Steve(Eggman) made me several. Tapped it in with a plastic mallet and centered starter perfectly. Think he made a batch recently.

 

Red - thank you. Just bought one from him myself. If you don't mind me asking, how come you also chose to go with the 7.3 starter? I haven't tested out the starter yet but my stock Ford one was really large and offset shaped. So I went 7.3 to shrink it down...plus it should be big enough for a 7.3 so 3.9 should be cake.

 

Stock starter hit frame. The one im using now is a medium duty app, expensive,running it upside down and the solenoid housing still hits frame on occasion. After being upside down with drain pointing up, having a turbo leak and the occasional motor bath its time to replace. 7.3 fits much better, are cheaper and are common.

 

Did you use the front mounts or the center mounts on the engine? I am currently trying the impossible it seems: 7.3 starter, compounds, downpipe, and middle engine mounts.

 

Use the front mounts. I ran twins earlier and mid mounts would make it almost impossible, not enough real estate there.

This was my and other early ford Bronco swappers issue. Starter hits frame or wont even mount because of starter/frame interference. Im not willing to hack up my frame, it sees plenty enough abuse. Steve(eggman) made me some spacers to fit the OD of a 7.3 starter and the ID of the FH adapter. You wont need the original starter spacer adapter any longer. Tapped Steves ring in with a plastic mallet till it seated and mounted the 7.3 starter. Have chitloads of clearance but am still going to cut that unused third ear off of starter.

 

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?14283-ford-starter&highlight=7.3+starter

ferkey had this figured out some time ago. Just needed somebody to make a bunch of these rings. This is the starter I used: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281061354005?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

Thanks for the amazing information.

My only fear on the front engine mounts is breaking the ZF5 housing.

The problem is that I have the ZF5 (that I will put a crossmember under) AND a Dana 300 AND a doubler box (like a kluneV). I will also have a crossmember under the Dana 300. So my mental math told me to use the mid mounts to keep weight off the ZF5 tailshaft...but there will be 2 crossmembers back there...would you think using the front mounts along with 2 rear crossmembers should be OK on the aluminum ZF5? I know it sounds weird to use 2 rear crossmembers but that is what was prescribed by the manufacturer of the doubler box.

 

My mounts are all the way in front on by 4BT and I was running the M5odr2,not nearly as stout as the ZF with no issues 3+ years and over 25K miles no real hard core offroading but a fare amount of moderate trail time,I would think you should be OK.

 

This is why I hate AL. How about a engine bay pic? Your going to have high engine mounts(room above starter),2 turbos,starter,exhaust manifold dumping somewhere and trying to route your exhaust out all in the same general vicinity, drivers side is cake. I did it in a bronco but it sucked and that was using the front mount. I dont think it would have been possible or extremely difficult using mid mounts. You may have more room than I did. ZF has PTOs both sides, great place for a crossmember mount and takes the pressure off of the tailshaft.

 

ZF has PTOs both sides, great place for a crossmember mount and takes the pressure off of the tailshaft.

I like that idea they are in an ideal place and have a good angel for support

 

Luckily I have a 4x4 ZF on the bench right now and the tail housing looks plenty sturdy so if you support the motor in front the ZF at the PTO mounts and support the Dana 300 you should be in good shape.

 

Thanks gents. The front mounts I see here are different than what was on the Fedex truck. The front mounts I have aren't quite as nice. I may weld up some like seen here along with a crossmember in the front.

 

Is your ZF a 42 or a 47 and if it's a 42 is it early or late production? I ask because I bought a second 42 that is 4x4 for some internal parts I need for mine and it is a late production 42 and has the case with the deeper webbing and more external bracing it's the same case that they used for the 47's,if your worried about the overall strength of the case the late case is what you want it looks MUCH stronger.I'll post some pics later today of the two side by side.

 

There's a lot more aluminum in the late case it is noticeably heaver,here are the side by sides. The later case has a 1994 Ford P/N the earlier one has a 1988 P/N

 

So those will mate up the the Ford adapter Steve? They look massive. Jeff

 

Yes they have the small Ford pattern,but they are bug the gear sets in them are huge I have pics I'll put one up later.I think I will use the later case when I re assemble it with the 2x4 tail housing and output shaft with my motor mounts in the extreme front of my engine a stronger transmission case can't hurt.

 

Is there much difference in the shifter tower location? The height looks much more than the M5R2.

 

Shift tower has a slightly larger foot print but is in the same location the body of the transmission is taller aprox. 1"-1.5"and the bell housing is at a shallower angle also on the bottom of the trans the PTO flanges stick down farther as the does the case on the back half the mount bolt pattern is the same as is it's location.

 

I have the 47 version of the ZF5. I searched high and low for that puppy!

 

Does anybody know if the zf-47 close ratio(4.14-.77) gearsets will interchange with the zf-47 wide ratio cases? I realize they probably dont from the 42 to the 47. The 7.3 gearing would be nice to have.


fordf250 would know but havent seen him post in a long time. Is he still around?

 

You should be able to swap the internal gear sets without a problem. The transmission body cases are the same, just a different bellhousing cast onto the the case. As long as you stay with a 47 series, the 7.3 gears should go right in. By the way, the 4.14 gear was only in the 42 series. The S5-42 was 4.14, 2.37, 1.42, 1.00, .77, & 3.79 R. The S5-47 was 5.08, 2.60, 1.53, 1.00, .77, & 4.66 R. The gas models were the same in both series. Another thing to be aware of, in certain HD applications, the diesels got the gas gear ratios. Have to look at the ID tag on the case to see what they have.

 

https://www.zf.com/na/content/media...orporate_replacement_parts_1/service_portfolio/lcv/Troubleshooting_ZF_S5-47.pdf

https://www.zf.com/na/content/media...orporate_replacement_parts_1/service_portfolio/lcv/Troubleshooting_ZF_S5-42.pdf

You are correct. grimmjeeper calc states the ZF 47 is available with the 4.14 1st. Must be an error.

 

I haven't driven my 47 yet but I did briefly think about swapping to the close ratios. The reason I put that on hold or a potential NO is because I don't see it being dollar cost effective. Going from 5.72 to 5.08 on first really isn't massive given that I have 3.73 and 33" tires. And 2nd-4th are again hardly different. Once you get through 2nd the rest of it is about the same. So either rev out on first and have a normal 2nd gear takeoff OR drive normally in 1st and allow my compounds to take care of the gear difference in second.