1987-1995 ZF S5-42 5 Speed Manual Transmission

Buy Now Parts and Manuals for 1987-1995 Ford ZF S5-42 5 Speed Manual Transmissions in F250, F350, and F450 Trucks.

The ZF S5-42 is a fully synchronized 5 speed manual transmission with overdrive first used by Ford for the 1987 model year in the F350 4x2 Diesel Cab and Chassis truck. The rest of the F-Series models and the full size Bronco would get ZF S5-42 5 speeds for the 1988 model year. The ZF S5-42 has an input torque rating of 420 lb.ft. and the 2-piece transmission housing is made of cast aluminum. The Front Case includes an integral Bellhousing, and it is provided with both left and right PTO covers. Ford used both close ratio (4.14:1 1st gear Diesel only) and wide ratio (5.76:1 1st gear, both gas and Diesel) versions of this transmission for both 4x4 and 4x2 applications.

The ZFS5-42 transmission is primarily found in F250, F350, and Super Duty trucks, but it was also available in the Bronco and F150. This is a German designed 5 speed transmission that was reasonably durable for the stock gas and diesel engines it was mated too. In some respects the ZF S5-42 is superior to the New Venture NV4500 series transmissions used in contemporary Dodge and GM trucks and is far more reliable than the Getrag G360 used in 1989-1993 Dodge Diesel trucks, but the Dexron/Mercon lubricant required in the ZF has certainly contributed to many transmission failures if the transmission fluid was not changed regularly.

The 420 lb. Torque Rating of the ZF S5-42 was not adequate for Turbo-Charged Power Stroke Diesel engines and was replaced in Diesel applications mid-way through the 1994 model year by the similar, but slightly stronger, ZF S5-47 5 speed. For gas engine trucks, the S5-42 was retained through the 1995 model year after which it was also replaced by the S5-47.

ZF S5-42 transmissions are NOT interchangeable with 1994-1997 S5-47 or 1999-2002 S5-47M transmissions.