three-on-the-tree conversion

hey all! first post, hope im not messing it up too bad.

1986 ford f-150 xlt, 300 I6 manual. daily driver around town with no plans for frequent or heavy towing.

i just got it, it was originally a three-on-the-tree and had been converted to floor after a cracked piece in the column, which i take it from this forum is pretty normal.

the conversion is not great though. long throw, hard to get into second or reverse, shifter is really close to under seat, making it difficult to fully depress clutch everytime.

im between 1. converting it back to column shifter or 2. putting in an np435.

i think i can pick up a rebuilt column or a 435 for in the neighborhood of the same price. but ive never played with linkages or shifters before, so i guess im wondering what secondary fixes i would have to look forward to in each scenario ie im guessing linkages in both cases, and im sure grinding a different hole in the floor for a new trans.

can i get any advice in which route is the easiest cheapest option, especially if i get in over my head and have to maybe pay somebody after the initial purchase (column vs trans)?

thank you, and lemme know if i can give any more info

First of all, I have to point out that the 3-on-the-tree transmission was REALLY rare by 1986. I think yours is only the 2nd or 3rd I have ever heard of. The 3psd was really common in the early Bullnose years, but it tapered off hard after 1983. You rarely ever see a 3-on-the-tree with a hydraulic clutch.

Anyway...

Another option to consider, and I have done it myself, is to swap in a 5spd trans from a newer F150 (Preferably a 1988-1991 2wd F150).

One of the reasons it's so easy is that the M5OD-R2 trans is almost the exact same length as the factory 3spd (I think the 5spd is 3/8" longer). You can re-use the existing driveshaft and slip-yoke without modifications, which is a big plus.

You can also re-use your existing flywheel and starter, speedometer cable, clutch master cylinder, etc.

I have done this swap myself, so if you want any further info I can provide it. The reason I pointed out the 1988-1991 2wd 5spd transmission is that they still used the cable driven speedometer and your existing cable will plug right in to them. You can use a 1992-1996 2wd 5spd, but you'll have to come up with another solution for the speedometer...some guys just use a GPS unit.

I bought a low mile M5OD-R2 for around $250 bucks, and installed a new seal kit along with an aerosol overhaul lol. See below.



I had to cut the floor opening obviously, but a factory 5spd tunnel cover bolted right in and fit like it was always there.



Here it was with the factory 5spd stick.



I later grafted on a factory NP435 shifter stick and rubber boot I pulled from a junked '86. This kept the interior looking factory and nobody even knew it had a 5spd unless they looked closed at the shift patter on the knob.

The NP435 is a heavy duty tranny and might not be what you want for casual driving.  You won't use 1st gear as it is really low, so you'd have another 3-speed in reality.

What do you want to do with the truck?  You said "daily driver around town", but does that include highway driving?  If so I'd want to consider a tranny with overdrive, like the M5OD Cory mentioned.

But we really ought to ask what your rear gear ratio is, and for that you should decode your certification label.  Go to the page at Documentation/Specifications/Certification Label.  If you have one of the really high-geared rear axles maybe you don't need overdrive.

This truck should have Axle Code 18 (8.8 with 3.08). It would unusual if it didn't have that;).

I'm all about having OD myself;).

hey all! thank you for your help :)

yeah i had gotten a sense through nosing around the forum the last week or two that the np435 was pretty easy, available, and indestructible and that i could add an aftermarket OD later. and i had gotten the sense that the zf5 was a great upgrade, and with OD builtin, but a little pricier and more complicated to swap.

people seem to mention the m5od as a little bit down the list from either, it seems. however, like you're pointing out, maybe that's just for folks who want to do a lot of towing?

i live in louisville and this thing will be 95% city streets besides hopping on the local highway for a mile or two at a go. however, i do drive back n forth to georgia twice a year and back n forth to chicago twice a year, so OD would be nice.

as long as that's my goal, the m5od-r2 is perfect for me?

side question - ill keep looking around for an early m5 but right now im seeing a lot more 1994s and 1995s floating around my area. if i end up going that route just for availability, would i still have a path to connect it to the existing speedometer down the line? something aftermarket or jury-rigged?

or if i know that id like the dash speedometer working, is it worth it to hold out for 87-91?

i think i have a line on a good m5od-r2.

can you explain the hydraulic system to me?

i take it the five speed has an intern slave cylinder. will i need a new one? and can i keep my master if i do, or do they both have to change?

can you maybe drop a good link/links if i need to prepare for that? :)

Yes, you can use the Bullnose clutch master cylinder, but I'd buy a new one anyway...they're cheap. Buy a hydraulic line for a 1988-1991 F150 5spd, and a new clutch slave cylinder for the same years. The slave is internal and a major pain to change, so I installed new ones when I did it. The 1988-1991 clutch master cylinder is technically the same, but it has a different bolt pattern, so just stick with the Bullnose MC.

I bought all my parts on RockAuto.

okay! awesome, thank you.

besides the hydraulics and the crossmember, anything else i will need to replace or modify for this swap?