"Better" tranny.

[Fordlorn]

I got a bump with the T-18 trans. and I really don't care for it. I have never really liked the "granny" first gear. Seems like a waste of a gear slot to me. I could see it if you had an underpowered engine that needed the mechanical advantage to get a large load moving or something but just to drive it you either have to start in 2nd or start in 1st (about 3/4 of a second) and then quickly to 2nd. The lesser of two evils is to start in 2nd. Most trucks that have this set-up also suffer from the dreaded warped clutch plate vibration as well. What is a suitable wrecking yard replacement that would act more like a car 4 speed, you know, a sensible 1st gear for starting out in? Something that would bolt up to a 360. I don't need the truck trans., this truck will never be used for "real" work. Mostly to carry 5 trash cans to the landfill or the dog to the lake to fetch the drag. Other than that it will be a daily driver kind of truck.

[heep70]

If you want the same basic 4 speed with a smaller 1st gear GM ran a NP435D with (I believe) the same size input shaft as the Ford NP435 and T18. The granny in a T18 (6.32:1) was almost the same NP435 (6.68:1) that Ford used. GM 1st gear was set at 4.90:1 in the NP435D. GM also had a granny 6.68:1 tranny NP435L. Both the T18 and NP435 are very tough truck boxes. The NP435 had better synchs and shifted easier.

[Jake11]

Start off in second gear. First is only for emergency situations. If you have a big block, just gently slip/pop
the clutch and the disk won't warp at all. T18's first is somwhere around 6to1. Works perfect for Ca. rush hour
fwy's. You can get out and stretch your legs as it putting along in first gear. Jake

(another good thing, the wife won't ever drive it)

[mrtleavitt]

I found the perfect combination for these FE engines and the dreaded granny gear! Get a T-19 with a 4:1 first gear ratio in combination with 3.0 differential gears! I swear it's the best set up in the world! Everything is stock, the T-19 is identical to the T-18 and the NP435 as far as exterior dimensions. You can use the same driveline and original speedometer. With this set up you can use first gear since it is now a "normal" first gear and with 31 inch tires going 75 mph on the freeway is turning 2500 RPM. So you'd get the same affect with a 5 speed overdrive but now without the granny gear and everything is a direct replacement. Not a good idea if you tow stuff, but for a nice daily driver/cruiser, this setup can not be beat!!! The T-19 is fairly common in '80s Ford trucks. The diesel engines came with this gear ratio most often. I couldn't find a T-19 set up for a 2wd application, just 4wd, so I ended up buying one from a Jeep rock crawler place since for rock crawling this gear ratio would be unfavorable, they let them go for a good price.

[ToughOldFord]

The T-18 is the better transmission. You are supposed to take off in second. I don't know about the bump manuals, but the manual for my '79 instructs you to take off in second. That way you're only shifting 3 gears instead of the 4 the T-19 gets you. Granny is for serious loads only.
If you insist on changing your transmission then you'd be better off adapting a ZF 5 speed to your truck, at least then you'd gain the advantages of the over-drive.

[Dragon]

[quote="Fordlorn" The lesser of two evils is to start in 2nd. Most trucks that have this set-up also suffer from the dreaded warped clutch plate vibration as well. [/quote]

2nd gear of the NP435 and the T-granny series are not the cause of clutch warp or over heating. The NP 435 is 3.39 to 1 in 2nd. Most cars are not even 3.00 to one so we pull away with lower gears still. A wide ration top loader is 2.78 to 1 and never caused clutch problems in my stang or in my trucks when I converted them.

Yes granny is a waste in most trucks even in my work trucks I only use it to idle up hill.

[robroy]

Fordlorn, I have the same situation and question as you described in your original post.

I wonder if there's a list of manual transmission options for FE Bumpsides that shows all the transmissions that will bolt up. I'd be really curious to see what could be bolted in without extensive modifications.

With my old setup (360, T18, 3.73), I only used first gear to goof around crawling up hills, which was unimportant compared to the potential benefits of taller gears. Even with 3,000 pounds of gravel loaded in the back I didn't need first gear; it started in second just fine.

It seems like first gear on these setups was really meant for starting on hills when towing super heavy loads or trailers.

So does anybody know if a list of compatible transmissions lives anywhere?

Thanks!
-Robroy

[mrtleavitt]

I'm confused, so if they made a 1 gear transmission would that be better since there is less gears to shift? I guess it all depends on you likings!

[Dragon]

you want to be really confused try a constant drive variable speed transmission. No gears only fluid coupling.

[stangconv]

Fordlorn, I have the same situation and question as you described in your original post.

I wonder if there's a list of manual transmission options for FE Bumpsides that shows all the transmissions that will bolt up. I'd be really curious to see what could be bolted in without extensive modifications.

With my old setup (360, T18, 3.73), I only used first gear to goof around crawling up hills, which was unimportant compared to the potential benefits of taller gears. Even with 3,000 pounds of gravel loaded in the back I didn't need first gear; it started in second just fine.

It seems like first gear on these setups was really meant for starting on hills when towing super heavy loads or trailers.

So does anybody know if a list of compatible transmissions lives anywhere?

Thanks!
-Robroy

I would love to know this info as well... I am doing a 390 and my truck setup for a 4 speed that I owuld like to keep... Will never be towing anything very heavy.. Maybe a couple seadoos to the lake...

[Dragon]

With a scatter shield I converted several of my older trucks to the RUG coded Top loader 4 speed. in the near future I hope to have the extra money to put a ranger overdrive in the truck.

Any tranny with enough input shaft length can be attached as long as you can bolt it to the bell housing. Scatter shields can come with several bolt patterns and sometimes even closer to the engine flywheel face

[stangconv]

There hasnt really been any answers to this....

I want to keep the floor shift in my truck....but its going to be a street machine with a 390... IS there a decent option without breaking the bank or am I just going to have to run 2.8 gears to take advantage of the low first gear?

[Dragon]

You can put the NV4500HD in the truck or you can put the Ranger overdrive, 2752 delivered for the first and 1430 for the overdrive you have to rework the driveshaft though on both plus the floor pan gets different holes in it.

Some people have put the light weight 5 Mustang speed behind the 390 and if you don't drop the hammer it will last. Again for this one you need a driveshaft rework and bell housing mods.

[averagef250]

The transmission has zero relationship with clutch problems. If you know how to use 3 pedals you can go a half million miles on a clutch disc regardless of what the rig was used for.

Personal preferance plays a big role in this stuff. I personally would tear out a close ratio T19, toss it in the scrap pile and install an NP435 behind a truck FE, but that's my personal preferance.

Car 4 speed would be nice, NV4500 is a waste of money IMHO (I had one behind my 390 for 40K). NV4500's have horrible ratios, are unreasonably expensive and run on castrol syntorq- An oil that must be some sort of platinum derivative by how much it costs.

BTW, an NV4500HD does not bolt up to an FE. The NV4500 light duty dodge gas version bolts up to the FE. It's possible to use an HD Nv4500, but you have to make a custom clutch disc and extensively modify the pressure plate to clear the bearing retainer.

[Dragon]

Well the http://high-impact.net/transmission_and ... sFordTruck

Solves that problem

The clutch/bearing retainer does not need modified.