Explorer and 4R70w years

[Passauf]

What is the best year (s) for the donor explorer and what is the best configuration for the 4r70w. Meaning what year and 2wd or 4wd or awd... Thanks for all your input... I could not find this in the search area
Only want to buy 1 donor and want it correct the first time

 

[DEEPWOODS]

98 and up for the transmission it has better internals

 

[Broncobowsher]

And 2WD/4WD/AWD are the same except for the output shaft and tailhousing.

If you were to really get fussy and wanted to make too much work for yourself the gearset from a 4R75W (only found on the 5.4) has slightly better gears. There are also random billit and 300M parts that can be tossed in as well.

Realisticly you just need to shop for '98 and newer. You can tell by the number of wires on the case passthrough to the valve body, they changed in '98 as well. I just forget which one is which. One has more wires then the other.

 

[Ourobos]

98-01 are the 5.0 also, 02 went to 4.6.

 

[DEEPWOODS]

98 up has a Black plug socket on the passenger side 97 and older has a white socket

 

[mattt]

And 2WD/4WD/AWD are the same except for the output shaft and tailhousing.

If you were to really get fussy and wanted to make too much work for yourself the gearset from a 4R75W (only found on the 5.4) has slightly better gears. There are also random billit and 300M parts that can be tossed in as well.

Realisticly you just need to shop for '98 and newer. You can tell by the number of wires on the case passthrough to the valve body, they changed in '98 as well. I just forget which one is which. One has more wires then the other.

I've heard that about the 5.4 variant of the 4R as well....something about it having bearings instead of bushings? Anyone know the finer particulars?

I'd like to know since I'm looking for 4R gears to put one back together. I have a disassembled 4R that I robbed the gearset out of for an AOD. Now the long term plan is once the AOD dies, the 4R is going in it's place, so at some point, I'd like to get the 4R re-assembled with the best parts possible. I have the luxury of time in finding the better parts.

 

[Ourobos]

You can get a 4r75w for the guts from a 2003 Mustang also FYI.

 

[DEEPWOODS]

I think the gears and clutch drums are hardened steel in the newer ones not sure about bearings being different

 

[KyleQ]

The general consensus is the newer the better- they got upgrades throughout the years.

 

[allenfahey]

Don't forget about the Mountaineer 5.0 too.

Two great 4R70W resources
http://www.tccoa.com/articles/mn12-techinfo/trans-tech/4r70w_rebuild.html
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128800

 

[Ranchtruck]

A friend has a 98 explorer 5.0l. We did the first fluid and filter change at 200k and took the lollypop out. At 250k I took a large busted snap ring out of the pan. At 300k I cleaned a bunch of torrington bearing rollers off the magnet. It still works fine and shifts through all the gears but I told him he might want to ease up on the trailer towing.