410Fortune 1988 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer 4x4

[CopyKat]

There is a possibility of the T-case being bad. If the oil pump is run dry the binding will break the tab stopping the pump from spunning with the rest of the shaft. I've seen 2 older T-cases have this issue. With the lack of lube and heat the pads on the shift fork burn up/warp. (it is glass filled nylon afterall). This results in the 4x4 shift fork not enguaging the 4x4 cog gear. The clunking you hear could be the t-case jumping in and out of 4x4. The more this happens the more the dog gear wears out and it just makes it worse.

Bad cog gear on the right.

Here is where the cog goes

Broken pump arm

 

[410Fortune]

sweet thanks for the pics, would be a $200 fix if BOTH of my t cases are bad, including the one I got from a friend last year before Moab, 1000 miles on it since being rebuilt at High Country performance 4x4 here in Denver..... wow if thats the case their rebuild SUCKS

Similar symptoms with two different 1354's installed = doubt I will get off that easy but I will likely take one apart to find out! both cases seem to function fine out of the truck (test by hand) but that doesnt mean much..mine was never run dry, maybe a cup of fluid low at the most... drained 2-3 times a year on average (not by choice)
but I do alot of towing/pulling with this truck so well see!

 

[CopyKat]

sweet thanks for the pics, would be a $200 fix if BOTH of my t cases are bad, including the one I got from a friend last year before Moab, 1000 miles on it since being rebuilt at High Country performance 4x4 here in Denver..... wow if thats the case their rebuild SUCKS

Small things like this get overlooked, as they normally don't go bad. Rebuilds only consist of bearings seals and gaskets.

This cog is what engages 4x4. 4hi and 4lo. This locks the chain to the main output shaft via the shift collar. The shift collar is spring loaded so that if it's not 100% aligned when shifted it will shift when the cogs align. If there is any wear on the 4x4 cog the shift collar will jump out when load is applied as it will over take the spring force keeping it engaged.

 

[410Fortune]

case is coming apart.....thanks will keep posted.
Would be SO nice

 

[CopyKat]

Bunch of pictures Here 1350's to 1354's

 

[HahnsB2]

I would not run the TTB without the pinch bolt, that is why I shaved the bolt head down a bit so it will clearance my Skyjacker radius arm without having to remove the arm from the beam... the pinch bolt is a requirement on these beams, it locks the differential to the beam so the diff is actually a structural part of the beam, without it the beam would twist/crack/whatever. So yes I run the pinch bolt

I hope you don't think I was questioning your intelligence or anything, just double checking, since some people aren't aware of the big role the pinch bolt plays and I would hate to see someone crack their beams

 

[410Fortune]

Not at all man this is a discussion forum, I am humble enough to know I am nowhere near knowing all about this stuff, I just know my own truck... always good to get advice.

The transmission is 80% out, before I drop it I am measuring the BII to see if a 4406 manual t case is possible.

its already TIGHT under there....

If I can fit a 4406 in there I am going to, I want to delete all custom parts as much as possible, and the 1354 t case is good but not that good, not low enough, not strong enough.

After ALOT more testing (installed yet another BW1354 t case)
I am convinced my trans is broken, cannot wait to find out what went wrong
plan right now is to get ahold of another 4r70w automatic, mate it to a 4406 manual t case and bolt it in. Driveshafts will have to be modified, but I can live with that.
Huge t case will likely require clearancing at the floor, custom shift linkage, maybe moving the exhaust around, and a big ol t case mount/x member of some sort.

Wish I was driving my BII.....

 

[410Fortune]

scratch that... 4406 is too big for my BII
I could most likely fit the huge pig under the BII but my rear driveshaft would be back about 12" from where it sits now, giving me an extreme angle I do not want to deal with

Back to square one, pulling my POS trans and find out what broke.
Considering atlas 3.8 transfer case to go behind a 31 spline 6 bolt stock 4r70w, no more AA adapter.... looking at $3500 budget for that project including driveshaft mods, shift linkage, new 4r70w... yikes!

This sucks delux

 

[Dannyboy]

Push that rear axle back 12" as well Jamie. Competition Cut B2.

how many miles did you have on that transmission? My A4Ld came out at 102k, 110K(under warranty), 119K and again at 124K for a torq converter and then it was toast by 130K where I said "See Ya" to that. Just curious how fast yours went out. It's frustrating paying extra for a build to have it fail so soon.

 

[Turdle]

Forgive the newb question--
wouldn't the pinion angle be easier to deal with? I thought you could change the spring mounts

 

[410Fortune]

March 05 was the date on the receipt for the "rebuild" more like install AA adapter and output shaft

I would guess 20K miles max......trans had 80K miles on it from Ford when we tore it apart, it looked so good internally that basically no hard parts were replaced when putting it back together just the pump and a couple odds and ends...... sucks sucks I hope I find a metal part split in two so I KNOW I found my problem... tearing apart to find nothing is going to make me really really worried about what to do next.

 

[410Fortune]

JT pinion angle would be EXTREME, my rear d shaft would be about 24" long... like a stupid jeep, this and cutting my floor, moving my exhaust, needing 2 new d shafts, making them clear, etc just takes the 4406 out of consideration.
I would rather put that $$$ towards an Atlas. I have seen what an Atlas can do in a truck, plus they are tiny and would fit my application no problem...

Way things look right now I will likely roll the dice, rebuild the trans I have with the stupid $550 AA adapter kit and go wheeling with my fingers crossed that it was $1300 well spent (price of a GOOD rebuild)....

