Size isn't everything, metallurgy also plays a role as does the overall design and geometry of the supporting components, e.g. the case. Maybe it's just marketing BS, but Tremec does at least rate the T56 to 700 ft-lbs.
Size isn't everything, metallurgy also plays a role as does the overall design and geometry of the supporting components, e.g. the case. Maybe it's just marketing BS, but Tremec does at least rate the T56 to 700 ft-lbs. I do agree though, the T56 swap is not cheap.
I've been through this several times with customers. Here's the deal with the T56....it's expensive. It really boils down to what you want to do with the car. Just about any way you slice it, it ends up costing around $4k to get a T5 or aod out of a Mustang, and then end up driving away with a T56. If you really want a 6 speed transmission, then the T56 is by far the best option. If you don't ever drag race the car on sticky tires, the T56 will work just fine. It you don't have a cam with really fat lobes, the T56 will give you better gas mileage, and less noise while cruising on the highway. That is where the fairy tale ends. It has an unrealistic reputation for strength. the T56 and the 3550 series are built to the exact same technical specs. That is to say, the gears are the same width and strength, and the bearings are the same diameter. In short, the 3550 series and the T56 are equal in their abilities. The reason the T56 gets such a good reputation is simple. It came stock in the Camaro, and for every 1 Camaro that is drag raced on sticky tires, there are 50 Mustangs doing the same with a T5. It's just a perception thing. The TKO600 will cost you at least $1000 less..eh, probably even a greater savings than that. For those of us who have quite a bit of torque, the price points are much better on the TKO stuff as well. Since most Camaro owners don't race their cars, they don't break as often. In this case, less demand means lower production volume, means much higher prices. The price points on T56 parts are approximately 3 times that of a 3550 series. For example, a 26 spline input shaft on 3550 is $68 on ebay right now. The same 26 spline input shaft on a T56 is $330. So every time you break your T56, you are going to end up spending 3 times as much as the guy who broke his TKO.
Kurt
Size isn't everything, metallurgy also plays a role as does the overall design and geometry of the supporting components, e.g. the case. Maybe it's just marketing BS, but Tremec does at least rate the T56 to 700 ft-lbs. I do agree though, the T56 swap is not cheap.