Need some input from the transmission guys

[blubyu87gt]

So the other night I was running a guy in a Pantera when I busted the T5.
Got around to getting under the car and checking it out and looks like the input shaft will spin but the output shaft doesnt. Pretty obvoius in that case that the thing needs to be opened up and all...

Questions are: Is the T5 even worth rebuilding? How much would it cost to fix if the rest of the tranny was rebuilt about 20k ago? Whats the most cost effective way to go? I know very basic info for them so looking for some advise and costs on it.

Thanks guys!

[MonteC]

Personally I would dump the t5. Sounds like you broke the input shaft or took all of the teeth off of 4th gear.

At the very least you are gonna need an input shaft, maybe a countershaft. To me the t5 just isnt worth it. You should invest in a better transmission. Either go AOD or pony up for a tremec.

[WTFWSAT]

Depending on your HP level the t5 isnt good for much over stock. Some people have had good luck with g-force internals theyre suppose to be good for up to 500hp. Check out astro performance.

If your shooting for over 500hp i would go with a tremec 3550 (i think thats the correct model) or a t56. Ive driven a few cars with the tko 500 and 600 and personally i didnt like how they shifted.

[blubyu87gt]

Havent had it on a dyno to know the exact power levels. Closest I have to knowing power level is the little hp/tq tab in Binary editor. Im not sure how accurate it is though.

The tko, 3550, or t56 are what I was looking at doing. Thoughts or recommendations? I like having a manual personally so not really interested in an auto. Was just not wanting to go through the whole nickel and dime for supporting parts to make a different tranny fit the car(ie: bell housing, crossmember, driveshaft modificaions.) Any cheapish DIY hints, tips, parts suppliers you can offer?

[AverageJoe]

I think you should build the t5 and buy my lakewood bellhousing.

[Blue Skunk]

Trashcan the T-5 and go with anything else. The 3556's are ok but are getting harder to find and not much better than the T-5. Any TKO will be best.

[Harry]

Havent had it on a dyno to know the exact power levels. Closest I have to knowing power level is the little hp/tq tab in Binary editor. Im not sure how accurate it is though.

The tko, 3550, or t56 are what I was looking at doing. Thoughts or recommendations? I like having a manual personally so not really interested in an auto. Was just not wanting to go through the whole nickel and dime for supporting parts to make a different tranny fit the car(ie: bell housing, crossmember, driveshaft modificaions.) Any cheapish DIY hints, tips, parts suppliers you can offer?

If you are wanting to DIY, Buy the Tremec and stick it in. T5s are junk.

[jrh68]

As said above,if the car isn't gonna see slicks or powershifts a g-force or astro t5 should do the trick up to around 500hp. You'll still be changing the clutch disc since both of those use a 26 spline input.

Best bet would be a Tremec or t56. If using slicks skip the 3550 (non tko) since it uses a 28 spline output shaft that will twist/break pretty easy.Also the newer tko 500/600 are made with stronger alloy gears and shafts than the old tkos,but can be hit or miss with shift quality.
Liberty has synchro and shift rail mods to make them slick though....

[gearmesh, inc.]

I have had much more customers that ditch the T5 and go AOD vs. going from an AOD to a T5. Once you drive a car with a properly acting AOD and a stall converter, you will forget all about rowing your own gears.

That being said, I have two AOD cores that both came out of fox body Mustangs. The Mustang valve body along with the Transgo AOD-HP shift kit will give you shift points for the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts at 5800-6000 rpm by just leaving the shifter in drive. You won't have any more drama from missed shifts, clutch replacements, or inconsistent launches like you can get with a stick. An AOD with this shift kit and a solid input shaft will handle 600hp with ease. That's way more than any T5 could stand and your torque boxes will thank you, too.

I even have the factory shifter, shift cable, tv cable, and cooler lines on hand for a fox body Mustang if you decide to go automatic.

[blubyu87gt]

First off, thanks for the info and advise guys. As stated earlier IÔÇÖm not a very big transmission guy and my experience with them is break, find a deal on another one, swap, repeat. :bigthumb: With this one I would like it to actually handle what I am throwing at it.

I am really leaning to the TKO600. It has the capacity for what I have with a little room to grow. Also seems to be the most cost effective way to go. The t56 is a close second but seems that the only real benefits are being able to say "oh look me gots a 6 speed!" and 100 more lb ft advertised tq capabilities. At an extra 800-1000 dollars to get the swap done I think I will be just as happy with a 5 speed..

Was looking at the AOD route and was seriously considering it but I enjoy rowing my own gears. CouldnÔÇÖt find much info on costs to do the swap either so kinda scrapped the idea.

[gearmesh, inc.]

The one common complaint that I have heard about the TKO series transmissions is that they don't shift as fast and easy as a T5 does. However, the T56 comes pretty close, which is way better than the TKO series.

Of course, if you break a T56, those internals are high dollar compared to T5 internals. Expect to pay twice as much for the same function part in a T56 vs. a T5.