Question is WHO do I have rebuild it? I trust NO ONE anymore when it comes to these auto trans

 

[Dannyboy]

Mogi, or anybody in So Cal that builds real cars. I've had several transmission shops say they build "beefed up" trannys, but they never work. I sent a buddy to a shop that did a $1500 upgrade on his superduty transmission and it was toast in a year, replaced under warranty and toast again in 6 months. It looked good on paper and the owner acted like he knew his business, but I see they have now gone out of business.

 

[410Fortune]

I had transwerx build me an A4LD, when I ripped it out and went V8 I sent it to Bill (RangerX) he is using it in his wifes 93 Sport...still going strong from what I understand.

Of course if you saw the headaches I went through with Transwerx trying to get the transmission built after it was dropped off, was told 1 week, it took almost 4. IMpossible to get them on the phone or any response, basically had to drive down there (60 miles) like 3 times to get them on the ball.
My point is finding a good rebuilder is a losing battle. They must be in business a long time with a good reputation before I would even consider, and getting that information is a PITA....
I am hoping that this was something "ford" that broke internally, and that my rebuilder is not to blame, this way I can use him again and possibly save some $$$, hes a friend of a friend and I have sent him alot of business.

Bottom line = Auto transmissions are my biggest expense with this damn truck, I would be happy if I can eliminate any custom parts so when they do fail I can just get another known running low mile unit from the wrecker for $3-400 and slap it in there for another 8-100K miles. OR start collecting knowledge and tools to do them myself, then the rebuilds would cost $4-600 for me to do myself and I would KNOW they were done right LOL (more like cross fingers and prey firrst few times! LOL)

You guys have fun in Moab, it will likely be fall by the time I get there in 08

 

[MoabB2]

I say pick up another low mileage 4r70w, mate it with an Atlas 3.8 and some new drivelines and be done with it! Sell your old BW's and drivelines and hang on to the blown 4r70w for parts or future rebuild.

I'm still shocked it went out this quickly. Let us know what you find!

 

[410Fortune]

called Atlas yesterday, 4 week turnaround, they make a 3.8 case that will bolt to the 31 spline 4r70w using a 1" spacer and still trimming the back of the output shaft so it doesnt bottom out. Around $2800 to my door. Then need a x member/mount (atlas is HEAVY, 160#) and driveshaft mods.

I have sourced a 01 4r70w from an Explorer with 80K on it, $400
I have a 96 4r70w sitting in storage, but it has 160K and was slipping when pulled.

If I had the $3500-4500 to spend on this little project I would, summer will be over before I can afford that..... but yes Atlas is the ultimate goal. Even a built (tera low) dana 20 case would require an AA adapter in the 4r70w, driveshaft mods, etc... so my cheapest option, at this point, is to fix my current POS trans and bolt it all back in, so I can see Moab in 08
Will keep posted, pulling the trans 100% tonight, its 4 bolts and two cooler lines from being out

 

[410Fortune]

Welp I bit the bullet and had my 4r70w rebuilt. Lots of broken parts inside, lots of worn parts as well. 1 day turnaround from a local builder who comes highly recommended, 3 year warranty so we are good to go! new converter, full rebuild, warranty, more $$$ then I planned to spend but its back in my hands going in the truck tomorrow.....1 day turn around, I dropped the trans off to them yesterday at lunch time and picked it up today at lunch time..... now that is amazing.


We discovered that one of the tcases I have (the one I have been running for the last year) bottomed out on the AA output shaft, causing the damage to my transmission. So my bad, I wont make that mistake again.. I am going to test fit the t case outside of the truck.

There goes my roll cage $$$ for this year... have to keep doing "light" trails until next summer I guess. I still think I have an issue in my front end, but well tackle that after I get it back together this weekend

body work is next on the list, finally fix the rust, remove some sheetmetal, possibly doors and top and wheel the heck out of her this summer.....

 

[410Fortune]

truck is back together 99%
spent entire day Sunday re-installing my new transmission.
I dry fitted the 1354 t case to the 4r70w, the input on the 1354 t case as bottoming out on the AA output shaft.... great! This cost me a rebuilt trans within 20K miles.
I had to shave approx 1/4" off the input shaft of the 1354 t case to make it fit....

no wonder I broke a bunch of crap inside a brand new 4r70w.....not happy about that!
Regardless the truck is all back together now, except parts stores were closed when we finished up (7:30 pm) so I still need 14 quarts of Mercon to get her running.

Also need to repair my rag joint.... testing today after work... fingers crossed.

Advance Adapters claim they have never heard of such an issue, google searching turned up nothing.

Bottom line the short version of the AA AOD-E to 1350 t case adapter (7" version) SUCKS, the t case when bolted up bottoms out on the trans output shaft putting a bunch of stress on the internals of the transmission. Shaving 1/4" off your t case input shaft is the solution..... just wish I would have fitted the t case to the trans out of the truck when I did the conversion initially. FYI all 3ea 1354 t cases I have here at the house did the same thing....

 

[MoabB2]

Jamie-

Any way for me to tell if my input shaft is having the same problem? I have the same AA adapter as you do and I'd like to avoid blowing up my trans!

 

[CDW6212R]

I see you have had a rough time with the trans/TC lately. It's tough I know, I began building my own AOD's back in 1988. The basic tools aren't too bad, they are up to close to $200 now. I did fine when I started and became comfortable with them. The knowledge learned is the biggest part, having the right manual and tools, VB kit and parts.

How bad would you driveshaft angles be with the BW4406? A double cardon joint can take quite a bit, I have read about 22 degrees or so.

I'm collecting parts for a 99 4R70W, for high performance figure on $500-$800 in parts minimum. Torque converters aren't cheap either(HP), but those are worth good power and efficiency gains. Energy suspension does not have a trans mount like we need, they got back to me about it. Regards,