Rebuild AOD or get 5-speed?

[Boss 351]

I just got off the phone with a transmission expert. It would cost me 1500 to overhaul the AOD, EVERYTHING will be new, new Heavy duty clutches, new torque with 2500 stall, shift kit, etc... 1 year warranty.

And I can get a stock 5 speed with everything I need to convert for $1000 but with no warranty and we know how "tough" the T5 is.

The guy sais that the AOD transmission will shift very hard and chirp the wheels in 2nd and 3rd if my engine has enough torque. He takes care of everything, the drop, the cleanup, the parts, the mount, and even the TV adjustements. We checked and the transmission does have better gearing than a stock AOD from a Mustang so it should pull like a mofo once installed properly.

Right now I'm confused. I will install the AOD and drive around for a month or two like this until I have an extra 1500 or more saved up. But I will be changing my mind back and forth until then, sort of like the color of the car which is going to be black by the way lol.

 

[Stangfreak95]

Was your Trans/AM manual or automatic ? If it was standart and you werent too impressed by driving a manual V8, then take the AOD with the shift kit.

But personnaly, there's nothing like driving a manual V8 ! I know that my T5 is gonna have a hard time but the feeling is so different from an automatic with a shifkit. Might not be as strong, but its worthed if you look at the fun factor involved.

 

[Boss 351]

My fireturd was an auto 3 speed with a 301 big block... nothing impressive as my ZX2 was faster but I agree a 5 speed is more fun to drive.

 

[zoma]

Built C4! Built C4!

 

[infosyssec]

I had the same problem facing me a year ago... the AOD on my 88 was slipping and I took it to a couple of trannie shops to get estimates.... they all came in at about $1500...

Since my Cobra had an AOD with shift kit installed, I decided to stick with automatics and do the same with my convertible. I really wasn't interested in retrofitting a 'standard' into the convertible Switching to a standard just adds to the overall operating cost in the future of the car, presents something else that can 'go wrong' at the wrong time and when you least want it to not work...

One of my friends told me about a company in Phoenix called Phoenixhardbodies or Phoenixhardparts ( or something like that ). They are a 'transmission rebuilder' that supplies most of the West Coast of the United States...

I was able to buy a remanufactured AOD for $475 US$ and have it shipped across the country for $130. The trannie shop then charged me $250 to drop my old trannie and plug in the new trannie.

Here is the icing on the cake... they did not charge me a core charge - since AOD trannie casings are a dime a dozen... ( they charge core charges on some of the less common model trannie housings ).

The total end cost to get a completely remanufactured AOD installed was below $1000 ( as compared to the multiple estimates that I had received that ranged from $1500 to $1700 ).

I assume that there must be a Canadian equivalent to Phoenixhardbody... They are basically the McDonald's of transmission rebuilders. And I suspect that there are many people on the US west coast that are getting hosed - because quite a few garages and trannie shops are picking up their remanufactured trannies from those guys instead of physically rebuilding the trannie themself. So the user gets hosed and the shop makes a guaranteed $500 to $700 profit on each trannie they install.

And folks wonder why everyone is suspicious of trannie shops.

The problem with buying a 'used' transmission is that you never know for sure how much life it has left in it... So you might go to all the expense of dropping your old trannie, plugging in the used trannie and several months later you face the same problem all over again... basically doubling the cost you spent on installation when you have to replace the dying used unit.


Anyhow... here is the web site address for these guys :

http://www.phoenixhardparts.com

Phone (623)936-1500
Fax (623)936-1148
Email [email protected]

Business Hours
Monday-Friday
8am - 4pm MST

Corporate Headquarters
7310 W. Roosevelt
Suite #26
Phoenix, AZ 85043
(623)936-1500
(623)936-1148

[email protected]

I don't believe these guys ship to Canada... but possibly they would. All you would have to do is get them to ship the item ground freight and identify the trannie unit as being a 'warranty replacement part'... hence tax and duty free...

