I posted this in the drive train section, but I thought I'd post it here as well.

I am looking at an '08 F150 with a bad transmission. It is going for a price that is hard to resist. I am considering a re manufactured unit, or a used unit that I rebuild myself. I have had an '06 in the past, and while the transmission was solid, I would have liked something beefier with much more solid shifts.

Questions:

What vendors are reputable and offer transmissions that have upgraded parts over OEM?

If I decide to buy a used unit and rebuild it myself, what kits should I be looking at?

Any wisdom is much appreciated!

CplHicks

 

there are so many trucks if this gen being dumped or parted due to failed 5.4s. and the 4sp trans are pretty robust as far as i’ve ever experienced or heard about (about to hit 300k on mine).

if truck is a 5.4, you really won’t know for sure about engine gremlins until you put it through its paces driving under various conditions/cycles.

for those reasons i’d just get a used trans and not spend a bunch of money (or time) on rebuilding.

post back with pics/updates.

 

For me this is going to be a sort of resto-mod, so I'm going to be upgrading suspension, drive-train, cooling, fuel system, exhaust, and what ever other bells and whistles I can think of. That is why I am interested in a bullet proof transmission with stronger shifts than factory.

 

OK, but are you going to move forward with all that $ before evaluating the engine?

is it a 5.4?

 

What's the problem with the trans? Some issues can be potentially resolved by just dropping the pan and repair/rebuilding the valve body.

 

It is a 5.4, and from the owner it seems to not shift into reverse.

 

Here is a generic list of things to look for:





I don't think that you will find any online forum member who has tested and/or tried a half dozen different transmissions, and can definitively say that one particular transmission is better. There are a lot of companies out there that offer rebuilt and remanufactured transmissions. Yes, there is a difference. Take your time. Look at what each company claims to do when remanufacturing or rebuilding. Look at the warranties offered: how long is the warranty, what does it cover, etc? Make up a list of questions as they come up. Then call these companies and get your questions answered. A restomod is a big endeavor. Some companies, like Fraser, can sell the transmission and the engine, as well as tuning.

 

Mine had no reverse when I bought it about 5 years ago. Drove it for about a month and then tore down trans and found a broken reverse band, it one of the very last things to come out during a teardown. Complete rebuild.