Progress Thread My Kenne Bell Twin Screw'd Foxbody thread, (new addition to the family)
- Thread starter FoxMustangLvr
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
I blew up the trans and am in saving mode for the TKO. So the motor is on hold. I'm hoping everything will happen this year yet. I could rebuild the T5/motor but it's not worth it at this point.
Yep, got that done with my screw gun and a 1/4" socket.
Getting the TKO500 or 600? This is something I need to look into myself. The TKO 5&600 and the Tremec 3550, need to learn all the differences along with strengths and weaknesses. My T5 is healthy but they're all on borrowed time once you've increased HP.
squeak93
15 Year Member
I'm going to get a 600 from Liberty Gears. Just a fwiw my T5 showed a little bit of 3rd gear "touchiness" last year. After a few spirited back road sessions it has progressed into popping out of 2nd and grinding 2+3rd gears. If I drive it like a truck it still goes down the road but it's toast. You're going to need an upgrade soon yourself IMO. My fully Spec'd combo is going to run around 4k(bell,clutch,shifter,etc) but will be nearly bullet proof.
There is a "TKO" in between the 3550 and 5-600. It is a 3550 with a 31 spline output and a higher torque rating. I have a 3550 as does Jrichker. They're great transmissions, especially if you have no need for a 500+. I've had a "TKO" as well and handled everything I threw at it. To upgrade a 3550 to a TKO spec is not hard, nor is it expensive if you can take the time to do it yourself. That's next on my list after the head porting project.
- Dec 19, 2010
- 5,719
- 4,238
- 224
The difference in the 500 and 600 are the gear ratios. The 500 has a deeper first gear and the ratios are spread wider. I talked to Walt at Pro Motion when I was trying to decide which to buy, and he talked me out of the 500. He told me most guys find the lower 1st gear more attractive for launching but soon find it's less than favorable and switch to a 600. The gearset in the 500 also by nature make it a weaker trans according to Walt.
The 600 has a taller 1st gear and closer ratio gear set. With the proper mods they supposedly shift well and are worlds apart compared to a T5 or the lesser tremecs. There are some mediocre reviews on a "stock" 600. Most notably the "dump truck" quality shifts and an inability to shift at extreme rpms(7k+). This was most notable on older models. Also some operator installation errors.
Gears for the TKO600 seam a bit too tall to me. MPH seams a bit high when getting to 5500 rpms.
TREMEC GEAR CALCULATORS: Use the Speed Calculator below to compare TREMEC to your current transmission.
Select Transmission: TKO600
Engine RPM 5500
Axle Ratio 3.73
Tire Height (in)* 25.7"
The estimated speed you will be traveling based on the parameters you established and the transmission you selected.
Ratio MPH
1st Gear 2.87 / 39.28 mph
2nd Gear 1.89 / 59.65 mph
3rd Gear 1.28 / 88.08 mph
4th Gear 1.00 / 112.74 mph
5th Gear .64 / 176.15
Stock T5 gear ratios are: 1st 2.95; 2nd 1.94; 3rd 1.34; 4th 1.00; 5th 0.63.
TREMEC GEAR CALCULATORS: Use the Speed Calculator below to compare TREMEC to your current transmission.
Select Transmission: TKO600
Engine RPM 5500
Axle Ratio 3.73
Tire Height (in)* 25.7"
The estimated speed you will be traveling based on the parameters you established and the transmission you selected.
Ratio MPH
1st Gear 2.87 / 39.28 mph
2nd Gear 1.89 / 59.65 mph
3rd Gear 1.28 / 88.08 mph
4th Gear 1.00 / 112.74 mph
5th Gear .64 / 176.15
Stock T5 gear ratios are: 1st 2.95; 2nd 1.94; 3rd 1.34; 4th 1.00; 5th 0.63.
Stock T5 1st gear ratio is 3.35:1. The world class T5 went with the 2.95:1. Also once you start adding the motors ability to rev through the rpms ie cam/heads etc that short 1st gear is semi useless. You would find you like the taller gear IMO.
I thought the WC T5's were stock for our model Mustangs? 
I had maybe 30 minutes driving time once I went from 2.73 to 3.73 gears before I parked the T-top, gutted it, and put the rear end in my notch. I remember the drive home after gearing it with the stock trans being a DREAM that day. 1st gear was a little short, almost a granny gear in comparison to stock but tolerable, but 2nd through 4th were spot on. Driving in 4th gear at 45 mph was great. There are mostly back roads where I live. Everything is mostly 25-50 mph and that's where I need the comfort for driving. I drive on the freeway once a month if at all. So I don't really want my shift points to change much from 2nd-4th gear since those are the most used gears for me.
I will have to wait however to know how the new combo performs with this setup. You might be right @A5literMan , the difference in power from what I had back then to what I have now may benefit from a taller gear ratio.
I had maybe 30 minutes driving time once I went from 2.73 to 3.73 gears before I parked the T-top, gutted it, and put the rear end in my notch. I remember the drive home after gearing it with the stock trans being a DREAM that day. 1st gear was a little short, almost a granny gear in comparison to stock but tolerable, but 2nd through 4th were spot on. Driving in 4th gear at 45 mph was great. There are mostly back roads where I live. Everything is mostly 25-50 mph and that's where I need the comfort for driving. I drive on the freeway once a month if at all. So I don't really want my shift points to change much from 2nd-4th gear since those are the most used gears for me.
I will have to wait however to know how the new combo performs with this setup. You might be right @A5literMan , the difference in power from what I had back then to what I have now may benefit from a taller gear ratio.
- Dec 19, 2010
- 5,719
- 4,238
- 224
I ran a 3.73 behind my tko 600 when I was running n/a and it was great. No complaints. I had to step down to 3.27 with boost.
Out of plain curiosity, why are you N/A guys going for the billy badass transmissions? That is an ass-ton of money that I couldn't ever justify spending unless i was making mega-boosted-HP, wealthy, or powershifting the dog doo doo out of it at the track. I understand the do it once, do it right thought process, but that's nuts.
For me it's because I've broken my last T5 ever!(2nd time for me), I love to drag race(track 5 minutes from house),I power shift,and I plan on throwing some nitrous at this motor(should be in the 550-600ft lbs tq area), and in the next 2 years I should have the dart block together. So while I planned on throwing a TKO in at the same time as the 363 I'm just pushing up the time table(or should I say the weak assed T5 did). But if you never get abusive with a T5 they last...for awhile.
stangboy
Founding Member
Well, my reasoning is I used to be known as "The T5 Killer" when I had my 1st mustang(stock 91 GT w/ 3.55s). When I had my 94 and was planning to do the auto-to-manual swap I vowed to never put another T5 in any mustang I own ever again. That's when I got my 3550 and I beat on it non-stop with my 94 GT(it was my DD) before and after doing H/C/I and 3.73s. After my 94 flooded in Katrina I had the 3550 checked to make sure it was ok to use again and it got a clean bill of health. so I put it in the current 88 and beat on it some more. The only reason I sold it was because I started my current project and knew I would need my transmission to be able to handle more power and abuse. So I bought a TKO600 and had American Powertrain do their "Sure Shift upgrade" so it could handle 6500-7000rpm shifts. I thought about getting it faceplated but I figured that was overkill for a street car. Maybe if when I start spraying nitrous I'll think about getting the gears cryo-hardened and faceplating only if it shows signs of not being able to handle the power....I don't like automatics so I will do everything I can with a manual before I give in to an auto.
stangboy
Founding Member
Oh, and when I'm running my car I drive it like I stole it, which means I powershift. 
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
