I have a 1988 Thunderbird 5.0L AOD that is going behind my 5.8L engine for my 92 Explorer.

The question i have is do i just use the aod in the form it is in or do i have to put in a shift improver kit or do i do the 4r70w planetary and install it into the aod????

I have been reading everything i can on this and i think i just overwelmed my self with info....now i need to know of thoes people who are running the AOD's in there Ranger/Explorer V8 conversion, what did you do and how is it on the freeway and city driving????

:driving:

I just put a B&M shift kit in mine and a TCI 3000 stall. But the tranny is junk now. If I find the money to fix it, it will be getting the Kevlar bands, 8 pack clutches, A+ servo, boost valve, and a hardened input shaft.

That bill will be about $1100 while still retaining the B&M kit which I don't care for. I want to put either a Transgo kit in it or mabey a Lentech valve body down the road.

This question depends on how much money you want to throw at it and what you expect out of it. If you are going to have any type of sticky tires on it everyone agrees on the hardened input shaft. The whole 4WRD internals, or what ever the numbers and stuff on that other tranny is, upgrade is gonna cost you alot more. I was quoted at least $1700.

I'd go with a transgo, high stall and a great cooler, at the very least..I use up an AOD each year.....:(

Well i will be just mostly driving this as a daily driver, and maybe being an assclown in it too.....hey if you got the power....use it.But i need this as a reliable daily driver.It will see the cold winter and the hot summer and it will see alot of freeway/city driving.I will not be offroading in it to any extreme.Just plowing through the big piles of snow i see in the winter. So a transgo shift kit is better that the B&M kit????And why a higher stall convertor ????

i have a b&m stage II shift kit in mine and i increased the line pressure slightly, it woke the truck up a little bit and im imp[ressed with it... for mass speed you are going to need to manually shift anyway

I completely agree with putting a good cooler on it like PS94 said. I have a large B&M cooler on mine.

There are many good shift kits. Many of the Mustang guys don't care for B&M kits and I have to agree with them. Compared to the Lentech valve bodied Mustang my friend has. But if you aren't into the drag race, quick take off thing than a B&M such as the one I have would do fine. I have the one the call a transpack set up for street/strip.

Of course, the used tranny I put in may have been already on its way out before it ever graced the Ranger's tranny tunnel. That may be the reason the B&M kit doesn't sem so impressive.

I have 400hp on my bone stock 140mile 89 crown vic aod with a lentech type valvebody, 12 inch 2500 stall custom made(easy) convertor lockup type, and tow 4000lbs trailer everywhere and anywhere, my truck smokes hard into 2nd at 38 mph at 4500rpm, and has progressive shift.. Soft in light throttle, hard in hard throttle. I built the whole trans thing setup for 800$ canadian, and have NEVER had any trouble with it. I beat it for a year now, and it is really the thoughest trans I have ever owned. I will do it again anytime. The lentech valve body they sell ($500?) will alone save the trans and make it fun to own and reliable. Trans cooler (big) and NOT through rad.