700R4 going into my Explorer and Shifter Questions

[Dignan]

I got a little life out of my dying A4LD. It started dying at 190,000 but I nursed it back to health and got up to 225,000. Now it is definately toasted but that is ok, because it is sitting in the shop next to a box full of parts from bowtie overdrives and advance adapters. I have everything but the shifter. I need to get it asap as the shop will start on monday and hope to be done on tuesday.

I was looking at the B&M Sports shifter, but I wanted something with a gate mechanism, as this is my daily driver and off road vehicle, not my drap strip vehicle, so I don't want a ratchet. I dont really understand the detent system, but it doesn't sound too appealing to me. Maybe someone could fill me in on that.

So I found a shifter made by TCI wich looks pretty similar to the B&M but is a gate shifter. It however is more expensive.

I also like the B&M Magnum Grip Pro Stick, which is also a little more pricey.

Anyway, I have two main Questions:
1. Pros and Cons of Detent and Gate Systems?
2. Most of the Shifters that I have seen have settings for 1, 2, and D. With the 700R4, how do I use OD with these shifters?

 

[Dignan]

bump

 

[90ranajo]

The biggest downside to a standard detent shifter is that there is no lockout for reverse (i.e. if you acidentaly blew by D instead of the shifter stopping in N it will go right up to R or P)
The gate shifters are just like they sound. They have a zig-zag type patern in the shifter face so it will only allow shifting 1 gear at a time.
I am (as well as some others are) running the B&M Megashifter with some B&M Hammers out there too. I've even seen a few of the Art Carr gate shifters.
The ratchet and gate shifters are very similar in operation with the exception of how the reverse lock out works.
With the ratchet and detent ****ers for use on 4 speed autos they have a limit pin that you remove so the shifter can physically move through the 6 shifter postions. I'm not sure how the gate shifters work. I assume that you have to buy/use different gate patterns.
I would recommend a ratchet for the ease of install, adjustability and operation. After about 5 minutes of using a ratchet shifter (either on- or off-road) it will be second nature.

 

[Dignan]

what about the ones that say they are gate/ratchet? I assume that would make it easy to drive with the gate action and fun to drive with the ratchet when I want to race. Is it as good as it sounds?

 

[90ranajo]

I don't have any experience with the gate/ratchet ones. Mainly with the ratchets. The ratchets in my opinion are just to easy to use. If you've ever driven a floor shift auto its almost identical in use. Ratchet shifters are not just for racing either. I see many people using them in their daily drivers as well as their race cars or trail rigs.

 

[Maniak]

I'm using some "cheapy" b&m shifter I got from Checker (Kragens) with our 700r4. Its Cable Connected and I have to "lift up" the shifter to go from park to Reverse. When going the other way, I have to "lift" the shifter to go from neutral to reverse, so I can't accidentily get into reverse (just neutral)

Did you get your 700r4 built yet? If so, double and tripple check the spring in the tranny. Make sure it is the red spring.. Two of the transmisions I got from bowtie had the wrong spring (we cought one before we put the transmission in, no such luck on the first one)..

Also, make sure you TV cable says 4.0 on it. If it does, you should can be relitivly sure that you have the one for the 4.0 Ford. It is possible it is wrong (one of the cables we got from them said 4.0, but was the wrong core and about 12 inches too long)..

Also, if you can, I'd go with a lower stall than an 1800 stall. The 1800 stall for the 7004r in an s10 (small 6 cyl) isn't expecting the same torque the 4.0 OHV can put out so it stalls higher than 1800. If you want higher stall than stock, then don't worry about it (I want to put in a lower stall converter, but I'm in no rush to pull the trans again). I didn't notice which motor you have, so this might not be an issue.

I have about 40k miles on the 700r4 now. The only issues so far are Heat from the exhaust since Cat is right next to the transmission (that will be changed later), Transmission Dip Stick tube keeps coming un-bolted from the body (just bounces around, doesn't fall down), higher stall speed on the converter than I like (2700 flash stall), and keeping the transmission cool in 105F+ degree weather driving through town (two coolers, and a 10" fan from a corola/4runner).

I've changed the fluid twice in 40k miles... Both times it came out bright red, and not burnt (and my pan temp gets to 190+ in town sometimes).

