AOD Suppliers/recommendations?

[Robdogg67]

Getting ready to upgrade the drivetrain with 351W or 347 (400+HP) stroker for mostly street performance and occasional driver.

Doing research on AOD manufacturers, have heard of Lentech and Perfomance automatic. Also found TCI and Performance Automotive and Transmission Center. PATC offers a L2 Dominator JR. (Kevlar bands/alto clutches, 550HP rated with 6 months warr.) for around $1,800 shipped.

Just wanted some opionions and recommendations AOD and good suppliers. Also need advice on torque converter ranges (1800-2500rpm?) and benefits. Thanks in advance.

 

[68modstang]

Check out these guys, they have a good rep, although theyy are a little pricey:
http://www.dreviltransmissions.com/about.html . Boyd Coddington uses their transmissions in some of his cars if that means anything.

 

[Robdogg67]

Thanks for another resource, if there anymore stangers out there that have AOD experience, jump on in!

 

[rbohm]

from what i have heard, stay way from patc. lentech and performance automatic are the ones to go with.

 

[jerry S]

I too am deciding on an AOD.

There is also TCI. Edbert has one behind his engine. If he ever gets his car running, he can tell you how it works. The one thing that you have to think about is the stock shift pattern of the AOD if shifting manually from 1st to 2nd. You go 1-3-2. This should be true for all AODs except Lentech. Lentech worked up its own valve body to shift 1-2-3-od.

 

[cougar_68]

I too am deciding on an AOD.

There is also TCI. Edbert has one behind his engine. If he ever gets his car running, he can tell you how it works. The one thing that you have to think about is the stock shift pattern of the AOD if shifting manually from 1st to 2nd. You go 1-3-2. This should be true for all AODs except Lentech. Lentech worked up its own valve body to shift 1-2-3-od.

Actually, I believe the AOD shuffle as they call it is: Put car in 1 position for first, shift up to 2 position for second, pull back to 1 position to hold it in second, then shift to 3 position for 3rd and leave it there for OD.

The Lentech shifts 1-2-3, then you have a button to turn the OD off or on.

Check out edge racing convertors. It seems a lot of the 5.0 guys are using them. Mine is 3000 stall, along with the lentech valve body and a tranny cooler. Hopefully this will work out ok. Will find out soon!

www.edgeracingconverters.com

 

[thehueypilot]

I have actual experience with a Lentech AOD and so far (2 years of drag racing) it is a very good transmission. Just remember to factor in the brokerage costs (tariff) of dealing with Canada!

 

[dodgestang]

Stay Away from the Dominator...this stuff is garbage. I bought one...and it broke....three times.

First it was the governer valve didn't work right, so they sent me a new one, installed it, and all the clutches were smoked 50 miles later. Had it pro rebuilt, first hard start, the teeth got sheared out of 3rd gear...had it rebuilt again and found out the hard way that the problem was the mods they did to the valve body and had to rebuild again, but this time with a new valve body...so 5k later my tranny has been ok now that all the stuff they put in it has been removed.

 

[CPD]

The dominator sounds like another GER trans company. Beware when a performance shop tells you they modify stock valve bodies. Junk

 

[12sec67]

we installed a TCI AOD in one of our customers 66 vert with a 347. the AOD was rated to 450hp and we put in a 2500stall converter due to the fact it is a daily driver and he only installed 3.55 gears. you want to try to have your cruising speed and cruising rpms above your stall speed or pretty close to it. And the 2500 stall speed drives normal.The AOD worked great right off the bat, we adjusted the line pressure took it out for a spin and never looked back. it shifted and worked really well behind the 347.

for TCI

 

[68GT500KR_Vert]

Performance Automatic

can't say much about the product, but the company sucked. They sent me the wrong transmission (they sent a SB C^ instead of a BB C6) through summit while I was away in Iraq and when I found out it was wrong when I got back they told me to bring it in for a swap. I live close by them. I brought it in and they wanted $700 to swap it. Still in the box with the tag on it. I found a local guy to swap the cases for me; he used to work for PA, but left and started his own place. He told me they were only in it for the money and have had some bad customer service. Funny thing is his shop is bigger than PA. PA is in a little garage, you'd never know it.

The local guy actually did a better job and only charged me $150.

 

[Tubo(2-bo)]

I've recently swapped an AODE/W(Technically a 4R70W w/short AOD tail shaft housing) It was a little bit of a challenge, but the results are spetacular.
The 98 & newer AODE/4R70W comes from the factory with the old AOD's weak areas already up graded. Baumann says "with shift kit & external cooler, this tranny is good to 600 HP" Note the 98+ V-6 tranny has the same bell housing bolt pattern as a 5.0. the V-8 ones have the cammer pattern.
Most specifically the wide ratio gear set, is what makes such a major difference. My apparent ratio in 1st grar goes from 3.25 to about 3.80, big difference seat of the pants.
So if your thinking AOD, take a look at an AODE/4R70W
http://www.becontrols.com/
http://www.blueriver.net/~finite/project_od.htm
http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html#
http://www.network54.com/Forum/260730/
http://www.ford-aod.com/#Performance Parts

One thing I recommend is to use the AOD tailshaft housing and a T-5 Yoke. The AOD housing accommodates the T-5 yoke outer diameter, and the T-5 Yoke is splined all the way up the inner tube. Unlike C-4, AOD, and the newer ADOE/4R70W Yokes.

 

[1968fastback5.0]

Has anyone used Huges performence in Phoenix. I am also looking for an AOD and live in Phoenix.

 

[bnickel]

check out www.broaderperformance.com as well. they can do a 1-2-3-electric OD button as well and have an excellent rep as far as i can tell. i think i'm going to go with one of their trannies in the 69 cougar.