grumpy old man
Active member
I agree that the grandkids are better than your kids. If I knew then what I know now I would have skipped the kids and gone straight to the grandkids.
89 Bronco II new to me
- Thread starter grumpy old man
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
grumpy old man
Active member
Story of my life. Brakes are all done, the only parts reused were the front calipers, rear drums and the booster. Got the fuel system back together, new pump, filter and injectors. Decided it was time to look at the trans. Dropped the pan and found a coating of very fine iron filings in it. dropped the valve body to install the kit and found a half dozen small needles out of a needle bearing ****** washer in the valve body. Not good.
I am hoping that since the needles are all in the valve body and not in the pan that maybe they are all out of the converter and not the trans. Logically if it were a transmission ****** washer something would be in the pan, (the ultimate wishful thinking).
This job would be so much easier on a hoist than on jack stands but you work with what you have. The up side is that I won't have to worry about a trans with 70,000 miles on it a thousand miles away from home.
I am too da** old to be working on a creeper with limited limited equipment like no trans jack. As my father was so fond of saying there are two trades that make their living laying on their back and the mechanic is by far the poorest paid, and i would add has the least amount of fun.
I am hoping that since the needles are all in the valve body and not in the pan that maybe they are all out of the converter and not the trans. Logically if it were a transmission ****** washer something would be in the pan, (the ultimate wishful thinking).
This job would be so much easier on a hoist than on jack stands but you work with what you have. The up side is that I won't have to worry about a trans with 70,000 miles on it a thousand miles away from home.
I am too da** old to be working on a creeper with limited limited equipment like no trans jack. As my father was so fond of saying there are two trades that make their living laying on their back and the mechanic is by far the poorest paid, and i would add has the least amount of fun.
L\Bronco
Well-known member
Hey Dwight, sorry for your luck.
Unless I'm wrong again, (It seems to be happening more and more with each birthday!) yours should be and A4LD in that Bronco11. If you are doing the rebuild, make sure to upgrade the O\D one way clutch (sprag) it is a weak point in those. Are the needles 1\2" long or more like 1\4? The short ones would likely be from a T H R U S T washer and the longer variety often come from planetary pinion gears.
Either way, good luck to you.
And my hats off to you for doing a trans re and re on the ground!
Yuck!
Cheers
Unless I'm wrong again, (It seems to be happening more and more with each birthday!) yours should be and A4LD in that Bronco11. If you are doing the rebuild, make sure to upgrade the O\D one way clutch (sprag) it is a weak point in those. Are the needles 1\2" long or more like 1\4? The short ones would likely be from a T H R U S T washer and the longer variety often come from planetary pinion gears.
Either way, good luck to you.
And my hats off to you for doing a trans re and re on the ground!
Yuck!
Cheers
Motech
Well-known member
I feel for you. Heavy work in your back like that is such a struggle.
Last time I did that was on an old filthy Cummins granny low 4 speed cuz my lifts would not lift the pig. I rented a floor transmission jack from an equipment rental franchise, a local version of something like United Rentals. You might look into that, or your local O'Reilly's or AutoZone, etc. They all rent tools like that too. For me, it was money very well spent.
Last time I did that was on an old filthy Cummins granny low 4 speed cuz my lifts would not lift the pig. I rented a floor transmission jack from an equipment rental franchise, a local version of something like United Rentals. You might look into that, or your local O'Reilly's or AutoZone, etc. They all rent tools like that too. For me, it was money very well spent.
grumpy old man
Active member
This ain't my first rodeo. I have a cheap adapter that fits on my floor jack with chains that go over the trans with long threaded eye bolts to chain the trans down. It is a little cumbersome but it works. I will need to figure out how to get a flat surface on the bottom of the trans, the small sump for the filter pick up will make it difficult to balance.
I Agree that working on your back is no fun. If my side yard was two feet wider I could put in an inexpensive above ground hoist but alas...........................
Oh the needles are about a quarter inch, definetly from a small ****** washer. The fact that the 3 or 4 needles I found were all in the valve body makes me think that they are out of the converter. if they were out of the trans they would be in the pan. I should have it out tomorrow and will know for sure.
I Agree that working on your back is no fun. If my side yard was two feet wider I could put in an inexpensive above ground hoist but alas...........................
Oh the needles are about a quarter inch, definetly from a small ****** washer. The fact that the 3 or 4 needles I found were all in the valve body makes me think that they are out of the converter. if they were out of the trans they would be in the pan. I should have it out tomorrow and will know for sure.