But as I mentioned... there must be a Canadian equivalent to these guys and maybe if you pop them an e-mail or phone call, they can give you some advice about who their Canadian equivalent is.

Nuff said

Marq

 

[Boss 351]

Built C4! Built C4!

Was an option... WAS lol I don't think having a 3 speed will allow me to use the car often on the highways The new gas prices are slowly changing my plans

 

[zoma]

Was an option... WAS lol I don't think having a 3 speed will allow me to use the car often on the highways The new gas prices are slowly changing my plans

Gas prices changing your plans? Bah!

A wise man once told me "If you were so concerned about gas mileage, you shouldn't have bought a Mustang".

 

[Boss 351]

But that man surely wasn't the one that put 4 bangers in Mustangs

 

[zoma]

But that man surely wasn't the one that put 4 bangers in Mustangs

No, that must have been a chick .

Apologies to any ladies reading this.

 

[Boss 351]

lol

Welp, I am going with 5-speed this summer. AOD is going in and going to beat to hell until it blows up, which may not take long with me A guy wants close to a grand for a 5 speed "kit" for me to install and get running with new clutch and cable. I miss a manual transmission

 

[Cobracanuck]

save a couple extra hundred bucks and go for the viper-spec T-56!!
that's my plan.......

 

[Boss 351]

couple extra is what? lol

 

[Brumbie]

I decided to rebuild my AOD after getting a DUD from a particular online transmission shop.

So I ended up making it so that it was very hard to break. I got the core out of a 4R70W transmission and swapped in the reverse drum (which 0.5" wider) and the sprage and planetaries. These are much stronger and wider ratio as well.

I got the solid single input shaft rather that the two shafts with the small lockup in the center.

I got a Lentech valvebody for good shifting and a 1-2-D shifting pattern with electronic switch for D->OD.

Then Alto redline bands and extra clutches. Also an A+ servo over the stock B servo.

This is going to work way better than the stock AOD bits. All up $1500 in parts. But I dont think I will be able to break it now. Should be good for 800 HP or so.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

save a couple extra hundred bucks and go for the viper-spec T-56!!
that's my plan.......

If by couple extra you mean spending somewhere in the $3,500-$4,000 range total for the Viper spec T56 and conversion parts, then sure.

I decided to rebuild my AOD after getting a DUD from a particular online transmission shop.

So I ended up making it so that it was very hard to break. I got the core out of a 4R70W transmission and swapped in the reverse drum (which 0.5" wider) and the sprage and planetaries. These are much stronger and wider ratio as well.

I got the solid single input shaft rather that the two shafts with the small lockup in the center.

I got a Lentech valvebody for good shifting and a 1-2-D shifting pattern with electronic switch for D->OD.

Then Alto redline bands and extra clutches. Also an A+ servo over the stock B servo.

This is going to work way better than the stock AOD bits. All up $1500 in parts. But I dont think I will be able to break it now. Should be good for 800 HP or so.

I didn't hear you mention a converter, but please tell me you didn't stick with your original idea and go with a 2,500-stall? It would be a huge waste of time and money. You won't even know you changed it. Even if your car has minimal bolt-ons, I would recommend nothing less than something in the 3,200-3,400 stall range and if you've got the money, spring for a good triple disk unit.

My 4R70W stalls in the 2,800-2,900 range and I barely know it’s there. And I'm putting out 410hp/465tq at the engine. Trust me when I say....don't be afraid to go more aggressive with the stall. You'll be used to it after your first trip around the block and the .4-.6 second drop in ET's will make it completely worthwhile in the end....and you'll still retain the lock up feature for great mileage. Expect to spend at least $1,000 on a decent converter. If you can’t afford it now, don’t’ compromise and stick something you know you won’t be happy with in there. Leave the stock unit in for now and drive it that way till you can put together the scratch. You’ll thank me later!

 

[rpk]

Don't forget at least 4:10 gears when using an automatic,especially an OD tranny.