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[J&M964x4]

My 96's 4r55e tranny has lived an abnormally long life. It has 245,000 miles on it without doing anything else but regular fluid and filter changes. This weekend, however, I am putting a 3" body lift and 32x11.50 15 M/Ts on it. This will probably spell certain doom for the slushbox even though I am one of the lucky few who came from the factory with 4.10 gears front and rear. For the moment, it shifts just perfectly, but when it does finally decide to go, I would like to swap in a manual transmission. Has anybody done this? I am trying to gather as much information on it now so that I will be prepared for it when it happens. What parts do I need to get? Will my T-case swap right over? I don't want anything fancy, just a stock 5-speed from a similar explorer. Please help me out or point me in the right direction. Thanks.

 

[J&M964x4]

C'mon. There has been hybrid automatic trannys done, solid axle swaps of all kinds, and engine swaps by the dozen. You guys are geniuses in my book. Somebody must have done a 5-speed swap or at least know how to do it.

 

[tricked04]

back from the dead bump

 

[glfredrick]

Basic parts swap. Helps to have both vehicles sitting side-by-side.

You will either have to swap the computer, or fool it into thinking the solenoids are working by plugging in an old one and tieing it up on the frame rail to stop the CEL.

Parts needed are many...

Cluch and brake pedal assembly
Linkage for above
Neutral safety switch harness
Front and rear driveshaft
Transmission
Shifter
Clutch
Flywheel
Pilot bearing
Pressure plate
Throwout bearing
Hydraulic slave cylinder and master cylinder, plus mounting hardware
Crossmember, bolts
Starter
Radiator (or just cap off the cooler ports)
Shifter boot and dust cap for the interior (and if console, extra parts to make it work with the manual)

Otherwise, the T-case is the same, engine stuff (bolt patterns) are the same.

 

[Maniak]

You will either have to swap the computer, or fool it into thinking the solenoids are working by plugging in an old one and tieing it up on the frame rail to stop the CEL.

You can also just replace the factory solenoids with 33 ohm resistors which is what we did for our X when we swapped in the 700r4 for the a4ld. These are smaller and easier to keep tied in the wire loom than the solenoids.

~Mark