New Tremec transmission

[Grubby]

Unfortunately for TKO owners, I bet Tremec will offer zero improvements.

John

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by Grubby

Unfortunately for TKO owners, I bet Tremec will offer zero improvements.

John

And definitely no trade in incentives or loyalty atta-boys of any kind.

Considering their demonstrated (or is that demented), unsavory attitude and customer service performance over the last 15 to 20 years with these TKO boxes — not to mention their product performance, why would you possibly be entertaining some type of delusional hope for a product improvement or upgraded components?

A wise man would resolve never to buy from that type of vendor again. Vote with your feet and your dollars! It is the only message that they will understand - maybe.


Ed

[RUFdriver]

Originally Posted by eschaider

And definitely no trade in incentives or loyalty atta-boys of any kind.

Considering their demonstrated (or is that demented), unsavory attitude and customer service performance over the last 15 to 20 years with these TKO boxes — not to mention their product performance, why would you possibly be entertaining some type of delusional hope for a product improvement or upgraded components?

A wise man would resolve never to buy from that type of vendor again. Vote with your feet and your dollars! It is the only message that they will understand - maybe.


Ed

Unfortunately, Tremec basically owns this market, albeit it’s a very small market. There’s no incentive for Tremec to do anything.

[RUFdriver]

Originally Posted by Grubby

Unfortunately for TKO owners, I bet Tremec will offer zero improvements.

John

I would hope Tremec incorporated improvements along the way, so that the TKO600 I purchased this year is the most up to date version. This is what any other manufacturer would do...am I wrong?

[jetblue69]

Originally Posted by RUFdriver

I would hope Tremec incorporated improvements along the way, so that the TKO600 I purchased this year is the most up to date version. This is what any other manufacturer would do...am I wrong?

Absolutely NOTHING wrong with a TKO if you're using it on the street... I wouldn't get rid of it for the TKX. Now it's a different story if you don't have a transmission, buy the TKX. If you're going racing, drop a Toploader or a Richmond Competition 5 speed in it! And if you're racing then the cost of the Richmond shouldn't matter. You gotta pay if you wanna play!

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by jetblue69

Absolutely NOTHING wrong with a TKO if you're using it on the street... I wouldn't get rid of it for the TKX. Now it's a different story if you don't have a transmission, buy the TKX. If you're going racing, drop a Toploader or a Richmond Competition 5 speed in it! And if you're racing then the cost of the Richmond shouldn't matter. You gotta pay if you wanna play!

There are many things "wrong" with the TKO 600 and the other members of theTKO family. These shortcomings have been documented in part in this and similar threads. If you are comfortable with your TKO purchase that's excellent. Don't worry be happy, as the old song suggests. There are many other owners that have buyers remorse and are not at all happy and yet others who experience recurring failures like Hauss who continually experiences fifth gear failures.

Shortcomings not withstanding the TKO. 600 is stronger than either the Top Loader or the Richmond 5 speed. Using either of those two transmissions would be a step backwards strength and durability wise.


Ed

[olddog]

Originally Posted by eschaider

Shortcomings not withstanding the TKO. 600 is stronger than either the Top Loader or the Richmond 5 speed. Using either of those two transmissions would be a step backwards strength and durability wise.

Ed

Hence the popularity.

[Unique427]

Originally Posted by eschaider

There are many things "wrong" with the TKO 600 and the other members of theTKO family. These shortcomings have been documented in part in this and similar threads. If you are comfortable with your TKO purchase that's excellent. Don't worry be happy, as the old song suggests. There are many other owners that have buyers remorse and are not at all happy and yet others who experience recurring failures like Hauss who continually experiences fifth gear failures.

Shortcomings not withstanding the TKO. 600 is stronger than either the Top Loader or the Richmond 5 speed. Using either of those two transmissions would be a step backwards strength and durability wise.


Ed

Would TKO 600 be measurably stronger then even the
1-3/8" big input NASCAR Toploader?

[jetblue69]

Originally Posted by Unique427

Would TKO 600 be measurably stronger then even the
1-3/8" big input NASCAR Toploader?

It's not, I just don't argue with internet commandos.

By the way the Richmond Super Street 5 Speed is good for 600ft/lbs of torque out of the box!

Have a great day!

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by eschaider

There are many things "wrong" with the TKO 600 and the other members of theTKO family. These shortcomings have been documented in part in this and similar threads. If you are comfortable with your TKO purchase that's excellent. Don't worry be happy, as the old song suggests. There are many other owners that have buyers remorse and are not at all happy and yet others who experience recurring failures like Hauss who continually experiences fifth gear failures.

