Quick Tranny (ZF?) ID Question

[grant_71]

Found a 5sp out of a 88 F-150 for 100 bucks, but does not look like a ZF, as there is no Cris cross pattern on the side, what is it, and should i pick it up to swap into my 71?

TIA
Grant

 

[rcmbronc]

It is the Mazda 5 speed tranny. Probably not the best for a bronco. Some say they are weak, and the gear ratio is not nearly as nice as the ZF. I believe the adapters would be the same as the ZF.

 

[grant_71]

Well i am not really worried about it being weak, it would only go into a 71 w/ a 302, 31's, and glass body that never really goes off-road. But for 100 bucks....i just might do it.

Thanks
Grant

 

[trailpsycho]

I wouldnt bother. There are ZFs out there...but you are unlikely to find one for $100. There is a manual tranny rebuilder/shop here in Indy. I think they said they wanted $900 for a rebuilt ZF...I didnt discover them until after I had a NV4500. They had several laying around waiting for a rebuild. Shops like them get first dibs oftentimes from many of the salvage yards. There is a good reason that no one is running those Mazda trannies...they dont hold up over time. Good luck.

 

[bronko69er]

Run away from the Mazda tranny's, my buddy with a 89 bronco has gone through 3 of them already.

 

[JB Fab]

Good God! Stay away from those rat bastards, IMO they aren't worth the powder to blow them away, We had a couple of company trucks that had those, and we had nothing but problems, even with fresh FoMoCo rebuilds, and these trucks weren't even being worked hard.

 

[JB Fab]

Here is some ZF info. and a great link for tranny ID.......
http://www.motivegear.com/tech_info/tranny_guide/tranny_guide.html

 

[grant_71]

Wow, lots of neg feed back on this one, I am a little surprised, I am pretty sure that it is the same tranny that is in our 92 FSB, with 165k on it, and that truck has been worked hard and we have not a had a single problem with the tranny in it.

We do have an 86 BII that has gone through 3 tranny's but i believe that is a FM145 or 146...