap for 140$!!!!! Black Friday 50% off at the junkyard, got pedal assembly clutch master and slave cylinders, clutch basket n flywheel, m5od separator plate,. Plus two nice warn locking hubs!!! All for 140$
I'm getting rid of the bad a4ld in my 89 bronco 2, and I think I'm going to pull the 4.0 outta the 86 b2 and drop it in the 89 as i had my manual 1350m races blow up, n I need a vehicle, on the road, I also picked up another 91 4.0 harness for 30$ so I can plug and play the 4.0 and m5od in the 89 b2 auto with a 92 ranger 4x4 computer!!
I think I can do the swap in 1 day!!


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Must be nice.:icon_thumby:

 

[BabyBronco89]

Just a little inspiration, I'm not saying anyone can find the parts I did for that cheap, but I know it would be hard to find a a4ld that's good for 150$ , I try to go to the local pick a part yard once every couple of weeks, I've been looking for a m5od all summer now, and it just so happened to pop up right before the 50% off sale, I'm going to take a lot of pictures to show how to remove the dash, and put in the pedals and clutch hydraulics, and hopefully I can encourage you to do a 5 speed swap. It's a night and day difference,
The nice thing about the rangers and bronco 2s is they are so easy to work on, and very easy for someone to learn on, I did my first 4.0 swap when I was 19 100% by myself, it took me a week in the garage and a little bit of head scratching but it wasn't bad!!
Where abouts are you located? I know where another fm145 5speed trans n tcase n clutch n flywheel are in michigan for like 150


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[Lost Bushman]

I had a 5spd in every Jeep I've owned, save one which was a Grand Cherokee Limited.
I love them, but my knee kills when I have to continuously have to shift in the wintertime here in Carolina which is mild by comparsion to yours, I'm sure. I am moving home to AZ next year sometime, so maybe with the even less mild winters there, a 5spd wouldn't be so unbearable. What about the T-case? min is pushbutton now and works great, will I have to change that out too?

 

[Lost Bushman]

BabyBronco89, are you still going to post this swap thread you mentioned? Or have you done it already and I can't find it?