i am swaping a zf transmission out of a 89 f250 5.0l to a 93 f150 4.9l. i currently have the m50d. all i got when i got the transmission was just the transmission no other parts.

right now i have the transmission out and am working on swapping parts.

- do i have to swap transfer cases? it looks like the angle on the shift is different on the zf than my m50d.
- can i use the stock flywheel and put a 11in clutch and preasure plate on for the zf transmission?
- where can i get a shifter handle at? the zf is held by 2 bolts and the m50d is a round clamp so it wont swap onto it. or i might just end up bending my own type of handle. ive looked in lmc and found nothing and on the internet just searching google(nothing)
- will the transmission mount stuff from the m50d be able to be swaped onto the zf transmission?

- since i got the zf sitting out should i take it in and have them do a minor rebuild on it? (just like bearings and stuff)

if anyone has done the swap or knows anything please let me know it would be greatly appreciated.

i have lots of time to do this so it doesnt have to get done right away.

 

As I have never did a ZF swap, I can't advise you in that dept., however, since you do already have the tranny out, why not just go ahead and fully rebuild it? It'll save you effort in the future....

-Wes

 

1.) the trans case should be fine to mate with the ZF.
2.) the floor shift can be found at a junk yard.
3.) I think the trans cross member needs to be the one that was origionally with the ZF (ie the M50D cross member probably won't work).
4.) not sure on flywheel and clutch (I pulled, rebuilt, and stuffed back in with new clutch on f250) Rock auto has different part number for both flywheels but I am sure if you get the right one you can use a 11in clutch. Someone that has done the swap will chime in I'm sure...

5.) what is your budget for rebuild??? I had mine inspected and everything was fine 3-4 years ago, but the syncros are now going out between 2nd and 3rd. So I wish I would have at least replaced them when it was inspected... Wouldv'e made it a ton easier to shift!!!!

6.) Definatly NO MATTER WHAT... Change your shift forks... they seem to be a weaker spot on these tranny's. A gasket/seals kit, syncros, and shift forks wouldn't be that bad price wise.

 

thats what i was thinking cause i dont want to be pulling it out within a week of putting it in.

i have no budget just paycheck by paycheck.


i have shifted it and it seems to shift fine but i probably will get it checked out. ive read on a couple sites where people have built their own shift handles with 1/2 round stock. i might try this cause i can have it customized the way i like it. i found one on ebay but they wanted 50$ and i said f that.

 

you can get a stick at the JY around here for $10... You might want to start looking in the JY now... You'll most likely need the crossmember and mount, and the stick shift, and as i recall you might have to cut a pig tail off another donor truck for the neutral safty switch plug.

The gears are usually good in these tranny's... It's just the syncros and shift forks you want to watch out for. As I recall you can put the tranny up on the tail housing and unbolt the entire forward case and bell housing... Then it all slips off for internal inspection.

 

Same here buddy, same here......but I appreciate the truck more that way I guess....

-Wes

 

I didn't need to modify anything when I swapped in my ZF, not even any electrical. I only had to reuse the trans mount from my M5 because the ZF's mount had a slightly different spacing where it bolted to the cross member. I was lucky to have the right shift lever for my ZF. It was probably the easiest swap I ever did.

 

That's good to know and add to the memory bank... I own 2 zf's and try to stay away from 1/2 tons! Did you use the flywheel from behind the ZF or keep the origional that was behind the M5OD? I saw different part numbers but the width and tooth count was the same... Maybe just a little thicker if it was with a ZF origionally...???

 

I had to use my original flywheel and clutch. The 5.8 that was originally mated to my ZF was a victim of the Cash 4 Cars fiasco.

 

tell me about it! I have been pressed to find cheap $200 trucks for parts in the past few years! LOL

 

The cross member is the same for all the 5-speeds. I used the crossmember from a '95 F150 to swap the ZF into my '87.

To replace the whole synchro assembly for all three positions, a major rebuild kit with the needle bearings, and shift forks would run about $625 at the least expensive vendor I found. Buying just the synchro rings instead of the whole synchro assembly would maybe save a little over $50. The rebuild kit without the needle bearings would also be cheaper, but why not replace them while they are out? I never knew that the shift forks were a problem. The reverse gear dogs were destroyed on my transmission, but the forks looked fine other than a small amount of wear where they engaged the synchro sliders.

There's only the reverse light switch to hook up and it should be the same as the Mazda transmission.

I had the same issue - I was going to use the transmission mount from my old 4-speed, but the studs were spaced too far apart to fit in the newer crossmember. I had to get a transmission mount from the same year truck as the crossmember, which thankfully had no problem bolting to the transmission.

I didn't measure the clutch in my truck, but I just re-used the clutch and flywheel that was behind the 4-speed with the ZF and it seems to be working like normal.

 

well thanks for the ideas for now. i will try and find a kit cheap i was looking at broncograveyard.com. and yea for the stick i know a couple junk yards to go to around here but we just got like 4in of wet heavy snow on top of the snow we have alread. but that wont stop me from looking, and finding one even if i have to crawl on the ground .
i was also thinking about just getting some round stock and cutting it and just drilling and tapping a flat bar to the bottom of it. all it is just a straight piece of metal, and my frined works at a machine shop and i can have him look in the scrap bin when he has time or he can do a long term borrowing period .
would this be the kit with syncros?
ZF 5 speed Master Bearing and Seal Kit

and also is their a kit for my transfer case i can buy or do i need to do anything to it? it is leaking so i will be poping it apart to reseal it




christ i got a brand new never opened spare tire rack for the back of my bronco. his boss didnt even remeber he had bought it back in the 80s . i got it for free.

 

The cross memebers are the same.

I dont think the shift forks go bad that often in a ZF, i think your referring to the 1356 transfercase.

When i had mine rebuilt the guy said it needed a slider but nothing about forks. O and mine had a wore reverse gear. total to rebuild mine was 1300. 700 in parts and 600 in labor.

 

for the transfercase the best thing is to get a seal kit and when you put the two halves together use rtv. If you go to the parts store they got this type of rtv that all you got to do is tilt the top and it will come out. It is more expensive but it is really convenient for getting the rtv real nice on the two halves. Make sure the kit your get has the fork inserts.

 

That should work. I bought the OEM kit from ZF which cost a little more. Keep in mind that kit doesn't include synchros, but it does look like it includes all the bearings and seals you will need.

Reverse must be a common problem. Mine also had a bad reverse gear, which also took out the mainshaft and the 5/R synchro hub.