Best Trans Upgrade

[Det_Riot]

Well I cracked something in my trans as I'm sure all of you have seen. Car is a 94 5.0

I'm trying to figure out what all i'd need to buy to swap to any of the common upgrades as I'm basically lost on all of them =\

-tko

-3550

-3650

Who else has swapped to any of these, positives, negatives?

TIA

[Slykin]

I'm sure you've heard this before... but why not an A5? Guys are running crazy numbers on them and you can just bolt it right in unless you get an upgraded input shaft/clutch package.

[scottydsntknow]

Oh oh oh, me next me next!

Lol j/k, I did the 3550 back in the day, great upgrade if you can find one in good shape for the right price with a few "gotchas"

1 - You need a tremec 3550/TKO specific FOX style bellhousing for it, a fox clutch fork and a 5/8" driveshaft spacer

2 - Be prepared for a LOT more driveline noise and a notchy as fuk shifting experience (I liked it personally)

3 - You WILL have to trash the transmission exhaust hangar plate (mid pipe doesn't need it) flip your crossmember so that left is right and right is left and then you HAVE to measure for proper driveshaft angle because it will probably need shimming there is no 94/95 specific TKO crossmember like there is for EVERY OTHER YEAR... There is a universal tubular one but you still have to check DS angles and shim with it so save your money and flip the stocker.

The 3650 is a one piece unit and will not bolt to a 5.0 so that is out for you, just like a T-45. The Astro T-5s are SUPPOSED to be good for 450 ft lbs but there is only so big a gear you can get into a T-5 case, even cryo treated. And have fun dropping what like $3k-$4k for a T-56 MINIMUM to get it in there... waste of money IMO unless you are going for all out top end and need that .50 final drive ratio.

If you need any more info on the 3550/TKO swap into a 94/95 let me know, I had it in my first ever Stang, a 91 GT and then pulled it before I sold that and put it in my 95 Cobra and ran it for 7 years like that. It is a great trans, VERY strong, probably the best bang for the buck manual out there if you can find one with low miles that is a known good trans.

You can also just swap in another known good T-5 for super cheap. Just swap your bellhousing and SN95 input shaft as long as its in good shape and you're good. You probably will blow that one up too but its a good stopgap measure and the price is right.

Another option is to grab a V6 4R70W and swap to that with a nice stall and a manual valve body or standalone controller and J-mod. That trans will take 500/500 and you'll go way faster in a straight line... I'm in the middle of deciding if I want to go this route myself, I keep going back and forth between rebuilding my T-45 or swapping in the 4R75W I have sitting in the garage... I've talked to a few guys in KB Terminators with manually shifted 75W transmissions at 700ft lbs bone stock except for the VB. Yeah...

Edited March 31, 2013 by scottydsntknow

[Slykin]

Meh, Astro actually has an A5 kit that's supposed to be good to 650hp/575ftlbs. I've been reading on corral of guys running them way above that too...

[smallblocksn95]

Like I said in earlier, I run an astro tranny and love it. Great guys to deal with too

[1997cobra]

Damn, them astro A5s cost as much as a t56 magnum:ranger:

T56 magnum

Astro A5

[scottydsntknow]

There really is no need to go all out like that. The 3550 is good for about 500 ft lbs and then the 10 spline input shaft becomes a liability. And much more than that power wise you are pushing it with a street driven manual.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[Brian]

Damn, them astro A5s cost as much as a t56 magnum:ranger:

T56 magnum

Astro A5

Yeah but then you have to price a new shifter, new clutch, etc for a T56 swap. The A5, IIRC, you need to change nothing unless you get an upgraded input shaft.

[iRoush]

I'm going with a G-Force T5 once my t45 eats shit

[SniveTroll]

I have a tko-600 with lakewood bellhousing. It takes a beating. If it taps out ill have it upgraded. I have no beefs with it other then a little wine in 3rd. With exhaust and t-trim i dont hear it. It hasnt skipped a beat.

