M5OD-R2 from 97 4.2L F150 4x4

[Broncobowsher]

You get to strip your parts truck in a shop, on a hoist? You deserve to be stung.
The rest of us are rolling around on the ground out in a field trying to do this stuff.

 

[Timmy390]

It's my neighbors shop. I don't have a lift in mine but yes the guy said I could trailer it home and take the trans out. Couldn't pass that up. Good thing to as it was a total B to get out and without air tools I'm not sure we would have got it.

Been sitting since 13 on dirt so everything was crusty. Getting the torsion bars out was a pain. Frozen in the keys

Tim

 

[Slednut10]

Good to know Joe. I knew about the Bell housing needing to be drilled. I got a 1 inch BL so everything should work out.

I'll have to deal with the whole J shift T-case but I can overce that.

Hope to have the trans today. Going to trailer the whole truck to my shop and pull the trans and take it back.

Tim

Dump the j-shift and go twin stick. IIRC, Advance Adapters says their kit only works with the T-shift.

 

[Timmy390]

Dump the j-shift and go twin stick. IIRC, Advance Adapters says their kit only works with the T-shift.

Right....Twin sticks for sure BUT there is a difference in the twins between T and J shift. It's my understanding the bracket from AA has to be modified and the T case needs to be clocked up one hole to make the J shift twins work.

Maybe the clocking was to get the angle for the front D shaft to not hit the BC ZF cross member.......So much reading.....

Tim

 

[bronkenn]

Right....Twin sticks for sure BUT there is a difference in the twins between T and J shift. It's my understanding the bracket from AA has to be modified and the T case needs to be clocked up one hole to make the J shift twins work.

Maybe the clocking was to get the angle for the front D shaft to not hit the BC ZF cross member.......So much reading.....

Tim

When I put the M5R2 in with the AA adapter kit the drive shaft hit the crossmember and had to clock it up one notch. No problem with the twin stick except I think I had to tweak one of the shift arms on the twin but no biggy.

 

[Timmy390]

Installing will be my winter project. I'll gather the parts over the next couple months and then start the build.

The BC ZF kit looks complete so I'll pick that up along with twin sticks for my J shift.

I pulled the shifter this afternoon and the bushings looked good but I may replace them anyway while I have the top plate off swapping the rubber plugs to freeze plugs. They show no signs of leakage which is good but not taking any chances on small stuff. Want to install it once and be done.

Tim

 

[bronkenn]

I'm thinking maybe the newer M5's have a better quality rubber plugs. The older ones seem to be cracked and weathered when I removed them but the newer ones seemed more soft and pliable.

 

[Timmy390]

I'm thinking maybe the newer M5's have a better quality rubber plugs. The older ones seem to be cracked and weathered when I removed them but the newer ones seemed more soft and pliable.

These sure look good to be 20 years old.....but why take a chance....Top cover gasket is like $5 and the plugs (freeze plugs) are $1.00 each. The rig was last tagged in 2013 so maybe that plays a role in the plugs looking so good and not leaking?

One expense I totally overlooked would be driveshafts. UGH....so I guess I need to mate everything up/install everything and then order D-shafts once I get measurements front and rear. Need to talk to a local shop and see if they can work with the stock D-shafts and maybe save a buck or three over buying new ones.

It will be a few months before I start the swap. Once I move the Bronco in the shop I can't get the boat out and there is still some fishing left in the year for sure. Should have built a bigger shop or do I have too many toys? Yup, shop is too small.......

Tim

 

[Slednut10]

If you are using the AA/BC Bronco's crossmember, you will need to clock it up one notch for driveshaft/ujoint clearance. I had my driveshafts redone by a local shop. They came out great, but in hindsight, it would have been way cheaper to just order a set of Tom Woods shafts. Once I clocked the d20 I had to slightly modify the twin stick bracket so the fingers would drop into the shift rail flags better. I ended up welding a nut to the top of the bracket right above the threaded hole for the shoulder bolt. That moved the shifters up enough to compensate for the clocking and allowed me to correct the angle of the fingers in the flags.

 

[Timmy390]

If you are using the AA/BC Bronco's crossmember, you will need to clock it up one notch for driveshaft/ujoint clearance. I had my driveshafts redone by a local shop. They came out great, but in hindsight, it would have been way cheaper to just order a set of Tom Woods shafts.

That's the plan use the whole kit from BC. Thought about trying to piece it together and make my own cross member but the BC kit seems like the way to go even if you do need to clock the T-case up one notch and modify the twin stick bracket.
https://bcbroncos.com/shop/bcb-orig...-trans-adapter-kit-complete-for-early-bronco/

Twins for the J shift from whomever is the best on shipping or if a set comes up in the "parts for sale" section

D-shafts.....local or from Tom W or I noticed a couple of the vendors offer D-shafts had a "custom" option under the length. Will look into that as well. Will come down to shipping and price.....

Tim

 

[Bajabrewer]

I started on a M5ODR2 conversion when I stumbled on a deal on one from a 96 F150 with a 4.9/5 speed. I went ahead and got the ZF to Dana 20 adapter from AA & when I went to bolt it up the output from the M5 was about a 1/4-1/2" too long. I cut a little off & everything bolts up flush now with plenty of spline engagement - I think that was in the AA instructions that you may need to do that but that was last fall. I'm keeping it a straight 6, the project is waiting for me to build the Maverick 250 this winter & the 170 in my 66 is running great so it can wait. I know I'll need to get a new top cover or build a gearbanger style shifter & get driveshafts but when done it should be a very nice combo.

 

[bronkenn]

With the M5 swap I did the front and rear driveshafts were the same length. Went with Tom Woods through WH. Very nice shafts and price wasn't too bad.