Transmission Decisions

[deathb4dismount]

I wanted to start a discussion about transmission options for a street car. My car made 311 tq to the wheels, and I understand that if I stick with the T5 I will be rebuilding it enough times that the cost will justify buying a new TKO. Are there any other 5 speed options to look for? Rebuild kits that make the T5 stronger, T5z (only rated to 300 tq I think)? Or do I need to find 3550 or better? Any budget friendly AOD or other automatic options? Switching to an auto isn't a deal breaker for me.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

A c4 could be a budget friendly option at this level, but I doubt the AOD would be a budget friendly option. Unless you are making a drag car, keep the fun and get a HD manual.

 

[hoopty5.0]

You can get a tko or 3550 swap for around $1200. That'll handle anything you throw at it

 

[deathb4dismount]

Is that with or without bell housing? Cheapest I have seen a 3550 for is 1700 and that includes the bell. They don't seem to come up too often around here. Figures that there is one now when I am cash poor.

 

[hoopty5.0]

They're all over corral, just gotta look. I got a tko a few years back for cheap and just paid $1000 for a 3550, bell, and new clutch a few weeks ago. Deals are there, just gotta have cash ready

 

[deathb4dismount]

They're all over corral, just gotta look. I got a tko a few years back for cheap and just paid $1000 for a 3550, bell, and new clutch a few weeks ago. Deals are there, just gotta have cash ready

Wow that was a great deal. I saw one on the other site that is also locally listed. I will have to save up some cabbage and keep my eyes open.

I know it won't be budget friendly but I was reading about doing a 4R70W swap on click click racing, and it had me interested. Anyone do this swap, or swap their aod to 4R70W gears?

 

[revhead347]

At 311tq you could get away with a modded T5. The 3550 series is a lot stronger, but not an essential jump at this point. The 3550 is easier to work on, and easier to mod. You just have to not be intimidated by lots of rollers for bearings.

Kurt

 

[rbohm]

if you want to consider an automatic, advance adapters has a kit that lets you put a turbo 200r4 behind your small block.

 

[deathb4dismount]

What mods would help the t5? Ive killed a t5 before with with a basic bolt on 5.0

At 311tq you could get away with a modded T5. The 3550 series is a lot stronger, but not an essential jump at this point. The 3550 is easier to work on, and easier to mod. You just have to not be intimidated by lots of rollers for bearings.

Kurt

What type of upgrades are we talking for the t5? I have killed 2 t5s with a very basic bolt on 5.0 so I am skeptical.

 

[revhead347]

Astro offers all kinds of gear upgrade kits. Some of time aren't even that expensive. You can even get an upgraded case through G-Force either. I wouldn't say the 3550 is the end all transmission either. I've broken mine multiple times.


Kurt

 

[hoopty5.0]

Astro offers all kinds of gear upgrade kits. Some of time aren't even that expensive. You can even get an upgraded case through G-Force either. I wouldn't say the 3550 is the end all transmission either. I've broken mine multiple times.


Kurt

When you said they're easy to work on, how does that translate to someone who has never cracked a case open? One day, I will rebuild a junk T-5 to learn, but haven't had time to tinker with it.

 

[revhead347]

The manuals are actually free in PDF on the TTC website. The 3550 manual is very complete. The T5 one is no where near as good. It has clustered information for all the different variants of T5s they made. You can do almost everything on the 3550 with basic hand tools, an appropriate punch for all the roll pins, and big set of snap ring pliers. You need a gear separator to take apart the countershaft, but you rarely have to do that. On the T5 you need to have a gear separator to get the input to output shaft bearing off. On both transmissions you need a special to remove the yoke bush. They don't wear out that often though.

Kurt

 

[deathb4dismount]

The astro

Astro offers all kinds of gear upgrade kits. Some of time aren't even that expensive. You can even get an upgraded case through G-Force either. I wouldn't say the 3550 is the

Astro offers all kinds of gear upgrade kits. Some of time aren't even that expensive. You can even get an upgraded case through G-Force either. I wouldn't say the 3550 is the end all transmission either. I've broken mine multiple times.


Kurt

Astro offers all kinds of gear upgrade kits. Some of time aren't even that expensive. You can even get an upgraded case through G-Force either. I wouldn't say the 3550 is the end all transmission either. I've broken mine multiple times.


Kurt

I've heard good things about astro products but their upgrade kit (to their a5) is about as much as a used 3550. The only I saw that was budget minded was the T5z gear set but even then we are still at 350 tq rating.

 

[90lxwhite]

What mods would help the t5? Ive killed a t5 before with with a basic bolt on 5.0
I have killed 2 t5s with a very basic bolt on 5.0 so I am skeptical.

Just curious, how many miles were on the t5's you've killed, and were you driving the dog out of em?

 

[hoopty5.0]

For your purposes, a used 3550 or a TKO (not the 500 or 600) would do fine. Id go 3550 since all you need to swap is a bell housing. The TKO requires a clutch (if 26 spline), a bell housing, and a 31 spline yoke for the driveshaft. Little more cash involved there.

 

[revhead347]

All the TKO models are based onthe 3550 anyway. You can update it to whatever model you want down the road.

Kurt

 

[deathb4dismount]

Just curious, how many miles were on the t5's you've killed, and were you driving the dog**** out of em?

One had 80k the other was a fresh rebuild. Both for a daily driver, but on the weekends I drove the sh@t of it. 3rd gear doesn't like powershifts. Current trans mileage is unknown but it is over 150k according to PO so it's only a matter of time.

 

[hoopty5.0]

All the TKO models are based onthe 3550 anyway. You can update it to whatever model you want down the road.

Kurt

^ This, and the parts are cheap. I was looking at them a couple weeks ago.

 

[2000xp8]

I don't recommend wasting a dollar modding a t5.
If you want to use it as is, do so, anything else IMO is a waste of money.
The Z, i broke that pretty easy too with around 340rwhp.

Take a look at an astro A5 complete, for one that equals a tko600 it's like $2800.
Then look at the price of just the gear set upgrade to get 485ft lbs tq package, it's $1600, that's without installation and any other necessary parts

As for the clutch, most trans swaps get a clutch anyway.
If you really, really need to keep your clutch i think you can with one of the tko500's.

A good trans of any type is going to cost you.
The most cost effective solution is just to save up for a TKO, if that isn't doable i'd agree find a 3550.

If you didn't break your t5 and it works right, go easy on it so you can sell it, once it's shot it goes from a $500+ trans to a $100 trans (if you are lucky).

 

[revhead347]

I think the misconception is that he T5z is stronger. It has a few mods over the regular T5 like a reverse lockout. Other than that any strength changes are dubious. There are a few gear kits from Astro that are only a couple hundred bucks.

Most of the parts for the 3550 are cheap. You can get a 26 spline input shaft for about $68. One piece countershafts are about $200 used. the most expensive mod is the 31 spline output shaft which will run you about $450. It's like $285 for the shaft, and I would gather an extra $150 to get the extension housing bored with shipping.

If you are in the market for a new transmission, and want solid advice I strongly recommend consulting Bob or Linda Hanlon. They are by far the best transmission people I have spoken too. Bob has lot of ways of saving money even though he is a small business that has to charge retail.

Kurt