T-5 Pita... Tremec Tko The Answer?

jaketuff

Member
Apr 29, 2003
159
2
19
Westchester, NY
In the SILVER pony I have a high mileage well abused T-5 that likes to get locked out of gears (could be clutch wear too) especially in the summer heat. It also grinds going into fifth unless shifted slooowly in the gear. Reverse has its usual grind.

At the track the tranny starts to be extremely notchy and hard to shift this weekend cruising (90*) this SOB wouldn't shift into gear until I cooled the car off, no matter how deeply I pushed the clutch pedal.

Thinking of a TKO to replace this aged t-5...
http://www.americanmuscle.com/frpp-tremec-tko-600.html

This piece should really smooth out the steed... .68 5th... $2300, plus cross-member $65, plus bell-housing $200, plus clutch .... $300 - WHAT Clutch?

$2865...

Intend to have the car at 400lbs-ft max.

ideas...
Thx
OUT
 
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Don't waste your money on a T5 in any form. Everybody talks about super T5's from various vendors and how they are supposed to be so good and hold up under all sorts of driving. The trouble is they usually don't own one. You never hear from anyone that has a super T5 that they have driven for 10,000-20,000 miles or more and not had problems. The T5’s problem of the case spreading so the gears engage only at the gear tooth tips is still present. That causes them to fail anyway, even with the stronger gear material.

I have a Tremec 3550, the little brother to the TKO, that I have driven for more than 10 years and 90,000 miles. It still shifts fast, and smooth, I never lift off the throttle to shift and it never complains or gives me problems. As long as you run the correct lubricant and the right amount of it, they are almost bulletproof.
 
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Don't buy a g force t-5.. Ask me how I know...3rd gear will not hold up, unless maybe you get the upgraded case...I blew up my g force not even power shifting with about 300 to the wheels.
 
The tremec series of tko do shift tighter then a t5 but I find them smooth. I'd recommend a QuickTime bell instead of the stock alum piece and a stage 2 spec clutch.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2
 
The tremec series of tko do shift tighter then a t5 but I find them smooth. I'd recommend a QuickTime bell instead of the stock alum piece and a stage 2 spec clutch.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

I have a SPEC on my other steed... the clutch seems pretty instant on or instant off... How are the Exedy clutches? Are they more forgiving for a DD... Meaning do they allow more slip on the shifts than the SPEC? And I realize the snappier the performance the stronger the material... looking for about 400lbs-ft....

Thx
 
many times shifting issues are also caused by improperly adjusted or worn out clutch. thin clutches are bad about making it really hard to get into gears. quite often a simple clutch replacement will make a trans feel like it shift like new if the internals aren't trashed. that being said, since a t5 is a 10 spline and the tko is 26 you cant go wrong with the tremec and a fresh clutch. the 3550 I bought new in 1996 is still working great in a friends 11 second car.
 
Like jricher said, you can't go wrong with the TKO. I have blown up plenty of T5s in my day with mostly stock mustangs. Once I got my 3550 all those transmission problems stopped. I recently sold my 3550(that I never had a problem with) just so I could upgrade to a TKO 600 for my current project that will have a pretty potent 363 in it. I used to beat on my 3550 daily and it never skipped a beat...I also don't let off the gas when I shift. Put a nice shifter(I had a Steeda Tri-ax) on it and beat on it till your heart's content. You'll never even say T5 again.