What is the recommended tranny.

[BronBronBronco]

Hi All.

I have a 1969,3 on the tree with a 302. Pretty much stock.

I am looking to get rid of the 3 speed & go to a 4 speed manual & go through the floor with the shifter.

What is the recommendation for the transmission and any other drive line component I will need? Also recommended shifter components & interior parts I will need.

I also am looking to upgrade the front axle in the future as it is a stock Dana 30.

Thanks! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[S_bolt19]

What are you doing with the rig? Is it an every day driver? A trail rig? A highway machine? It depends on what you are doing as to what transmission to go with. If you do a lot of highway, I would go 5 speed. If you are a weekend warrior & daily driver I would go NP435. let us know what you are doing and lets go from there.

 

[Bully Bob]

YAH..., (what Bolt said.,)

Do you have some serious asperations, or is this wishful thinking...? /

Because neither of these projects are cheap or easy. Also most 4 speeds have 1:1 hi gear ratio., as does your 3 speed. (some have a granie 1st. gear) Sooooo., all you gain is a lot of extra shifting.

You just put on 31's so you're not going to rock-crawl.

---- BTW did you get your king-pin prob. solved..? -----

A 3sp. floor shifter is cheap & easy., & they work great.

 

[Bronc76]

I 2nd the floor shifter as Bob said. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[BronBronBronco]

YAH..., (what Bolt said.,)

Do you have some serious asperations, or is this wishful thinking...? /

Because neither of these projects are cheap or easy. Also most 4 speeds have 1:1 hi gear ratio., as does your 3 speed. (some have a granie 1st. gear) Sooooo., all you gain is a lot of extra shifting.

You just put on 31's so you're not going to rock-crawl.

---- BTW did you get your king-pin prob. solved..? -----

A 3sp. floor shifter is cheap & easy., & they work great.

Hi Bob.

Thanks for helping me make a decision on what tranny to go with.

I am really building the Bronco for now to hit the trails and washes for now.

I did see you mentioned that having 31's that I wont be going rock crawling. What size tires & lift do most use when rock crawling?

As far as the king pin, I have not removed it as of yet. I soaked it with WD40 and been driving it around. Feels a bit better turning to the right, so the WD40 must be working its way in. I will attempt removing it today or next week as SuperBowl is tomorrow. Let you know as soon as I get it out. I did see some aftermarket king pins with zirt fittings on top. I think thats the way to go when replacing the king pings.

I attached a picture of the beast I bought a few months back.Just trying to take it slow on upgrades so I don't do them twice.

 

[Bully Bob]

"Hi Bob.

Thanks for helping me make a decision on what tranny to go with."

---What DID you decide on..? ---

"I am really building the Bronco to hit the trails and washes for now."

--- Then you're prob. fine the way you're sitting now. ---

"I did see you mentioned that having 31's that I wont be going rock crawling. What size tires & lift do most use when rock crawling?"

----Welllll..., for example., most folks won't attempt runn'n the "Rubicon", up there by you, around Lake Tahoe, with anything smaller than 35's. Lift hights parallel/accommodate tire sizes. ----

"I attached a picture of the beast I bought a few months back. Just trying to take it slow on upgrades so I don't do them twice."

----Looks good...! I didn't lift my rig 'til the radius arm end bushings collapsed. thought while it was apart., I'd lift it a bit.

 

[BronBronBronco]

"Hi Bob.

Thanks for helping me make a decision on what tranny to go with."

---What DID you decide on..? ---

I think I will stick with the 3 speed for right now. Has a slight grind into second. I figure a will run it for a while like that till I pull the whole rig apart and set it up the way I want it. Not sure what way that will be, but as indistructable as possible. Just more moola!

 

[S_bolt19]

If you're grinding going into second, it might be that the synchros are going out, but you might also want to try adjusting the clutch. If the synchros are going out, then you are better off just doing the transmission swap because the 3 speed is far from indestructible. As a matter of fact, the 3 speed is a fairly weak link in the drive train. If you plan on rebuilding that tranny, I would scrap that idea if you plan on doing any type of major wheelin' then you don't want the 3 speed. The NP435 4 speed is the way to go for ********* wheelin. It has a 6.xx:1 first gear (granny) ratio and is a bomb proof transmission. Add to that the fact that you can pick up the transmission for around $500 and you saved yourself future headaches popping up on the 3 speed during hard wheelin. The 5-speed swaps are pretty pricey though. Ideal, yes, but very expensive....like $2k range and you have to get all the bracketry to mount it. With the NP, you don't have to buy anything additional other than a 6 cyl. adapter for the trans & x-fer case.

 

[BronBronBronco]

. With the NP, you don't have to buy anything additional other than a 6 cyl. adapter for the trans & x-fer case.

Thanks for the insight Bronco Commander. So you are saying I will need to buy a 6 clynder adapter for the trans & x-fer case with my 302 V8?

 

[S_bolt19]

Yes. The adapter housing that is between the x-fer & trans is about an inch and a half longer on the 6 cylinder EBs than the one that is on the V8 EBs. If you don't have that, then nothing is gonna line up for you. When you are looking for an NP, you want to buy one that is out of a 2wd pickup and not one out of a 4wd. The reason for this is the output shaft on the 4wd is longer than the 2wd, which is the correct length. Also look to buy an NP that has a square rear bolt pattern rather than one that is a trapezoid pattern so that it bolts directly up to the adapter housing. You also don't need to change out any mounting brackets. So really, the NP is the easiest upgradeable transmission out there.

 

[BronBronBronco]

Yes. The adapter housing that is between the x-fer & trans is about an inch and a half longer on the 6 cylinder EBs than the one that is on the V8 EBs. If you don't have that, then nothing is gonna line up for you. When you are looking for an NP, you want to buy one that is out of a 2wd pickup and not one out of a 4wd. The reason for this is the output shaft on the 4wd is longer than the 2wd, which is the correct length. Also look to buy an NP that has a square rear bolt pattern rather than one that is a trapezoid pattern so that it bolts directly up to the adapter housing. You also don't need to change out any mounting brackets. So really, the NP is the easiest upgradeable transmission out there.

Thanks for all that great info Bronco Commander!

 

[Bully Bob]

OOPS...!! :-"

I think Sbolt got it backwards......re: the adaptor housings. (RAT, RAN, HEF are the trannie call outs.)

These are the adaptor sizes

V/8 ---"RAT" is 8 7/8"

V/8 ---"RAN" is 9 3/8"

6 cyl -"HEF" is 6 1/2" It's "shorter", partly due to the fact the eng. is two cyl. longer than the V/8.

How this affects diff. trannie swaps..., I haven't a clue as I've never done one.

 

[bigbluebronc]

OOPS...!! :-"

I think Sbolt got it backwards......re: the adaptor housings. (RAT, RAN, HEF are the trannie call outs.)

These are the adaptor sizes

V/8 ---"RAT" is 8 7/8"

V/8 ---"RAN" is 9 3/8"

6 cyl -"HEF" is 6 1/2" It's "shorter", partly due to the fact the eng. is two cyl. longer than the V/8.

How this affects diff. trannie swaps..., I haven't a clue as I've never done one.

Just for fun I measured mine its 7 1/2 from trans too transfer its from Toms Bronco I believe. If I where too do it again I would do a c4 and deep geared transfer case atlas, stak or dual cases,klune v dont forget the twin sticks for front digs and 2wd low and for driving home in front wheel drive when you snap a rear axle. Good luck.