transmission pans

Ford 4X4:  Stamped metal.  Holds about 1 quart over stock.  $55 with filter from Lightning Force Performance.

Pan: F81Z-7A194-BA ($27.31 at www.fordpartsonline.com)

Filter: YC3Z-7A098-BA ($16.73 at www.fordpartsonline.com)

The protruding drain plug area can be problematic on lowered trucks:

I originally has a B&M pan.  But because it doesn't play nice nice with the X-Factor, I just swapped it for a 4X4 pan.

I was thinking that it was a downgrade, but then got to studying it a little harder.  It and the Ford Racing cast pan are the only ones with a depression for the pickup tube.

This depression (and the accompanying filter with a deep pickup tube) is presumably designed to allow better fluid pickup when the truck is at severe angles offroad. Those same attributes are great for road racing and to a lesser extent drag racing. The revelation was that this depression will allow fluid transfer when there is less than a quart in the pan. The other designs without a depression would require several quarts.

B&M:  Cast aluminum.  Holds about 3 quarts over stock.  $180 with filter from Lightning Force Performance.

Mac Products:  Cast aluminum.  Looks like a B&M copy.  Holds about 3 quarts over stock.  $160 (with filter?).

Mag-Hytec:   Cast aluminum.  Holds about 8 quarts (!) over stock.  $325 without filter.  Mag-Hytec claims up to 30 degree fluid temp drop.  Due to ground clearance issues, Mag-Hytec does not recommend this pan, which is targeted at 4X4's and tow vehicles, for lowered trucks.  Shown below next to the B&M.

Performance Automotive Racing/Ford Racing/Hughes Performance:  Cast aluminum.  Holds about 4 quarts over stock.  $200-240.  The exposed drain plug looks like a serious shortcoming.