Mopar A833

[Dennis46PU]

Has anybody documented or made a list of applications where the A833 trans can be found?  Is this a stronger trans than the T5?  I worked on a few Rangers in the past about 30 years ago, both had worn out shifters so that didn't impress me when I saw how they were built.

 

I was at one of the local salvage yards recently and found a 5 speed in a Ford Ranger built 03/90, but didn't see a Mopar with a manual trans.  After reading the postings on transmission swaps, sounds like the A833 is the desirable choice.  I want to do a trans / rear axle swap at the same time and will look for best solution.  My trans differential are loose and especially driveshaft, don't know what keeps the driveshaft from launching out. Slip yoke is terribly shot.

[William Davey]

This website has a lot of info on the A833 including the later overdrive units. http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/four-speed-manual.html

 

Note that this transmission in various configurations was used on everything from the 170 C.I. slant 6 to the 426 Hemi. Search the Aok boys on this forum too, they make an adapter for the A833 to fit older Mopar's.

[55 Fargo]

1974-86 Aspen/Volare, Dodge Vans and pickups, there out there, maybe not as plentiful as the more mass produced lighter duty T5.

Is this a rugged trans you bet, has a torque rating much higher than a NWC T5, although using it with a fairly low HP Mopar Flathead 6 is a moot point perhaps.

You mention shifters, not aware of this as an issue, do know the T5 does not have stops, so slam shifting a T5 could be ruinous to that trans.

Stock engine, A833 trans, just requires a simple aluminum adapter plate, modern rear diff, say in the 3.73 range, could be a good combo, the Mopar 8 1/4 came with 3.23 and 3.23 gears, a lot, going with 3.55 should be the absolute cut-ff point, 3.23 gears and the A833 and a flathead, is not the best combo.

[wayfarer]

19 hours ago, Dennis46PU said:

Has anybody documented or made a list of applications where the A833 trans can be found?  Is this a stronger trans than the T5?  I worked on a few Rangers in the past about 30 years ago, both had worn out shifters so that didn't impress me when I saw how they were built.

 

I was at one of the local salvage yards recently and found a 5 speed in a Ford Ranger built 03/90, but didn't see a Mopar with a manual trans.  After reading the postings on transmission swaps, sounds like the A833 is the desirable choice.  I want to do a trans / rear axle swap at the same time and will look for best solution.  My trans differential are loose and especially driveshaft, don't know what keeps the driveshaft from launching out. Slip yoke is terribly shot.

The biggest problem today with the A-833 is in finding one. ...and you need the shift linkage. I have seen some increasingly high prices paid for some questionable boxes so start scrounging.

The usual manual trans found in post-85 Mopes will be something like the AX-5, AX-15, or one of the NV series. These will not be car type trans but smaller truck units.  AllPar also has a couple of pages on the details.

The problem using one of these later Mopar units is that you will loose the stock bellhousing and everything attached to it since they adapt at the block, not at the bellhousing.  Some photos on my website.

Doable, yes. Quick and easy, no.

[55 Fargo]

I dunno, millions of the New Process A 833 transmissions were manufactured in it's reign for the overdrive series 1974-86. They might not be sitting all over the late model wrecking yards.

I do not see these transmissions as some rare item that are so difficult to find.

There is plenty of info on Tim Kingsbury's blog site,

 

[Young Ed]

I can find em its affording them! Cheapest I've seen was $300.

[55 Fargo]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone is considering this swap or anyone who has done or started it.

I am hoping to do this swap late winter early spring and it will be well documented every step of the way...PS T5ers do not worry this is not a debate on which is a better trans and/or choice....