~Mark

 

[Dignan]

I'm not very well educated when it comes to transmsissions. Where is the spring you are talking about?

 

[Maniak]

Its a spring that comes with the TV cable kit from BowTie. It goes into the valve body (passenger side of the transmission)..

Here is the link on how to install the spring which should give you a better idea of where it is, and what it looks like (you should have the "red" spring for the Ford 4.0)

http://www.tvmadeez.com/spring_install/700r4.php

~Mark

 

[Dignan]

I got the red spring. Everything is ready except the stinkin shifter. I have called every parts store in the valley trying to find one that has the Hurst V-matic 2 in stock. Only one (NAPA) place has it and they are about $80 higher than everyone else and they don't match prices. Checker has the B&M sports shifter, which I also like, but I think I would prefer the Hurst. Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Maniak]

The one I have is the b&m sport shifter (I finally found the name)..

It works, isn't anything special.. But my cable that shows what gear I'm in (connects to the shift handle) is kinked and now reads a little off (doesn't quite line up).. The other issue I had is the neutral safety switch died 1 month after installing. I have since just shorted the wire so it always thinks its in neutral.. Its not a biggy for me.

You can tell its a somewhat cheap shifter, but it works. It doesn't have a nice OEM or smooth feel.. Is notchy and doesn't flow nice but you can tell when you change gears, BUT its hard to tell if you ended up in 2 or 3 because when you pull it hard, and when it moved it moves fast and you can skip a gear.

~Mark

 

[Dignan]

Well I think I've decided on the Hurst V-Matic 2. I will have to wait until it comes in until like Friday, but I think that I will be happier in the long run, so I'll wait a few days, rather than regret it every time I drive with a shifter I don't want.

 

[Jefe]

I've got a B&M Hammer shifter. I really wanted a gate shifter for wheeling, but felt that the ArtCarr would have been quite tiring in a Daily driver. But the Hammer has reverse lockout, and detent shifting, much like a stock shifter for all but the lower gears. From OD you can ratchet down into the lower gears, with no question as to what gear you are in. I have grown to really like it. Even after I put in the reverse manual valve body, I can't see wanting any other shifter.

For the second question, you need to make sure that the shifter you get will work with the 4 speed 700R4

 

[Dignan]

Привет Хефе, давно не выделись. I looked at the hammer shifter and it didn't seem to intriging, perhaps I would have looked closer had I known that you have one and like it. Too late now. The Hurst shifter that I bought seems pretty nice. It has a gate system, but if you push down while in neutral and then pull it back to first, it goes into a ratchet system. I hope that it will give me the best of both worlds; gate for normal driving and off-road, and ratchet to have fun.
I let you guys know what I think about it after I have a chance to drive it, which hopefully will be this weekend.

 

[Dignan]

The shifter length is 11.65". Of those of you who have gone with an aftermarket shifter like this, is that going to be too short? It is a universal application so I can mount it higher and try to make it pretty if I have to. Anyone have some insight on this?

 

[Jefe]

Mine is 10.4 from base to top of handle, and on installing it I raised it 1" by building a custom sub frame to mount it to using holes already in the body. With my center console, this is the perfect level for me. So you should already be pretty close.

 

[Dignan]

I went back to your write up and looked at the picture, but I couldn't really tell. Did you mount that to the floor and run it up through the console? I ask because I have the old console that doesnt go all the way up to the radio like yours, so mine will be on the floor.

 

[Jefe]

I built the 1" tall subframe to mount to the console bolts, bolted to the floor, and the shifter is bolted to the subframe.

 

[WICKED™]

a 700R4 is a piece of crap too.

 

[Dignan]

Sweet. I guess as long as the seats are the same height off the floor I should be good. My mom had a '98 and it seemed like I was sitting higher in hers, but if that is the case, that means mine would be lower making the shifter seem higher, so it should be good.

I haven't heard from the shop yet, but I'm crossing my fingers for this weekend. They told me it would be done by Tuesday, but I should know better than to expect to have a car back when a shop says they'll be done. Maybe I'll call them now and light a fire under them.

 

[Dignan]

Ya, I knew it would be bad news. They haven't even started yet. I didn't do it myself because I wanted it to be done fast. I'm starting to regret that decision. My house isn't finished yet so I still don't have a driveway, but maybe I should've found a buddy's driveway.