Junkyard tranny?

[general x]

Ok im really looking at a C5 tranny for my 92 X. What im wondering is weather a low km Bronco 2 tranny from the "Salvage yard" is a good plan

I plan to -check the oil when i find one i want
-only select low km bronco 2's
-accept any critisism i get from this thread

Should a junkyard tranny be in my future or is it a bad plan?
jeff

 

[general x]

Bump for good luck

 

[Hartman]

I think your biggest issue will be finding a B2 with low miles!

 

[Glacier991]

A junkyard trannie isn't worth the R&R efort in my view. Like buying a new girlfriend sight unseen.

 

[Rick]

If you ever wanted to rebuild an auto tranny yourself that's a good one to start with. It's one of the simplist trannies out there. Even if you decide to get a tranny that's already been rebuilt you may still need to give them a good used core or fork over a few hundred more $$$ without a core.

 

[general x]

Thanx for the replys, i would like to rebuild a tranny if I can and it does not cost to much with both the cost of the tranny+ soft and hard parts (If needed) By the way, if i get a junkyard tranny should i get a C4 or a C5. Also i saw a bronce 2 today and it said it had overdrive! Does this bronce 2 have a A4LD if anyone knows?

 

[glfredrick]

The C4/C5 family are really easy to rebuild with a good manual.

The rebuild kits are pretty inexpensive as well. I would rebuild one of them in a heartbeat.

Now, the newer electronic ones are something else - too many things inside them to go wrong, and the parts are killer... I did one, and I was into it for over $600 and it still didn't work. I ended up being better off with one professionally done in that case.

That BII likely has the A4LD if it is overdrive - the C4/C5's did not have overdrive.

 

[JoshC]

I'm glad someone started this because i was thinking the same thing. I know CoryL is running the C5, is anyone else? Does anyone have the specs, like ratios for this tranny? They have a "granny" gear for 1st right?

 

[JoshC]

Also what years are we talking about for the BII? Didn't those have a 2.8 and a 2.9L V6? I checked online and one place asked for cooling line sizes of 3/8's or 1/4", does that matter?

 

[glfredrick]

The BII's had a 2.8 until 1986 when they switched over to a fuel injeected 2.9. They had an option early on for the C5 (which is just a C4 with an update), and later models had the AL4D overdrive auto. Manual trannys were the Mitsubishi FM145/FM146 and later (maybe) the Mazda M5OD.

The C4/5 did not have a "granny gear" low. It is a 2.46 ratio. The AL4D had a 2.47 (same for all practical purposes) and the late model electronic trannys have a 2.71. The Chevy 700R4 have a 3.06 low gear, which is a granny low for an auto, but nothing in comparison to some of the truck 4 speeds with a 6:81 low... The autos do build torque due to the action of the torque multilplier (torque converter) so they are not as sluggish as might seem from just runing the numbers, besides, adapting one of the heavy truck transmissions to a R/B/E type vehicle would be tough if not impossible. (Though I am looking at it for my own truck...).

cooler lines are different sizes but they are no big deal, just brake line tubing for the most part - cheap and easy to bend. Lots of adaptors as well. Going larger wouldn't hurt anything, just have more oil in the system. going smaller might hurt a tranny's ability to cool if the factory hooked it up for 3/8 lines. Almost any line can be hooked to any other line with a couple of adaptors and a couple of pieces of rubber tranny cooler line patched in. There is no great pressure on the cooler lines - just flow.

 

[JoshC]

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression they had the lower first gear. But either way it works fine.

I know all about the brake lines and stuff like that, i just thought that maybe that was an indication for a different tranny. When it asked me that i choose 3/8's for the fact that you had stated about maybe hurting the ability to cool the fluid faster.

So is anyone getting ready to do this? Would rebuild it before you even thought about sticking in your truck? Are there any performance upgrades for this?

 

[glfredrick]

I have considered this modification for my own Ranger as it is a trail only machine right now, but I am still thinking...

As far as rebuilding the tranny, I would certainly pull apart any tranny that I got as a core from a salvage yard. The reason most vehicles are there is that they have some problems. Especially if they are not smashed in some way... (and most are not smashed - which means to me, people just got tired of fixing them). A rebuild kit for this tranny is not that expensive.

There are lots of performance parts availble for the C4, which is virtualy identical inside. I built one for a 69 Ford van that I ran a few years back. I added high performance clutches and bands (the 2nd gear band is especially subject to wearing/breaking), and I did a B&M full race rebuild on the tranny - and in so doing, eliminated all automatic shift functions. It became in essence, a 3 speed manual that needed no clutch. It held up pretty well in that heavy van, though I should have used a C6. I had it behind a 302 that was well into the 300+ HP range and it would sometimes pick up the front tires going into 2nd gear... It shifted HARD. (Too hard for most people's taste - but I had built a "sleeper" vehicle and drove it like a maniac.)

I now recommend Transgo instead of B&M. Their kits seem more complete and have better components for less money. I also recommend a stall converter if you really want street performance. For 4 wheeling and crawling, of course stick with a stock converter - they pull harder from idle. The stall converters are designed to slip until a certain RPM range is hit, making them engage harder all of a sudden - perfect for drag racing, but rotten on the trails.

 

[JoshC]

I've never had a tranny apart, but would love to try it.

I think when i get home i'll have to pick up one at the salvage yard and give it a shot.

 

[glfredrick]

Go for it... Just have a clean place to work and a good manual.

You will be suprised at how easy the earlier autos actually are.

BTW, you will need a couple tools. One is a small, but accurate torque wrench to torque the valve body bolts, and to set the band tension. It needs to be down to the 10 inch pounds range. You might be able to use one from an auto parts store - lots of them have tool rentals or free use. A second tool is an inside snap ring spreader tool. This is a "spreader" type pliers that can grasp a flat snap ring and spread it open so that it can be removed from a drum. Sometimes you can substitute a couple of small screwdrivers for this - sometimes not.

Also, make sure that when you open up stuff, set it in order so that you can replace the soft parts and disks in the correct order - and when you disasemble the valve body make sure you mark the locations of the couple check balls and poppets.

 

[JoshC]

haha

I'll just keep asking you to do it, then hoping you will come over the border to help! lol

I'm assuming you get the kits from Summit or Jegs?

 

[Glacier991]

You might also want to check out the thread entitled "My A4LD Rebuild Diary" enter that as a search term and you'll find it.

 

[glfredrick]

I usually get my tranny parts from Whatever It Takes, a transmission warehouse here in Louisville. Jegs or Summit are both great vendors.

I do travel for a fee... Ask JGarrett... (Just kidding Gearld!)

 

[JoshC]

LOL, that's funny!

A trip maybe in order for you, we've got some nice wheelin over here!!

 

[Brain]

Be careful about swapping in weaker trannies. The X has a 4.0L, which of course is bigger and more powerful than a 2.9L/3.0L BroncII. The number of forward clutch plates for the 3.0L and 4.0L versions A4LD are different (fewer in the 3 than the 4). There are also some differences in the use of torrington bearings vs. plate bearings in the different applications. Glacier's thread on the A4LD rocks!

 

[general x]

the C5 isent weaker is it? Cuz that is not what i want or need. I may just fork over the cash for a rebuilt to be installed (2000-2400) with installation canadian