[greg g]

There was also the OD version the was used in the Volare Aspen series.  These had a modified shift pattern that had the OD gear set where 3rd gear resided in the regular four speed.  There are several different main bearing retainer diameters and short and long output sections.  If you get the OD version make sure it comes with the shifter assembly.  They are Hurst units and proprietary to the OD version.  You can also find them in light duty six cylinder powered Chevy and GMC pickups and vans of the early to mid seventies.  There used to be an AOL page dedicated to dodge Power Giant trucks.  It contained a thread about installing a A883 OD into an early 60's Dodge 3/4 ton utility bodied truck.  Don't know if any of the old AOL web pages still excist, but it might still be out there in the cyber out back.this maybe of some use though its a Chevy application,

http://www.classicjunkyard.com/new_process_a833.htm

Edited December 14, 2016 by greg g

[55 Fargo]

27 minutes ago, greg g said:

There was also the OD version the was used in the Volare Aspen series.  These had a modified shift pattern that had the OD gear set where 3rd gear resided in the regular four speed.  There are several different main bearing retainer diameters and short and long output sections.  If you get the OD version make sure it comes with the shifter assembly.  They are Hurst units and proprietary to the OD version.  You can also find them in light duty six cylinder powered Chevy and GMC pickups and vans of the early to mid seventies.  There used to be an AOL page dedicated to dodge Power Giant trucks.  It contained a thread about installing a A883 OD into an early 60's Dodge 3/4 ton utility bodied truck.  Don't know if any of the old AOL web pages still excist, but it might still be out there in the cyber out back.this maybe of some use though its a Chevy application,

http://www.classicjunkyard.com/new_process_a833.htm

The GM version is a completely different animal, and would not go there for my purpose.

The cast iron A 833 are not overdrive units, and not the topic of this thread, have a look on this link

http://www.slantsix.org/articles/4-speeds/ODA833fourspeed1.htm

Now I do not follow how the aluminum overdrive 4th gear is where the cast iron 3rd gear is, that's clear as mud....

[Young Ed]

1 minute ago, Rockwood said:

 

Now I do not follow how the aluminum overdrive 4th gear is where the cast iron 3rd gear is, that's clear as mud....

It's quite clear. The 3rd and 4th are backwards in the H pattern. So you'd shift upper left lower left lower right and then over drive upper right. 

[55 Fargo]

18 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

It's quite clear. The 3rd and 4th are backwards in the H pattern. So you'd shift upper left lower left lower right and then over drive upper right. 

You mean like this,

R````1`````3 
|____|_____|
`````|`````|
`````2`````4 (overdrive)

[Young Ed]

4 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

You mean like this,

R````1`````3 
|____|_____|
`````|`````|
`````2`````4 (overdrive)

That's not backwards. flip 3 and 4

[55 Fargo]

Here for any of you who want to learn something about the new process A833 and how to adapt it for flathead use.

 

[55 Fargo]

11 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

That's not backwards. flip 3 and 4

Whats your point, Chrysler's OD A-833 was introduced in 1975 to replace the standard A-833. With the energy crunch of the early 1970's in full swing, the performance oriented A-833 was laid to rest. The Overdrive four speed was basically a regular A-833 with an overdriven gear set installed in place of the regular third gear. The shift lever on the side cover was flipped over to "fool" the shifter into shifting from second to fourth and then back into third, which was the overdrive gear. 

Edited December 14, 2016 by Rockwood

[55 Fargo]

New Process aluminum A833 Overdrive shifter knob showing the pattern for "Dummies"

[greg g]

Because fourth is 1to1, the OD was mounted in the third gear position.  The shifter knows the magic and that why you need to get it as long with the trans.

[55 Fargo]

There is nothing magical about this, the shifter rods can all be bought.

The shifter activates OD in the 3rd position on the trans, as it has it's lever reversed, not rocket science.

There are a number of sources to buy new shifters and the levers.

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

not science, simply put as stated earlier, it is the linkage that does the magic

Edited December 14, 2016 by Plymouthy Adams

[Fargone]

I've been working on this conversion for my 1951 Fargo 1/2 ton for a few months. I had a fair amount of difficulty finding the transmission in Canada, but I just found 3 of them close to my winter home in Arizona. Tim Kingsbury has been very helpful with this project through his AoK blog and via e-mail. I now have the OD transmission complete with shifter and linkage. I've added the list I used to send wreckers while I was looking for this transmission. I paid $450 for mine and it appears to be in really good shape. I do plan to go through the trans with new bearings and seals before I use it. if anyone is looking for this trans in the south western USA Hidden Valley Auto Parts near Maricopa Az has a couple.