Motech
Well-known member
Yeah, I tossed my chains and now use ratcheting cargo straps instead, something like this.
grumpy old man
Active member
OK where did you get that thing? My setup got the trans out but does not go low enough to get the trans out from under the car. I had to roll a cherry picker in the right door go through the hole in the trans ***** pick it up off the trans jig roll that out from under the car set the trans down and drag it out from under the car. ET' bout an hour and a half. I am looking to buy some kind of trans jack and that looks like it. I know you are going to say why not just rent one. Because I know the world I live in. If I buy a trans jack and it is taking up space on my garage floor I can guarantee I will never use it again. If I rent one everyone's trans will be going out.
With regards to the trans, I have officially declared the Bronco to be one of if not THE bitchiest thing I have ever worked on, but a good portion of the bitchie is the working conditions.
Now the trans. The interior of the trans is as clean as the day it went together, but it broke up a needle bearing ****** washer and ran it through a planetary. Exploded the ring gear and chewed the teeth off the driven plates in the clutch assembly. I see no visible wear on the bands or clutch plates except for the reverse band. It has chewed up the drum pretty bad I am assuming that some of the debris from the explosion went through there as it is just in front of it. Definitely going to need some hard parts. I guess I know why they parked it however many years ago. I did pull the original converter out of it, so whatever went wrong with the ****** bearing Ford put it together.
L bronco were you referring to an upgraded sprag or the whole assembly because the drum that is chewed up by the reverse band is the one that the sprag is in. Are there any other things that need to be upgraded? I don't ever want to see the inside of this transmission again.
With regards to the trans, I have officially declared the Bronco to be one of if not THE bitchiest thing I have ever worked on, but a good portion of the bitchie is the working conditions.
Now the trans. The interior of the trans is as clean as the day it went together, but it broke up a needle bearing ****** washer and ran it through a planetary. Exploded the ring gear and chewed the teeth off the driven plates in the clutch assembly. I see no visible wear on the bands or clutch plates except for the reverse band. It has chewed up the drum pretty bad I am assuming that some of the debris from the explosion went through there as it is just in front of it. Definitely going to need some hard parts. I guess I know why they parked it however many years ago. I did pull the original converter out of it, so whatever went wrong with the ****** bearing Ford put it together.
L bronco were you referring to an upgraded sprag or the whole assembly because the drum that is chewed up by the reverse band is the one that the sprag is in. Are there any other things that need to be upgraded? I don't ever want to see the inside of this transmission again.
grumpy old man
Active member
OK guys I spoke to a couple of trans parts suppliers near me and the consensus of opinion is to find a rebuildable core because when I explained what happened the response was that a couple of drums a planetary assembly band and ? is already in the 600.00 range With all that metal probably add a pump and who knows what else the realistic thing is a rebuildable core. Anyone have a rebuildable core in the shed behind the garage?
The suggestion was to scour pic a part and other similar yards. Cant do it, I know how much trouble I had getting this thing out in my garage. to do it in a wrecking yard, I am not physically able to even think about such a thing.
My year started out with my granddaughters aunt running out of coolant on the freeway and burning a hole in #2 piston of her 07 new beetle. The year has gone downhill from there.
( for anyone who cares I have come to the conclusion that the only way to fix a German car is to run it through the crusher, send it to Japan and turn it into a Toyota)
The suggestion was to scour pic a part and other similar yards. Cant do it, I know how much trouble I had getting this thing out in my garage. to do it in a wrecking yard, I am not physically able to even think about such a thing.
My year started out with my granddaughters aunt running out of coolant on the freeway and burning a hole in #2 piston of her 07 new beetle. The year has gone downhill from there.
( for anyone who cares I have come to the conclusion that the only way to fix a German car is to run it through the crusher, send it to Japan and turn it into a Toyota)
grumpy old man
Active member
Big question regarding my transmission search. I am guessing that the internals of the 2WD and the 4WD transmissions are the same. Can anyone verify that?
Motech
Well-known member
This thing?
Right here for $130.00:
450 lb. Low Lift Transmission Jack
Amazing deals on this 450Lb Low Lift Transmission Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
Sorry, I've never gotten into AT guts.
L\Bronco
Well-known member
They are very close, just the output shaft, ext housing, pan, and filter are different.
Be cautious though, there are a multitude of different versions of the A4LD (Updates and upgrades ect)
Hope that helps
Cheers
grumpy old man
Active member
Sorry for not keeping up, been busy with a multitude of problems that all need attention right now. I found a recently rebuilt trans out of a 97 that apparently started having a multitude of problems so the owner is just parting it out. hopefully my luck is changing.
