Anyone got a T-18/19 behind a 360?

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I am curious to know how these trannies handle with behind the 360 . I am rolling around a manual swap and while looking into the nv4500 i came across the t-18/19 trannies on the novak adapters site. They would obviously be much easier to adapt for my purposes so I would like to know how they are for a rig that is like 90% road dweller? I currently have an 3 speed auto and more would like a manual because....well automatics just dont seem quite right.

What kind of power would I gain/lose going from a 727 to one of these? Anyone who is running this tranny, I would just like feed back on it. I would definitely be interested in MPGs (if you dont know do not say "well you don't buy a jeep for fuel economy" people alway say this and never answer the question,I know this but I would like to either stay at the 11-13)
The set up i am envisioning is the T18 with the novak adapter to my stock np229.

[grand_wag_85]

The T18 can definately stand up to a V8. I had one behind the 401 in my '77 Golden Eagle and with locking hubs I was able to get 14MPG's if I stayed out of the gas, 4.11 gears did not help either. Power wise you should notice an increase as the power is not lost going thru fluid like in an auto trans.

Unless there is an adapter out there I do not know if the T18 will go infront of an NP229. An AX5 or T-5 will bolt up to a 229 but I have never run one of those trannies. Before you yank a tranny from a Ford take a look in the junkyards for Jeeps with the T18. They should have a D20 or NP208 t case. NP208 is prolly the best choice for you as it is a driver drop, atleast coming from a Jeep they are.

Hope this helps.

EDIT:
A T176 will also work behind a V8. The T176 does not have the super low first gear like the T18.

[MeeBit]

I can't compare to your setup, but as you can see by my sig I have a 360/T18 combo.

The T18, being a wide ratio "granny tranny" has plenty of low end torque, and may not be absolutely ideal for mostly street use, by some standards.

You could get the close ratio version of the T18, with the 4.02 low, but 4th gear is still 1.0, so your highway mileage will be the same with either T18 version. The city mileage is probably somewhat better with the narrower ratio version, with the higher 2nd & 3rd.
I have the "granny" version & get about 12-15 MPG (if I stay off the carb's back barrels ).

As far as I can tell, the only real difference between the T18 and T19 is the fact that the T19 has synched low and reverse. I don't miss them being synched, myself. Worst case is I drop it in 4th or let it roll an inch or two to get it in reverse, or drop it in 2nd to get granny. Not a big deal.


Conclusion: I say go for it. though for mileage, you may wish to consider an overdrive of one sort or another down the road. I'm currently looking at the options for that myself.

[Serious Johnson]

I put a wide-ratio T-18a & 208 from an '82 J-20 in my '83 Wagoneer with a built 360. It's certainly a stout setup. As MeeBit said, those wide ratios can be a bit of a pain. 3.73 axle gears prove to be too tall, at least for towing work and running on 33" tires -- I don't need an 80 MPH third gear! Non-synchro first is OK if you can double-clutch and match revs. I had to use a behind-axle gas tank in my Wag, since the T-18/208 is significantly longer than a 727/229. Can't say what difference the swap made in power & fuel mileage, since I did a lot of other stuff at the same time.

S.J.

[yankeedog]

i am running a t 18/208 with an advance adaptors adaptor between them,recent trip to NC pulling a small trailer at slightly above legal speed returned about 13.5 mpg.it is not a sports car tranny.you have to shift patiently.and it is a bit noisy in any gear but 4th.it is heavy.but extremly strong.only regret no overdrive.

[joe]

I've got a T18A(close ratio) behind a 360 in my 73 and it works well. I'd be more worried about the D20 surviving than the trans.

[Casey]

Yep.

T-18/D20 is tough as nails.

[tgreese]

I don't own a T-18 equipped truck, but I used to drive them at work.

The main downside to the T-19 or T-19 is the heavy shifting. Rowing the transmission in stop-and-go traffic gets tedious after a while. Definitely more work than a passenger car transmission, or even the Borg-Warner 3-speeds that Jeep used a lot.

You can get the T-19 in 3 different ratio spreads, and the T-19 has a synchromesh 1st gear. You'll have to search a little more to find the T-19 ratios that you want, since they are not as common as the wide ratio T-18 used in many thousands of Ford trucks.

Also realize that any of these transmissions are several inches shorter than the T-18 used by Jeep behind their V8s. Unless you use the Jeep transmission with the very long input shaft and thick adapter, the shifter will end up under the dash. You can bend the shifter so you can reach it, but it won't look like a factory installation. If you use the Dana 20, your best option is likely a twin-stick conversion, which you can modify to fit the new location of the transfer case.

[Blake]

you will enjoy the additional power the t-18 gives you. those 727's suck up a lot of power

[KJ Ryu]

I've got a T18A(close ratio) behind a 360 in my 73 and it works well. I'd be more worried about the D20 surviving than the trans.

I worry more about shafts breaking than the trans or t-case, in my '77. I have no idea what I get for mileage but I can cruise at 55 at just over idle in 4th gear.

[jeepjerry]

i have a healthy 360 in front of my t-18 and i beat the bejezzes out of it... ...never have any problems.

Ford used these things in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

[tgreese]

...

Ford used these things in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

Pretty sure the T-18 was used in all Ford's light and medium duty trucks - not just pickups and 1-tons.

[jeepjerry]

Yeah, im just saying strength wise, ford seemed to think they were good to go in the heavier duty stuff.

Heck,not ford, but they were used in little cj-5s.

[jeepguzzi]

I got a T18/208 combo from a J20. Everything bolts right up(the holes are even in the frame for the clutch bellcrank!). I paid $400 bucks for it and the driveshafts. The 208 is a way better transfer case than the 229.

[chicklin]

'75 J20 with 360 T18 Dana 20 3.73 gears

Go for it. Very solid tranny. As noted, there are a couple different versions. I haven't had mine off-road, yet, but the highway manners are very good. I was very surprised to find out I could run 70 mph pretty comfortably (although it's happier at 60-65). I have no idea about mpg.