Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-09-2016, 11:07 AM   #241
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

With more than 56,000 views on this thread alone, and 241 replies, do you think Henry missed the boat on not having an overdrive?

I've always said the three main things lacking on the Model A are a higher compression head, counterweighted crankshaft, and overdrive.
More leg room would be next on the list.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2016, 03:43 PM   #242
wensum
Senior Member
 
wensum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 444
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

One needs to be aware that there are three overdrive ratios available with the F150 transmission. Unaware of that fact, I discovered too late that I had installed the highest ratio of 42% (I think that 35% is recommended for Model A's)
Fortunately, with an improved motor and lightweight body it pulls this ratio effortlessly up hill and down dale.
I haven't checked what diff ratio I have but presumed it to be standard, but as it was out of a speedway midget it may indeed be lower than normal.
To complicate the issue I have a vintage quick change diff with a slightly higher ratio.
All I know is that at 100kph (62mph) it is pulling 1670 rpm.
The installation uses a MAC's bell housing and requires a Mustang turbo clutch.
Keith
wensum is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-09-2016, 03:43 PM   #243
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by forever4 View Post
Tom,
What about the real "Number One"?

An electronic generator regulator.
20 years too early for the transistor, but an electro-mechanical regulator would have been just fine.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2016, 04:28 PM   #244
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by wensum View Post
...(I think that 35% is recommended for Model A's)...
Mine is 27% with the standard rear (3.58)
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2016, 06:48 PM   #245
AL in NY
Senior Member
 
AL in NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern Upstate New York
Posts: 1,149
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Duplication of post #8 which has lost it's photos: To answer your question, the transmission you are looking for is out of an 84-87 Ford F150 2WD pickup with an inline 6 or small V8. It has a floor mounted shifter and the shift knob will have "OD" where the normal "4" would be in a normal "H" pattern 4 speed. Secondly, look at the left side of the transmission case. There should be a casting number "260XXXX". Third, on the right side of the transmission there should be a riveted metal tag with the first three letters "RTS" followed by two letters which will identify the OD ratio. See my chart below of the decoding.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg F150asFound03b.jpg (66.8 KB, 154 views)
File Type: jpg F150asFound04b.jpg (90.0 KB, 125 views)
File Type: jpg RTS coding chart_b.jpg (47.3 KB, 162 views)
__________________
AL in NY
AL in NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2016, 06:50 PM   #246
AL in NY
Senior Member
 
AL in NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern Upstate New York
Posts: 1,149
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Missed a photo for post #245:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg F150asFound05b.jpg (102.4 KB, 121 views)
__________________
AL in NY
AL in NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2016, 03:17 PM   #247
duke36
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,414
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Few other items we found, hopefully covered in prior posts:
Tranny is heavier than stock model A;
Plate can be made to support tranny on cross member with Float a motors;
Some frame spreaders may not clear the F150 tranny when using stock A motor mounts if/when installing engine with tranny already in car;
Brake/clutch shaft may need special bracket to support shaft end and to accommodate stock A pedals;
Speedo may need calibration , etc.
duke36 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2016, 04:58 AM   #248
harleytoprock
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 438
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Speedo won't need calibration with the F150 overdrive because the speedometer is driven off the drive shaft. A change in rear end ratio would require a calibration change.
harleytoprock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-20-2017, 02:11 PM   #249
whitetm
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 8
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

What machine work did you have to do to make this work for you?
whitetm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-20-2017, 03:28 PM   #250
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by whitetm View Post
What machine work did you have to do to make this work for you?
No machine required with the kit I purchased. Complete bolt in.

Quote:
Originally Posted by duke36 View Post
Few other items we found, hopefully covered in prior posts:
1) Tranny is heavier than stock model A;
2) Plate can be made to support tranny on cross member with Float a motors;
3) Some frame spreaders may not clear the F150 tranny when using stock A motor mounts if/when installing engine with tranny already in car;
4) Brake/clutch shaft may need special bracket to support shaft end and to accommodate stock A pedals;
5) Speedo may need calibration , etc.
1) True
2) Comes with kit
3) With a little creative ingenuity, works ok
4) Comes with kit
5) Speedometer gear is aft of transmission, will give you the same reading in or out of OD. No need to re-calibrate.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club