A833 4 speed manual transmission with aluminum housing. 
The overdrive configuration with a 23-spline input appeared in these vehicles:
o 1975 to 1979 Valiant, Duster, Dart, Scamp, Swinger, Volare, Aspen
o 1975 to 1987 Dodge light-duty pickups and Dodge and Plymouth Vans
o 1977 to 1979 Diplomat and LeBaron

[55 Fargo]

6 hours ago, Fargone said:

I've been working on this conversion for my 1951 Fargo 1/2 ton for a few months. I had a fair amount of difficulty finding the transmission in Canada, but I just found 3 of them close to my winter home in Arizona. Tim Kingsbury has been very helpful with this project through his AoK blog and via e-mail. I now have the OD transmission complete with shifter and linkage. I've added the list I used to send wreckers while I was looking for this transmission. I paid $450 for mine and it appears to be in really good shape. I do plan to go through the trans with new bearings and seals before I use it. if anyone is looking for this trans in the south western USA Hidden Valley Auto Parts near Maricopa Az has a couple.

A833 4 speed manual transmission with aluminum housing. 
The overdrive configuration with a 23-spline input appeared in these vehicles:
o 1975 to 1979 Valiant, Duster, Dart, Scamp, Swinger, Volare, Aspen
o 1975 to 1987 Dodge light-duty pickups and Dodge and Plymouth Vans
o 1977 to 1979 Diplomat and LeBaron

Good stuff and look forward to your swap thread if and when you get there.

Around Edmonton and Calgary, rich oil and gas boom centers, old cars were likely crushed and smelted years ago.

Old yards in rural areas in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta may produce better results.

lets face it, a way higher percentage of these vehicles equipped, would be in Southern Ontario and Quebec, as they make up almost

 3/4s of Canadas population....

Edited December 15, 2016 by Rockwood

[55 Fargo]

Hey All,

 This thread is just going in circles. The point is there are lots of A833 Mopar transmissions available, there are lots of sources for new, used, and fancy shifters for them, there is adapter plates and documentation who to use them and all the rest of the discussion is starting to become people just wanting to hear themselves talk. A few years back several came up with the idea of using a Mopar based solution instead of looking at Chevy and Ford solutions, or being lead by the nose by Chevy background people there would not be a huge number of T5's and an almost caustic defense of them or deflection or smoke and mirrors blown at every turn on the Mopar solution.

If I owned this forum there would be a category for all those who want to use Chevy, Ford and other parts on their Mopar and a ban from ever putting them on the Mopar threads. This is a P15-d24/ Flathead Mopars site, not a "what Bowtie part can I use on my "Mopar" site. Simple message - Stop using Chevy parts on you Mopar when there are Mopar solutions. Finally please, don't bother with the complete waste of time how something is better so no other idea is correct. 

For example the Chevy HEI solution from a Chevrolet Engineer owned company whose name I wont drag into the mud here and how there were dozens and dozens of posts on how that was so great. Oh and if your going to take your engine over 4000 RPM or beyond, there were all kinds of rev limits tossed out there and today we can go an see documented examples on "youtube" of very high revving, high end flatheads using period Chrysler Ignition.

This entire thread on A833 is shaping up to be the same thing and one would start to think some have vested interest in T5 technology that there is this constant dogging every thread that discusses an Mopar solution and posting doubt and confusion. I truly don't get it, I don't know if its because they didn't think of it 1st or they just like to stir the pot. I suspect some of both as I see big defenders of the T5 solutions that they or their buddies used and others who don't have trucks, they don't built flatheads, their answer, they use v6 and v8 solutions on their supposed builds but always have an opinion on everything and this is no different.

For those who really want to explore a floor shift mopar solution, there is lots of information as I have pointed out prior in this thread, as well on the same blog there is a great piece on pretty much every vintage overdrive from the 1930s to 1950s used by Chrysler Corporation. That published information comes from guys who actually work with Mopar stuff. They make and provide solutions, and now when presented with a low cost adapter plate solution to use a Mopar overdrive, its a no brainer. That being said they have all but withdrawn from the forum because of the "know it all" , "attack at every chance" crowd. Shame on you guys because they have forgot more than you will ever know and their contribution to the hobby is incredible. End of the discussion for me, another chance for a well informed thread with a Mopar solution  in the toilet because of a few who can't get over their need for a GM solution for everything..