Sent by smoke signals

[revhead347]

Like Scotty said above, there is no replacement for bigger gears. Those T5s that can hold as much power as a TKO series have straight cut gears to compensate for the size of the gear, and they are LOUD. Doing the 3550 series swap is not hard at all. There are several companies that sell a driveshaft spacer now to compensate for the shorter input shaft. So it's not like the old days where you had to have a driveshaft made for your 3550 in an SN like I had to do. I made new exhaust hangers out of S-hooks and washers. Cost me less than $5. There are 4 basic iterations of this transmission: the basic 3550, the old TKO, then the newer versions, the TKO-500 and TKO-600. The newer versions have a more complete hardening process on the gears to get a higher torque rating. Which transmission you buy has more to do with what you are doing with the car then how much power you are making. If you are not launching the car on slicks at all, then a 10 spline input configuration will probably be fine. Depending on how much drag racing you do, or how much power you are making there are several T5 options out there that don't have straight cut gears that will be suitable for most street cars. I started with a 3550 back in 2000, and I have had to repair it a few times over the years. It actually took a long time to snap the factory 10 spline input shaft. I got quite a few hard launches out of it.

Kurt

[95riosnake]

I have a built 3550, install requires what Scotty has already said so I won't bother re-stating any of that lol.

Yes it's notchy but I don't mind it. The only thing I think sucks is that reverse is not synchronized...I got used to it though after grinding reverse a few times after first getting it in the car lol. All you have to do it push the clutch in, then pop it in any gear for a second then put it in reverse. It's not too bad.

[revhead347]

I'm about to go through my 3550 again and try those hardened blocker rings. Supposedly those get rid of all the notchiness. I have to get a customer vehicle done first, then do some more paint work on the house, and my wife needs a tooth implant. Once all that gets figured out I'll start working on my transmission. It never ends.

Kurt

[revhead347]

I'd have to add that the cost of the parts is probably the primary reason not to go with a 3550. 3550 parts are astronomical compared to T5 parts, so if you can get away with an upgraded T5, that's what I would do. A few years back I sheered a couple teeth off of 3rd gear in my 3550, and that one gear set was over $300.

Kurt

[scottydsntknow]

Like Scotty said above, there is no replacement for bigger gears. Those T5s that can hold as much power as a TKO series have straight cut gears to compensate for the size of the gear, and they are LOUD. Doing the 3550 series swap is not hard at all. There are several companies that sell a driveshaft spacer now to compensate for the shorter input shaft. So it's not like the old days where you had to have a driveshaft made for your 3550 in an SN like I had to do. I made new exhaust hangers out of S-hooks and washers. Cost me less than $5. There are 4 basic iterations of this transmission: the basic 3550, the old TKO, then the newer versions, the TKO-500 and TKO-600. The newer versions have a more complete hardening process on the gears to get a higher torque rating. Which transmission you buy has more to do with what you are doing with the car then how much power you are making. If you are not launching the car on slicks at all, then a 10 spline input configuration will probably be fine. Depending on how much drag racing you do, or how much power you are making there are several T5 options out there that don't have straight cut gears that will be suitable for most street cars. I started with a 3550 back in 2000, and I have had to repair it a few times over the years. It actually took a long time to snap the factory 10 spline input shaft. I got quite a few hard launches out of it.

Kurt

You had trouble finding the spacer? They had em all the way back when originally swapped my 3550 into my Cobra back in 2003... Afaik they've never stopped...

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[revhead347]

You had trouble finding the spacer? They had em all the way back when originally swapped my 3550 into my Cobra back in 2003... Afaik they've never stopped...

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

I put a 3550 in my car in 1999. No spacers back then.

Kurt

[OnyxCobra]

I thought for a long time I was going to go with a Gforce T5 or an Astro A5, but recently I just decided to go with an '03 Cobra T56. After a night of research online it doesn't seem like too bad of a job, and it's actually coming out cheaper than the A5.

I want a trans that's smooth and quiet so i sort of ruled out the TKOs. Also the stock T5 case is rather weak.

[Det_Riot]

^i've noticed you trolling around the same trans swaps i've been looking at too! Aren't most t56 swaps looking to be about 1000k more than a similar tko?

[1997cobra]

I can't see why the t56 would be so much more, unless you do everything brand new. A t56 from a cobra can be had for fairly cheap (1k clicky). Then all other expenses are almost the same, such as a bell housing, drive shaft, shifter, cross memeber etc. If you go all out on a magnum, yes it will be expensive

[Det_Riot]

I wish it was just cut and dry. This trans is better than this etc etc etc lol

[OnyxCobra]

Yep, turns out nobody has crap for 94/95 cars lol. And depends on what you include with swaps. I've recently found the T56 to be rather affordable, the price of the D&D T56 Magnum kits is about double the price.

