I'm wanting to add twin sticks to my 04, 5 spd truck. Currently my truck is pretty stock (no lift/stock shifter) and I plan to keep it that way. My goals for the swap is to find the easiest to swap in, and most stock looking setup. I don't think I'll get my hands on the 02-03 Lvl II stuff so whats the next best setup to choose that'll give me the least headaches and some what easy to obtain?

What will it take for me to hook up and mount the linkage on my manual transfer case? Should I just get the linkage for the T-case I buy? or will a certain model of linkage work best? It looks as though my tailshaft doesn't have any mounting holes for tne linkage. Does everyone just swap tail shafts? What are my options?

What can I do about the shifter setup? Since I can't find the Lvl II stuff is there a good way to make a factory looking setup with the standard manual T case shifter? I really don't want to cut my cup holder around the shifter up, so would it look ok if I just remove it then add the T-case shifter next to it?

What do I need to know about the speed sensor I see on some T-cases? Will that matter on my 04?

What about the front drive shaft? Just grab the one from the donor vehicle? or do I need a certain model shaft to bolt right in?

Sorry for all the questions. I see a lot of info on the manual T-case swaps but its usually very vague. Is there any thing else I need to know about the swap? Thanks Mike

 

i did the swap.. ask away.. look at my manual tcase swap thread as well

 

you will need the bosses on your tailshaft and if you dont have them youll need to make a bracket so itll bolt up and actually its pretty easy. The linkage is the same and t-case bolt-up is the same. I ended up making a bracket for mine and just get the linkage with the t-case you dont have to but its easier that was I guess. I have a spare t-case and linkage.
Here is the bracket since i dont have the bosses.

 

I'm having a hard time making out your setup exactly. Where does the bracket mount to? The tail shaft bolts? or the T-case?

If I swap tail shafts is there a certain year or application I need to look for?

I'm going to start collecting parts for the swap so I need to know if I should grab the tailshaft or not. Right now my truck is mint low mileage/leak free truck. I really am not that excited about cracking the tail shaft housing loose but I will in order to get a better finished product.

ranger - I've kind of checked out your thread and its pretty informative but you're a very lucky person to have Lvl II stuff. I'm kind of looking for information on swapping in a T-case from another application. It might be exactly the same but I'm just wanting to make sure, you're a lucky guy to have that stuff. I see a salvage yard on the net has a Lvl II 40k mile Tcase for $400. If they'd let the linkage, shifters and bezel go for that price I might have to pay to have that package shipped my way.

 

the only tcase that is going to bolt right up to your truck is going to be a 1350 or 1354. as for the tail houseing most 5 speed 93-97 rangers have the boss in them so that shouldnt be to hard to find. if you can find a 3rd gen ranger with a manual tcase take everything from the tail shaft back and you would need the front drive shaft too.

the years to find a 1354 would be a 90 ranger with a 4.0 will have a 1354 and all 91 up rangers have 1354s


i was lucky to have the right tail housing and found a tcase in a buddys junk yard and i got it for free.



also i highly dought your going to find the level II stuff for cheap so look at the older tcases and use a newer linkage so that you dont have to weld on the arm to the new tcase

 

putting in an older tailshaft would work as far as bolting it up but it doesnt have a place in it for the OSS. and for the bracket i made it bolts to the t-case and the tailshaft of the trans and has nuts the same size as the bosses in it. idk if this pic is any better but it shows the bracket a lil better. its not the best setup i suppose but it makes everything come together rather nicely.

 

i would just make the bracket or have alex make you one save you a big head ace with swapping tail housings

 

Join the manual t-case group in my profile, theres a lot of pictures of the t-cases, extension housings, and peoples setups that have done the swap......either way, some of the parts you'll need to keep things looking stock will be pretty hard to find, like the RCM cover and correct extension housing and possibly the boots.

 

You can see two threaded holes on the extension housing. Those are the two bolts that mount the shifter linkage.

