Bronco transmission swap

[portagee]

I have a 96 Bronco with a 302 and 5spd manual. I would like to swap in an automatic tranny. Any suggestions on which one. I would like to have overdrive, being that it is my daily driver and it would be used to tow a small trailer to the desert.
What kind of problems should I expect to run into and what is a ballpark price for the swap. Thanks in advance.

[steveG]

AOD would probably be the simplest. You could buy all the misc parts you'll need at a wrecking yard. One side note, the timing curve on automatic equiped cars is more aggressive to compensate for parasitic power loss through the auto trans, so you might want to change the computer also.

[Racbaja]

I just recently purchased a 96 Bronco and was going to do the same thing. Mine is equiped with an AOD and I was going to look into putting a C6 in it when the time comes. The AOD is one of the worst transmissions Ford ever developed and I would not spend the time or money to rebuild it. There was a transmissin shop in San Diego on Mission Gourge Rd. by the stadium that had done this swap, I can't remember the name of the shop but he built me one hell of a C6. My point is if your going to keep it, do it right.
www.bajacoalition.net (http://www.bajacoalition.net)

[steveG]

AOD was pretty bad in its early days, but the late model tranny's are pretty good, the important thing is to keep them cool(like any auto). If I were going to buy one, I'd get it from Ford, they come with a 3yr 36k warranty. Or, call up Lentech, they've been building AOD's for 1200 horsepower drag cars for years now & running them for multiple seasons without rebuilds. If you didn't want OD, c-6 would be the ticket, but an AOD will hold up fine.

[Jefe_Negro]

http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/cool.gifMan...
I drive a 1990 F150, 5.0L, AOD tranny. Beat the truck pretty hard every weekend @ sand dunes, dry lakes, and prerunning the Baja.
So late February coming back from the SCORE San Felipe 250, the tranny wouldn't shift from 1st, this was after taking 3 mile long line to cross the military check piont. @ this point I was http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/confused.gif but drove the Heavy Metal Blue Oval hard and did some shifting manually, the OD died so I keept driving on 3rd one foot on the gas and the other one on the breaks ( did not wanted for the RPM's to go down on my *****) didn't know if would shift up again.
http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Got home and inspected the tranny..... it was a mess, so got it rebuilded for $400.00 USD (not expensive to my knowledge) and is running pretty good now.
This tranny tooked a hell of a beating, and this I tell you since I'm the moron behind the wheel.

[EQuin]

My vote is for the AOD if it's going to be your daily driver and you want overdrive. Otherwise, go with the C-6. I have an 86 Bronco with the AOD tranny. Just had it rebuilt at a tranny shop that also works on drag racing trannies. I contemplated doing the opposite, swapping the AOD out for a manual, or maybe even going with a C-6, but the tranny shop talked me out of it.

The bellhousing and case are just as strong as the heavy duty C-6 according to the pros at the tranny shop, but some of the internals can be easily beefed up to withstand alot of horsepower and torque (the tranny shop quoted me about $1200 for this work, as opposed to $485 for a standard rebuild). The AOD is also a relatively easy tranny to rebuild.

Be sure to get the tranny shift linkage (and kickdown cable if you go with the C-6) from the donor vehicle. Also, with the AOD, you have to make sure the throttle valve cable is adjusted properly. It not only controls the shifts, but it also provides the proper transmission fluid pressure. Either way, you'll most probably need new driveshafts to compensate for the different lengths, so be sure to get those from the donor vehicle as well.

Hope this helps.

[EQuin]

I've never done business with this shop, but I found their site while looking for a transmission pan gasket and dust cover. Looks like they specialize in beefing up AODs, and according to their website, they're currently offering free shipping. They also sell the Lokar throttle valve cable assembly and heavier duty springs for slightly more fluid pressure.

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/AOD.htm

Hope this helps.

[phattkatt]

Thanks for the link to the AOD rebuild site. This thread is a bit ancient, has anyone here used the transmissioncenter.net? I have an 89 AOD but looking down the road as to whether to stick with the AOD or move to a C6 or an EOD. I do not like how the AOD does not have a manual selection between first and second. My transfer case is a factory electronic on dash set up that I want to convert to manual down the road as well.
Thanks for the info.

[EQuin]

The C6 is supposedly stronger than the AOD, but it doesn't have overdrive. I believe the C6 is also the same length roughly as the AOD, give or take an inch or half-inch or so. So you may not need new driveshafts. Don't know about the trans crossmember, though. You'll also probably need new linkage pieces for both the C6 and the manual t-case once you swap it in.

The E4OD, however, is longer, and you'll need new driveshafts, trans crossmember and linkages for it and the manual t-case. The E4OD has overdrive, but is very expensive to rebuild compared to the C6.

[steveG]

Shawn, have you removed the 5spd yet?

[phattkatt]

I have a factory AOD setup in my bronco with a push button electronic transfer case. Everything works fine now so I am not going to mess with it until the time comes. But I am doing my due diligence now so I will know which direction to go.
The transmissioncenter.net recommended their level 4 AOD & atlas transfer case.
Everyone I know personally says to ditch the AOD at first chance. If for no other reason due to weight.

If your response Steve was to portagee, it does not look like he has posted is some time. I did not find any updated threads as to what he did about his transmission situation.

Thanks

[murphco]

what gear ratio?what tire size?do you mind losing top end or low end?for what you will spend on a trans either one (c6 or aod)will do.finding one over the other may be more difficult though.an aod out of an 88-90 will be the best bet as they will be linkage/vacuum controled.the slip yoke from the 5 speed will work(i'm assuming its the m50d) but witll not work with the c6 as the c6 yoke is larger in diameter with a different spline count.if you are going to use the stock trans mount it will work with either trans.ive always been partial to the aod/aode/4r70w as they came with 302's and you wont have to get a special or different ecm in most cases.the e40d usually only came behind a 351 or larger engine and the ecm from that cant be used.run a low gear with a od trans and get the best of both.ive never heard of someone being upset because they had too much low end power to use.

[murphco]

and art carr sells a lower 1st -2nd gear set for the aod/aode/4r70w.

[down4glamis]

im selling a 2wd aod to a buddy w/ a bronco, w/ a 351 and the aode in it. he wants to get rid of the electric OD. will his transfer case bolt upto the aod? it is already plumbed for coolers, and a manual valve body. any reccomendations on waht else to do. its the "score medical" bronco, full cage, on 37's, w/ a tired 351...

[MikeLara]

you need a 4wd aod tail housing and output shaft. to install them you have to completely disassemble the tranny.:cool:

[usmcgunrock]

Hey has anyone ran the full manual valve body on the AOD? From what I read it runs manual shifted to 3rd then you use an electric switch to shift to O/D. I just wanted to know if I read/understood it right.

[MikeLara]

thats pretty much what i got from the lentech site.