[scottydsntknow]

T-56 is expensive because ppl will pay that much for them for some reason. People see a 6 speed (!!!!) and get all happy in pants for no good reason. They're still going to have issues approaching 600whp if nothing else because of clutches going out and a whole slew of other issues guys making legit big power on a manual can attest to. Cobra T-56 is affordable because it is the 10 input spline variety and it has the stupid .63 final drive ratio, not really any better than a 5 spd's final drive ratio and that 5 spd will have a wider gear ratio to get there. I dunno having gone through the shenanigans I went through to get my 3550 into my Cobra and vibe free and aligned properly... I probably would get the strongest ass T-5 I could find or just swap to a 4R automatic with a standalone controller or a manual valve body. THOSE bolt right up and an auto is going to outshift/out60ft a manual at the track anyway. And a built 4R will stand up to WAY more power too...

Edited April 6, 2013 by scottydsntknow

[OnyxCobra]

T56 can be had for 1000-1500 bucks in somewhat stock form, that's really not that expensive when the A5 Gearset alone is over $1500, plus install, plus you should upgrade your T5 case unless you want to risk the weak stock one. Also from what I saw they only come with 26 spline input shafts which means a new clutch as well. I was planning on a new shifter and driveshaft for my car anyways so buying them for the T56 is really no extra money. Yes I need a bell housing but I can use my current clutch which is in great shape so those prices more or less offset.

It's true the T56 6th speed isn't much higher than the T5, although it's enough to make it worth while; the A5 gearset gives you about the same 5th gear. My problem is i spend most of my time driving between 40-50mph which is too fast for 4th gear and too slow for 5th gear. With the 5th gear in the T56 being right in the middle of my current 4th and 5th gears it's going to be perfect for that type of driving, i can't wait.

[scottydsntknow]

If you can find one for $1500 then that is pretty damn good. IIRC the terminator T-56s were 10 spline inputs but I could be wrong. Is that $1500 for the WHOLE kit or just the trans? Because once you get done with the shifter, modified crossmember, clutch, driveshaft, bell and whatever the hell else nickel/dimes you to death it might not be that cheap. $1500 for just the trans you are probably looking at more like $2500 when all is said and done...

And at 45-50mph with 3.73s and my 3550 I'd just throw it in 5th lol. You could always change to a lower gear too, with your KB supercharger you could probably go to 3.27s or even the stock 3.08s and be GTG.

Edited April 6, 2013 by scottydsntknow

[Det_Riot]

Here's a random question, maybe stupid, but will a 26spline clutch ffrom a mod motor setup work on a pushrod setup? I'm fairly sure it wont but I figured I'd ask.

[OnyxCobra]

If you can find one for $1500 then that is pretty damn good. IIRC the terminator T-56s were 10 spline inputs but I could be wrong. Is that $1500 for the WHOLE kit or just the trans? Because once you get done with the shifter, modified crossmember, clutch, driveshaft, bell and whatever the hell else nickel/dimes you to death it might not be that cheap. $1500 for just the trans you are probably looking at more like $2500 when all is said and done...

And at 45-50mph with 3.73s and my 3550 I'd just throw it in 5th lol. You could always change to a lower gear too, with your KB supercharger you could probably go to 3.27s or even the stock 3.08s and be GTG.

That's correct, just the trans is that much. But if you buy a TKO you need a bellhousing anyways so I don't find it to be much different. yes the stock Termy is 10 spline. It's true its not cheap but its also a great street transmission that holds good power, and down the line if you want to upgrade it you can make it hella strong.

As far as the gears go yeah I could change it, but going with a higher gear is going to make it even harder for me to get into 5th gear right now. I think the 3.55s will be a good match for the T56, with the 2.66 first gear it'll put me at about 45mph in first, about 10-15mph more than with the stock T5.

Here's a random question, maybe stupid, but will a 26spline clutch ffrom a mod motor setup work on a pushrod setup? I'm fairly sure it wont but I figured I'd ask.

I think it would as long as it's 10.5" but I think a lot of them use an 11" clutch disc.

Edited April 6, 2013 by OnyxCobra

[SniveTroll]

Here's a random question, maybe stupid, but will a 26spline clutch ffrom a mod motor setup work on a pushrod setup? I'm fairly sure it wont but I figured I'd ask.

Yes. 10.5" was used on 00' and below. im certain theres clutches that were offered because people done the 26spline upgrade on T-45s. in fact if you contact some of these companies they can help you assemble a clutch that benefits you.