L\Bronco
Well-known member
Not to be a thorn in your side, but research carefully, that 97 is probably out of an explorer, correct?
After around 91 or 92 (I don't exactly remember) they went to electronic control and although they look similar, they are very different beasts, I believe the gearset and clutches might interchange (EXTRA HEAVY ON THE MIGHT) be very careful, cross pollinating an automatic is a slippery slope that can easily end in a SH-TPILE!
Good Luck
Cheers
grumpy old man
Active member
Sorry about the mix up in the year. It is out of a Bronco II, 87 with the 2.9. For some reason I have a mental block on the year. I have been working in the back yard in the SoCal sun and the few brain cells I have remaining have given up laid down and passed out.
From what I can gather according to the ATSG update book the 85 to 89 are the same with some minor changes. 87 to 89 are nearly identical.
I have become a contending candidate for the first experimental brain transplant.
From what I can gather according to the ATSG update book the 85 to 89 are the same with some minor changes. 87 to 89 are nearly identical.
I have become a contending candidate for the first experimental brain transplant.
L\Bronco
Well-known member
Sounds like you are on track!
Cheers
Cheers
Last edited:
grumpy old man
Active member
Well I finally got the bronco off of the jack stands today. The trans proved to be a real PITA. The original trans ran a needle bearing ****** washer through the rear planetary and it literally exploded. In my search I found a trans that had about 20 miles on it when it tore the hub out of the flex plate. Whoever rebuilt it sort of knew what they were doing. I tore it down to check it and all the friction parts were new. Put it back together and tried to put it in. I had to pull it up to the engine by tightening the bolts so I knew something was wrong. Pulled the bell housing back off and determined that there was a problem with the front pump not allowing the converter to seat. Bought an alignment tool to assemble it properly, the converter seated trans went in without problems and no reverse. Called Transgo even though the shift kit was not theirs. I started to install their kit and quickly realized it had a shift kit, thought better about mixing parts so just put the valve body in as it was. Transgo being the great people they are took me through the install paperwork and pointed out all the possible causes. Found a valve in backwards in the reverse circuit, turned it around and reverse works fine now.
I am now turning to body work and paint. I discovered that I am missing one end cap for a roof rack cross bar. Any good ideas other than scouring junk yards? I may actually attempt to fabricate one, it is not that complex a piece but finding one would be a lot easier.
I am now turning to body work and paint. I discovered that I am missing one end cap for a roof rack cross bar. Any good ideas other than scouring junk yards? I may actually attempt to fabricate one, it is not that complex a piece but finding one would be a lot easier.
L\Bronco
Well-known member
sounds like a great victory!
If you have access, you could get the other end cap scanned and 3D print a new one for the other end.
Ive done it a couple times for weird stuff. It takes a bit of fiddling with the cAD software to get it right sometimes.
Good luck
Cheers
grumpy old man
Active member
Sounds like a possibility. Now all I need is to find someone with all the necessary equipment. I have a garage wall full of welders and some fabrication equipment which would undoubedly be far cheaper but more labor intensive.
I have a lot of time to think about it because I will probably need to sand down to metal. Years in the desert have taken their toll on the existing paint, fortunately almost no body work is needed just a small crease at the bottom of the right door.
Oh by the way Motech, I found one of those scissor jacks. Much better than the Barney Rubble system that I took it out with.
More to come.
I have a lot of time to think about it because I will probably need to sand down to metal. Years in the desert have taken their toll on the existing paint, fortunately almost no body work is needed just a small crease at the bottom of the right door.
Oh by the way Motech, I found one of those scissor jacks. Much better than the Barney Rubble system that I took it out with.
More to come.
Motech
Well-known member
Excellent! I'll bet your back and your washing machine appreciates it too.
grumpy old man
Active member
It was a little dicey balancing the trans with that sump extension for the pickup tube but a few custom cut wood blocks and we were home free.
Yes back and knees, particularly right one. Washing machine doesn't give a rats **** it is used to greasy clothes.
Should work fine on my '63 Pontiac that had the LT and 6 speed auto transplant. The converter clutch is dying and chatters pretty bad accelerating on the freeway
Yes back and knees, particularly right one. Washing machine doesn't give a rats **** it is used to greasy clothes.
Should work fine on my '63 Pontiac that had the LT and 6 speed auto transplant. The converter clutch is dying and chatters pretty bad accelerating on the freeway
