AOD Questions

[Cougar]

Planning on working on the Bronco after nearly a year off...I just had to take take some time off and save some money...

However, it's time to burn some more funds!;D

I bought an AOD conversion kit last year so that I can hook up to a D20 transfer case. It's for an '88 or newer unit. My question is this... Besides a Mustang, what other vehicles came with an AOD? Are there any differences between their set ups? How can I identify an AOD? Part #'s? Castings? Dimensions? Etc. What price should I pay for a donor unit? Outside of a Mustang what vehicle and years will work? I know that some time in the '90's Ford switched to electronic units and I don't believe these will work. Any and all info is appreciated... For those who have done this conversion, please let me know of any hang ups with the install and other items that will need to be purchased. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[jurob]

pan says metric or something like that. t-bird, ltd on and on....all the 5.0 cars should have them minus 94-95 mustang which had an aode. aod will not have od on/off button.

mustang has the shortest tailshaft, but your kit should replace that so i don't think it will matter.

for a donor that you will have rebuilt, free to $75

 

[Colo77Bronco]

They are everywhere. If you are going to blow some funds and do a rebuild on it you will spend nearly as much as buying a perfect new one from LenTech or performance automatics that is built for 600+HP. I had mine rebuilt and then added the LenTech valve body to get control of first and second gears and add an electric OD delete and I could have just bought their tranny all dilaed in and crated to me. If they build them it is bulletproof and as good (better!) as any AODE or 700R4. Just a thought.

 

[jurob]

lentech is very expensive, but nice. you can get a rebuild kit for mild to wild between 100-250 bucks. find someone to rebuild it and your good to go.

if you want a very cheap option for control over 1st, 2nd and 3rd but not od then do a search for the aod epoxy mod.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The '88 and up adaptor will work perfect with the 4R70W (the good computer controled version)

 

[Cougar]

Thanks for the info guys! I really appreciate it.

I'm planning on just a mild engine build up...around 300-350 horsepower. What exactly makes an AOD "bulletproof"?

I was hoping to run an aftermarket steering column with the shifter on it rather than the floor. Is this do able?

Keep the info coming! Thanks!

 

[Cougar]

Broncobowsher,

I'm not planning on going with an EFI set up. Just some good old fashioned carburation for now. Does the 4R70W still work without the engine being wired up? Do you need a laptop to tune it?

Thanks!

 

[Cougar]

I guess I should mention the type of rig that I'm building. %)

It's basically a restoration with newer technology thrown in...IE Painless harness, newer ignition, disc brakes, PS, custom dash, family cage, etc. It's set up with a 3.5" lift and 33's. It won't be a rock crawler or mud slinger, but a nice trail rig that will hopefully be dependable as a daily driver if need be...modifed, but not extreme.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Broncobowsher,

I'm not planning on going with an EFI set up. Just some good old fashioned carburation for now. Does the 4R70W still work without the engine being wired up? Do you need a laptop to tune it?

Thanks!

It will work with a carb.
It will work without fuel injection
You still need a stand alone controller for it www.becontrols.com
Does not need a laptop per say, but you do need a computer. Laptop just makes it easier.
I did a 4R70W tech article 5 years ago. I guess I should do a follow up...

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

I'm planning on just a mild engine build up...around 300-350 horsepower. What exactly makes an AOD "bulletproof"?

As Cali77Bronco stated, LenTech makes them bulletproof. Before he started rebuilding them and changing them, people were running from them. Hence why so many older Mustang drag cars are stick cars.

 

[jjwtwice]

When converting to the 4R70W does it fit with standard body mounts? Does the floor need to be raised or lengthened?

 

[Broncobowsher]

When converting to the 4R70W does it fit with standard body mounts? Does the floor need to be raised or lengthened?

http://classicbroncos.com/4r70wtransmission.shtml

 

[jjwtwice]

Thanks, good read.

You used the 4R70W and a Dana 20 and I'm assuming AA adaptor 52-2902 between them which is 6.375" long. I can see what it was longer in the tunnel. I am planning on using the 4R70W and Atlas 4spd, which I understand bolts directly together. From my research, the tranny, transfer case length will be 38.4" Your set up should have been 41.55". Given that on paper mine will be 3" shorter do you think I will still have body clearance issues?

 

[scsm76]

Thanks, good read.

You used the 4R70W and a Dana 20 and I'm assuming AA adaptor 52-2902 between them which is 6.375" long. I can see what it was longer in the tunnel. I am planning on using the 4R70W and Atlas 4spd, which I understand bolts directly together. From my research, the tranny, transfer case length will be 38.4" Your set up should have been 41.55". Given that on paper mine will be 3" shorter do you think I will still have body clearance issues?

Those numbers don't sound right, the 4r70W should be around 37" with a AA adapter and dana 20.
To mount the atlas to a 4r70w you still need a 4r70w 4x4 intermediate housing around 5-6" (from memery???) and a 4-speed Atlas is 15" short tail shaft or 17" long tail shaft.
A dana 20 is only 11 1/4". So the 4r70w with a atlas 4 speed should be at least 3-4" longer.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Thanks, good read.

You used the 4R70W and a Dana 20 and I'm assuming AA adaptor 52-2902 between them which is 6.375" long. I can see what it was longer in the tunnel. I am planning on using the 4R70W and Atlas 4spd, which I understand bolts directly together. From my research, the tranny, transfer case length will be 38.4" Your set up should have been 41.55". Given that on paper mine will be 3" shorter do you think I will still have body clearance issues?

Well they don't bolt directly together, you still need the factory tailhousing. But you don't need the aftermarket adaptor that I used. Factory 4WD transmission and an Atlas that mimicks the Ford NP205 will mate.

I don't know how long the factory 4WD tailhousing is, but I think you need to add that number in. I suspect it is roughly the same as the D20 adaptor. Overall with the 4 speed I would expect the total transmission length to be 6" longer then what I have. I can't find all the numbers as some of my information is incomplete (lack of factory 4WD tailhousing length, length of a 4 speed Atlas) But from what I see the Atals 2 speed is 2½" longer then a D20, then add the planetary reduction in front of that and it get long.

 

[jjwtwice]

Thanks guys,

Yes I read off the wrong line. The 4R70W and Dana 20 is 37.8" long. If I am missing the 4wd tail shaft housing then it will be longer than that set up. I would calculate it to be about 42 -43" long. Given that stock is just less than 35" it looks like I would be getting quite long.

Couple of questions:
scsm76 - how long is your set up? If I remember correctly you have an AOD, double, and dana 20 correct. Did the doubler add any length or did it just replace the tail shaft housing? Given length maybe that's a better way to go than atlas 4 spd.

Broncobowsher - how much body lift do you thinks is required? I've never been much of a supporter of body lifts, I think you should do it through suspension lifts. But I'd like to run carpet on the inside, couple of reasons, it gets very cold up here in Minneapolis in the winter and I want to drive year round and I also want to keep the noise down inside the cab as much as possible. If I have to cut the floor, which I have not given up on, then I would have to go with custom carpet and I know the expense would go up.

It takes so much work before you actually turn a wrench. Especially when doing such custom work. It's help from people like you who have gone before that make it so much easier. Thanks for all your advice and forgiving sometimes the dumb questions from the novices like myself.

 

[Broncobowsher]

You should be able to get away with the NHL body lift. That is 1" hocky pucks. Maybe a little massage of the body support (bash in with a hammer) depending on how the trans crossmember is built/condition of trans mounts/condition of body/condition of body mounts.