Last edited by CarlG; 02-20-2017 at 03:36 PM.
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2017, 02:48 PM   #251
wensum
Senior Member
 
wensum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 444
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by harleytoprock View Post
Speedo won't need calibration with the F150 overdrive because the speedometer is driven off the drive shaft. A change in rear end ratio would require a calibration change.
It's interesting that because the gearbox has an electronic take-off for the speedo, I was told that an expensive solution was required.
However a Ford Falcon speedo cable fitted perfectly.
Also, with the 42% overdrive the speedo reads 75mph when the car is doing 62mph (100kph in NZ)
wensum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2017, 03:55 PM   #252
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by wensum View Post
It's interesting that because the gearbox has an electronic take-off for the speedo, I was told that an expensive solution was required...
You must have a different transmission than I have (which is a Tremec RTS), mine does not have an electronic take off for the speedometer.

Quote:
... Also, with the 42% overdrive the speedo reads 75mph when the car is doing 62mph (100kph in NZ)
My transmission is 27% overdrive (4th gear). And since the speedometer take off is the original Model A gear, aft of the transmission, it has no bearing on what gear it is in as to how it reads.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club

Last edited by CarlG; 02-21-2017 at 04:00 PM.
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 02:06 PM   #253
F1_1950
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Lanexa, VA
Posts: 15
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

I realize this is an ancient thread on the T170FT RTS. No where does anyone talk about shortening the output shaft for the torque tube adapter plate and universal. Are you all buying a kit that has the output shaft splined and cut and then re assembled back into the case? I understand that the torque tube, driveshaft, and radius arms need to be shortened. Any info appreciated on shortening the output shaft or does someone sell an already modified shaft? I have the 27% OD trans. Like to put it in my 30 Tudor.

Thanks, j
F1_1950 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 06:16 PM   #254
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

I bought the complete kit with all the machine work already done. All I had to do was just bolt it in.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 07:14 PM   #255
jayvee34
Senior Member
 
jayvee34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: St. Augustine, Fl.
Posts: 437
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlG View Post
I bought the complete kit with all the machine work already done. All I had to do was just bolt it in.
Did you have to shorten the torque tube and drive shaft?
Rather than have shorten the torque tube and drive shaft, would the open drive shaft kit be an option? Just asking. Speedway motors has them, Part #9191111.
John
__________________
IN GOD WE TRUST - SEMPER FIDELIS
John
jayvee34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 07:16 PM   #256
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by jayvee34 View Post
Did you have to shorten the torque tube and drive shaft?
Rather than have shorten the torque tube and drive shaft, would the open drive shaft kit be an option? Just asking. Speedway motors has them, Part #9191111.
John
Shortened drive shaft, torque tube, & radius rods all came in the kit. Open drive line was never a consideration.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 07:32 PM   #257
jayvee34
Senior Member
 
jayvee34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: St. Augustine, Fl.
Posts: 437
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlG View Post
Shortened drive shaft, torque tube, & radius rods all came in the kit. Open drive line was never a consideration.
Seeing as how you have had your kit for awhile, what do you think it was cost for the same kit today, and who from?
Thanks,
John
__________________
IN GOD WE TRUST - SEMPER FIDELIS
John
jayvee34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 07:42 PM   #258
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,109
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

Quote:
Originally Posted by jayvee34 View Post
Seeing as how you have had your kit for awhile, what do you think it was cost for the same kit today, and who from?
Thanks,
John
Message sent to your eMail
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2021, 10:28 PM   #259
F1_1950
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Lanexa, VA
Posts: 15
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

I flip flop on doing open drive versus closed drive, Speedway sells rear end adapter for open driveline. Then wouldn't have to do any machining to output shaft but would have to do more mods on radius rods. Prefer to do TT but need more info on modifying the output shaft etc.
F1_1950 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-10-2021, 06:29 AM   #260
JRN1967
Senior Member
 
JRN1967's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Monson, MA
Posts: 166
Default Re: F150 tranny with overdrive

The length of my OD Transmission with the AA bell housing to the retainer was 18.3125". I figured out how much to shorten the TT by subtracting the shorter original bell and trans combo from the longer OD set up.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_7089.jpg (33.5 KB, 52 views)
JRN1967 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:39 PM.