[revhead347]

T-56 is expensive because ppl will pay that much for them for some reason. People see a 6 speed (!!!!) and get all happy in pants for no good reason. They're still going to have issues approaching 600whp if nothing else because of clutches going out and a whole slew of other issues guys making legit big power on a manual can attest to. Cobra T-56 is affordable because it is the 10 input spline variety and it has the stupid .63 final drive ratio, not really any better than a 5 spd's final drive ratio and that 5 spd will have a wider gear ratio to get there. I dunno having gone through the shenanigans I went through to get my 3550 into my Cobra and vibe free and aligned properly... I probably would get the strongest ass T-5 I could find or just swap to a 4R automatic with a standalone controller or a manual valve body. THOSE bolt right up and an auto is going to outshift/out60ft a manual at the track anyway. And a built 4R will stand up to WAY more power too...

I always find that you can get a T56 cheap, but not the T56 you want. Once you get all the nickel and dime parts along with the right gear ratios they get quite expensive. Some people just don't like driving automatics. I don't much care for them myself. They are definately cheaper though. They shift a little faster but suck off a little extra hp too. I think a manual car and an auto car run about the same if they are both done right.

Kurt

[scottydsntknow]

I always find that you can get a T56 cheap, but not the T56 you want. Once you get all the nickel and dime parts along with the right gear ratios they get quite expensive. Some people just don't like driving automatics. I don't much care for them myself. They are definately cheaper though. They shift a little faster but suck off a little extra hp too.I think a manual car and an auto car run about the same if they are both done right.

Kurt

Ever seen a car making decent-big power and a properly shifted/stalled auto vs a stick in the 1/4? There is a reason autos rule at the 1/4 and that reason is torque multiplication, consistency, ability to hold more power and faster shifting. Auto vs stick at the track the auto is going to skull**** the stick. Maybe not mostly stock 5.0s or 4.6s the stick will win but in a straight line you really can't beat an auto done right.

Edited April 6, 2013 by scottydsntknow

[Det_Riot]

Let's keep the debate about manuals. For now, I'm sticking with a manual because I enjoy driving a stick. I'm not too concerned with running super consistent times as I'm mostly a street driver.

[revhead347]

+1

Kurt

[scottydsntknow]

Yeah honestly this is why I have second thoughts of going to the almost new 4r75w with a RMVB that I have sitting in the garage, fun on the street, I love to downshift and I like to think I can rev-match going around corners. Maybe if I build the car right I can take it to a road racing track around here and actually learn to do it for rizzle. I mean there comes a point where you pretty much require an auto to get the power to the ground but that is beyond what most ppl are making. From talking to Zak at t45source he told me the "cutoff" is at around 600whp.

At any rate, staying with a 5 spd in a 94/95 car... honestly for the ease of install, no messing with DS angles or flipping crossmembers or spacers or anything, I'd get a built T-5. Light, buttery smooth, bolts right in, parts available and there are some pretty stout gearsets you can get for them even if they are size limited. Like I said at the level the A5 is going to start having problems that is about the time you want to look at going automatic to reliably hold the power and get it to the ground.

[1997cobra]

Here's what I say. Wait for a deal, what ever it ends up being, get the trans first. Then start getting the swap parts. The reason I say this is because all of the transmissions you have listed, and the t56 will all fit your needs.

[scottydsntknow]

For a good deal to strength ratio its hard to beat a good used 3550 if you can find one... I mean the install kind of sucks as far as the crossmember is concerned but nothing a weekend of tweaking it on your back using a lot of 4 letter words and a 30 pack can't fix I suppose... There is a tubular universal adjustable crossmember on LMR IIRC... However for the money they want of it its easier to make shim plates and flip the stock crossmember.

I emailed Hanlon about rebuild kits for the T45s myself just for giggles... $500 for the kit, another $200ish for the forks, nothing about the syncrhos, $300 for a 26 spline. At that point I might as well just have them rebuild it for me or send it to T45 source for $500 more and a warranty. I paid a lot less for my low mileage 4R trans that'll hold 600whp all day but then there is the converter and MVB that'll add up... gotta pay to play. I might try the MGW handle for my Tri-Ax (the blue on they make for non MGW shifters) to see if that changes my mind at all, but I really hate missed shifts and the car loosing power between shifts even when I used to powershift (or at least I like to think I did) my old 3550.

IIRC my 3550 had a .63 final drive and I think I mentioned that before. Same final drive as the Cobra T-56.

Edited April 13, 2013 by scottydsntknow