 

LOL well I did join the group too look at some of the pics but left as I felt I might get run off for not actually having a manual T-case. I've seen pics of cut RCM covers and those usually don't look to bad because the shifters cover it but I'd really like for the shifters and boots to look pretty decent. If I could get the interior to look like something out of a twin stick older Ranger I'd be cool. It sounds like I might need to look into buying that rear tail shaft housing new like ranger did. I have a buddy who is head parts man at the local Ford dealer and can get me stuff at cost.
If I don't go new on the tail shaft housing what year will have the correct OSS in it? Is the OSS just the speed senor?

 

Yes the OSS is the speed sensor hole, and that particular housing can only be found in the 02 FX4 and 03 FX4 Level II manual tranny trucks. Its super rare since there were so few trucks that had it to begin with. If you can get the housing new I'd do it or you might be searching for a used one for all eternity.

 

So then more or less all 1354M's are the same and I just need to pick one and go with it? No year is better or will make the swap easier? Grab the linkage from that T-case and front drive shaft. Then pick up the FX4 tail shaft and that covers it? I just called my friend and he said he can get me the FX4 tail shaft for $116. I told him to get me one, and I should have it on Friday. With a price that low I'm thinking about having him price me all the FX4 parts.

 

They are basically the same, but not completely. The 02 and 03 manual t-cases have the funky tulip style front output and the older 1354Ms have the normal u-joint style front output. If you get the older style case then you'll have to grab a new driveshaft to go with it. If you get the new style case you can re-use your stock driveshaft.

The linkages are slightly different as well. Just get the linkage from the same generation 1354 and you'll be ok.

Other than that all you should need is the interior parts, (RCM, boots/bezel, and floor plate if you decide you need it.)

Just keep in mind the newer cases and linkages are damn near impossible to find so it might be easier to just use the older case and linkage.

 

mine is a 00 4.0 5 speed and it has the bosses alredy on the tail houseing lol now all i need is a m t case

 

Yeah you older truck guys and guys with auto's are the lucky ones. 2001+ manual tranny trucks are the only ones that have to deal with the tailhousing issue.

 

Can anyone confirm ranger's part number for the extension housing? He has this one listed
FMC1L5Z7A039-CA
My buddy at Ford said that number doesnt come up. He said the only one he could find would be 5L5Z-7A039-CA and he said it listed it as fitting 02-03 Rangers. Can anyone confirm the right part number?

 

i ordered 2 different housings to make sure i got the right one, one was - CA and the other was like - BA, smthg like that

 

get the CA one

 

Well I've been calling salvage yards all morning long and Ive found a ton of transfer case but every yard has scrapped the trucks already. So all the very rare and valuable parts have gone to the crusher. The cheapest i've found so far is one yard can get me the transfer case with the little shifter but no linkage for $360 to my door. Is the linkage different on the FX4 T-case or could I just use some linkage off another T-case and make it work.

Edit: ranger's part number on the tail shaft housing is correct, and its on its way. :)

 

the linkages are different. First off they have a slightly different offset where they meet the shift fork on the t-case. Second, the older 1354 linkages have the actual shifter lever built into them while the FX4 linkages have a separate shift arm(the chrome one with the fancy ball.)

 

You can't just use a generic 02/03 manual extension housing because it won't have the correct combination of the OSS boss and the 2 linkage bosses. Only the 02/03 2-stick manual/manual FX4 part does.

I don't know if 1L5Z-7A039-CA is the correct 02/03 FX4 part or not. However, I entered it at an online Ford parts site (TascaParts) and it did come up as a good number.

Retail: $341.57
Online: $225.43 + shipping

 

Well I finally found a salvage yard that has a complete Lvl II sitting in their yard with the parts still on the truck. I've made a deal to buy everything, transfer case, interior pieces and all. The only thing is he said they've replaced the bezel with an aftermarket one oh well. I told him I need the RCM cover so I hope that shows up with it all too.

 

The RCM cover is still available new but there are very few left. There's a sticky about it in the interior subforum.

 

My bet is that he mistaken about the bezel being aftermarket. There is no aftermarket bezel available for these trucks. He's probably just never seen one before and assumed it was aftermarket. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard someone call the stock level II bezel an aftermarket part.

 

Let me add to this mess by adding that you'll probably need to replace your carpet if you go with the level 2 floor bezel and boots. That bezel won't cover the stock shifter cutouts in your truck.