Shortcomings not withstanding the TKO. 600 is stronger than either the Top Loader or the Richmond 5 speed. Using either of those two transmissions would be a step backwards strength and durability wise.


Ed

The old 1:1 5th gear Richmond was rated at 450 ft. lbs. of torque, IIRC. That's the one I have. The new / current version with overdrive has a much higher torque rating, however.

Per Richmond: "The SUPER STREET is fully rated at 600 ft. lbs. of torque"

https://www.richmondgear.com/wp-cont...hmond/RG22.pdf

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

The old 1:1 5th gear Richmond was rated at 450 ft. lbs. of torque, IIRC. That's the one I have. The new / current version with overdrive has a much higher torque rating, however.

Per Richmond: "The SUPER STREET is fully rated at 600 ft. lbs. of torque"

https://www.richmondgear.com/wp-cont...hmond/RG22.pdf

And if you look at the transmission internals they are very nicely done with fully machined countershafts and corresponding splined gears along with an attractive selection of gears to choose from so you can get multiple gear selections to choose from to suit your personal tastes.

Richmond used to put the center to center distance on their engineering drawings they published on their site but I could not find it on the current drawings. Using the information from the drawings they do publish it can be calculated and it appears to be a 91mm center to center distance compared to the TKO's generous but smaller 83mm center to center distance for the main and countershafts. Very nice transmission and very nice Long shifter.

FWIW, the tail shaft mount location iis different than a TKO. According to mfg published specs, the TKO tail shaft mount is 15.49" from the bell housing face and the Richmond is 18" from the bell housing face so there may be a little massaging required one to the other.

The other slight difference is the bell housing face to end of tail shaft. The TKO measures 23.8 inches and the Richmond comes in at 24.0 inches — likely no driveshaft mods required. Net net bottom line a nice alternative to a TKO.


Ed

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by eschaider

And if you look at the transmission internals they are very nicely done with fully machined countershafts and corresponding splined gears along with an attractive selection of gears to choose from so you can get multiple gear selections to choose from to suit your personal tastes.

Richmond used to put the center to center distance on their engineering drawings they published on their site but I could not find it on the current drawings. Using the information from the drawings they do publish it can be calculated and it appears to be a 91mm center to center distance compared to the TKO's generous but smaller 83mm center to center distance for the main and countershafts. Very nice transmission and very nice Long shifter.

FWIW, the tail shaft mount location iis different than a TKO. According to mfg published specs, the TKO tail shaft mount is 15.49" from the bell housing face and the Richmond is 18" from the bell housing face so there may be a little massaging required one to the other.

The other slight difference is the bell housing face to end of tail shaft. The TKO measures 23.8 inches and the Richmond comes in at 24.0 inches — likely no driveshaft mods required. Net net bottom line a nice alternative to a TKO.


Ed

Only 1st gear has one of 3 optional ratios.

Very nice trans, I would have one for next car.

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by RUFdriver

I would hope Tremec incorporated improvements along the way, so that the TKO600 I purchased this year is the most up to date version. This is what any other manufacturer would do...am I wrong?

Yup!

Tremec's demonstrated performance is the polar opposite of what you just suggested and has been for nearly two decades, probably even longer. In fact they still use a two piece countershaft in the TKO 500 with a single woodruff key holding the front and back of the TKO 500 countershaft together. That was one of the driving forces behind the birth of the TKO 600.

Tremec clearly understands the use of splined shafts and gears to transmit torque in the transmission, they use them everywhere, Why would they possibly use a single wimpy woodfuff key to hold the front and back half of the countershaft together? The same countershaft that transmits all the torque from the input shaft to the output shaft of the transmission?

BTW when they built the TKO 600 they went to a one piece countershaft to fix the two piece countershaft problem and then misaligned third gear because they were too lazy to do the engineering to build it correctly. It was a low buck get it out the door quick deal. In the FWIW bucket they never fixed the two piece TKO 500 countershaft problem they just introduced a new transmission, with its own shortcomings.

This idea of introducing a new transmission instead of fixing the existing product short coming is well worn model at Tremec. Think about it, The TKX is just the next box in the TKO line up — this time addressing TKO 600 shortcomings. It hasn't been in service long enough for the end user to discover its shortcomings — yet.

Fixes from Tremec for the TKO 600 — never did it before. I would be surprised to see them do it this time. Don't forget that takes away TKX unit sales for what amounts to parts sales for an old transmission.

Just what have you ever seen them do that would lead you to believe they would perform the way you suggest?


Ed

[Gaz64]

Here is some more info on the 2-3 shift issue.

Note the OP also broke his 5th/rev rail from too many missed 2-3 shifts:

https://www.camaros.net/threads/trem...roblem.345361/