The early Ford transmission for sale, dubbed the C3 was modified into the A4LD four-speed by using a new case and adding an overdrive gear, which the C3 lacked. This transmission was introduced with the 1985 Bronco II and Ranger, again with four- and six-cylinder engines only. It was replaced by the 4R44E and 4R55E in 1995.
This was the first Ford transmission (automatic) to use an TCU-controlled torque converter lock-up clutch. Electronic shift control for the 3-4 shift was later added, another first, though other gears remained hydraulic.
It had it’s share of problems. Partially due to the new design and introduction of a compact sized overdrive transmission. Early units had issues with broken reverse bands, blown up overdrive sections, the overdrive planetary in particular and lockup torque converter problems galore.
As a shop owner we were there for the first ones that failed. We had to learn quickly how to effectively fix these transmissions. at first we had little or no information on these units, so we had to learn ourselves. We call self educated people autodidacts. A new term for you.
Eventually we not only figured out how to fix them, but the oldest upgrade company in the world, Transgo, developed update kits within a year of their introduction because there were so many problems with this transmission in the beginning. The update kits were updated regularly, which allowed us to produce highly reliable rebuilt A4LD transmissions.
BTW: Since this is a relativity small compact unit, we found that installing an auxiliary transmission cooler to keep the fluid from overheating gave these units as all transmissions much added life. Request synthetic transmission fluid as well.
Realistically speaking, you won’t find a lot of good used transmissions out there. Mostly because of attrition. They stopped producing them in 1994, so obviously any used unit would have age and mileage against it.
My recommendation would be to locate a highly reputable transmission supply company and buy an upgraded rebuilt transmission for sale with a quality rebuilt torque converter. As a shop owner, I had to find the best companies to deal with when I needed a rebuilt transmission fast. The only company that never let me down is GotTransmissions.com.
The reason being, is that they are a company of high ethics and refuse to sell anything except the cream of the crop. Their nationwide warranties prove it. If you want to study more on transmissions, read more of our GotTranmsissions.com Blog. And don’t hesitate to call us at 866-320-1182 if you want to speak with a specialist.
