Shifters for Tremec's ?

[FUNFER2]

I just ordered a new Tremec 600. My first was their 3550 and stock shifter. I never had an issue, even shifting fast (not speed shifting) into 3rd gear. Just wanting to try something different than stock. I won't be racing much anymore, just a few track days and street fun, but I do like,...fun banging a few gears.

From the old threads I've seen the two top shifters are the Steeda and Pro.

Why one over the other ?

Any updates or further reviews ?

[Texasdoc]

I love my MGW. A little more pricey but worth it. Lots of posts on this (if the search function works).

[FUNFER2]

Actually the price isn't bad at $210.

Have you tried other brands ?

On this tablet I can't get the search to work ?
That's why I can't research shifters, but it may be working ?

[FUNFER2]

I see you have a LSC, a few of use are trying to get a forum going again. I don't know if we are talking the old type or the new owners that are only sm blks or not
You can see the thread/s on the front page, so join us.

[sdonnel]

I'll second the MGW. When shifting quickly from 2-3, I usually use my thumb, or the palm of my hand and simply push it out of 2nd. It will automatically center directly in between the 3-4 position. Never been a problem. If you get one and take it apart, they are built with some serious strength in mind.

Scott

[jhv48]

From what I’ve read, heard, and experienced, the problem with TKO 600 gearboxes is internal and should be addressed before upgrading the shifter.
In my case, I replaced my TKO’s stock shifter with a Steeda model and it made no difference in shift quality. Still shifted like a truck.
Finally bought a blueprinted trans and haven’t missed a 2-3 shift since then.
If you have the time and haven’t installed the trans yet, do a search here and take the trans to a specialist for blueprinting. That’s about the only way to smooth out a TKO. Then you can use any shifter you want.

[FUNFER2]

Originally Posted by Texasdoc

I love my MGW. A little more pricey but worth it. Lots of posts on this (if the search function works).

If you have the Tremec 600, did you use the "Mid Shift"location ?
What part number is your MGW ?

[Texasdoc]

The forum has been having lots of upgrade troubles lately.

I haven't tried any of the others. Everyone has an opinion of the one or two that they tried. Basically, anything is better than stock. They all should have positive stops. I selected the MGW because I didn't find anyone who didn't like it. There are random posts of people who didn't like the others for this reason or that.

[vector1]

I have a tko600 in two vehicles, one with the stock whatever comes with it, and another with the pro 5.0. Can't tell much difference between the two and the stock shifts better I believe though it has more miles on it. I wouldn't waste the money again. The pro 5.0 is on a liberty gear upgraded tranny also, can't tell much difference in the trannies either. I wouldn't get too excited about spending more money on 'upgrades'.

[Jim Vander Wal]

The problem with shifting the TKO-600 is, well, that it's a TKO-600. I wouldn't expect miracles even with expensive upgrades; been there, done that, spent the money.
Jim

[FUNFER2]

My first Tremec was the 3550, I had no issue's at all, maybe I was lucky ?

[vector1]

I replaced a 3550 with the 600 for the better gearing. Never any problems with the 3550, even think it shifted better then the 600. The 600 shifts like and always will shift like a truck tranny.

[eschaider]

The problem with the TKO shift quality is directly related to the transmission interlocks between the first /second shift rail and the third / fourth shift rail. You can bolt on any shifter to the transmission and unless the synchronization / timing between the two shift rails and the interlock mechanism is fixed the transmission will shift as bad as ever.

There is only one aftermarket firm I know of that offers replacement shift rails with the timing properly corrected and that is Liberty. Their fix, will fix the Tremec shifting problem. When you do it (if you do it) spend the additional monies to get the carbon fiber faced synchronizer blocking rings. They have a much higher coefficient of friction than the OEM brass rings.

Liberty also offers a countershaft upgrade for the front bearing. I highly recommend the up grade it will save you pain and suffering if you do it now rather than later.

The interlock fix will fix the shifting bad manners and the front bearing support upgrade will improve the long term reliability of the box.

Ed

[vector1]

Originally Posted by eschaider

The problem with the TKO shift quality is directly related to the transmission interlocks between the first /second shift rail and the third / fourth shift rail. You can bolt on any shifter to the transmission and unless the synchronization / timing between the two shift rails and the interlock mechanism is fixed the transmission will shift as bad as ever.

There is only one aftermarket firm I know of that offers replacement shift rails with the timing properly corrected and that is Liberty. Their fix, will fix the Tremec shifting problem. When you do it (if you do it) spend the additional monies to get the carbon fiber faced synchronizer blocking rings. They have a much higher coefficient of friction than the OEM brass rings.

Liberty also offers a countershaft upgrade for the front bearing. I highly recommend the up grade it will save you pain and suffering if you do it now rather than later.

The interlock fix will fix the shifting bad manners and the front bearing support upgrade will improve the long term reliability of the box.

Ed

Mine has the upgrades you mention, you make it sound like the be all to end all, it is not, it still shifts like a truck tranny. Just the nature and design of the 600.

[FUNFER2]

I guess with how much Iliked (not loved) my 3550 and now 17 years later, that the 600 would be great. Guess I should have looked into it further.

[FUNFER2]

I guess with how much Iliked (not loved) my 3550 and now 17 years later, that the 600 would be great. Guess I should have looked into it further.

[vector1]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

I guess with how much Iliked (not loved) my 3550 and now 17 years later, that the 600 would be great. Guess I should have looked into it further.

Come on down to KC, my 3550 is sitting in a box.

[FUNFER2]

I appreciate it, but my 600 arrived a few days sgo. I'll give it a try.

[FUNFER2]

Curious, being in a box, is it new ?

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by vector1

Mine has the upgrades you mention, you make it sound like the be all to end all, it is not, it still shifts like a truck tranny. Just the nature and design of the 600.

Actually you are pretty close to the mark Vector. The TKO boxes were Tremec's first cut effort to get higher torque capacity boxes into the aftermarket for the increasingly ever more powerful performance engines that were emerging at the time.

Tremec did what they knew best how to do for higher torque applications, they increased gear tooth width and increased the center to center distance on the main and countershafts. What they did not do was upgrade the 1st generation synchronizer blocking rings in the transmission. They also carried over what was essentially a truck transmission interlock timing from the first second synchro pack to the third fourth synchro pack.

The new center to center distances for the TKO main and countershafts was either 82 or 83 mm I can't recall which anymore. Between the truck transmission interlock timing and the bigger heavier internal gearing the transmission was not even remotely like the elegant shifting T5 units that preceeded it. Even worse the OEM's were putting pressure on Tremec for their new six speed offering that eventually became what we now know in the aftermarket today as the T56.

Interestingly, at 85mm, the T56 had slightly larger center to center dimensions than even the TKO family transmissions had, if I remember correctly. The two big differences were that they produced a performance style interlock timing for the T56 shift rails and equally important they went to high friction double and then later triple cone synchronizers.

The new technology synchronizers brought massive improvements in the friction surfaces between the blocking rings and the wider, larger diameter main and countershaft gears. Both of these improvements allowed the new T56 transmission to shift both up and down seemingly effortlessly especially when compared to a TKO.

Normally you would expect a manufacturer to use a trickle down effect with some their newer technologies like the double and triple cone synchronizers and apply them to their earlier products that they are still promoting and selling into the performance market. For reasons only known to Tremec they chose not to.

I am sorry you read into my earlier post that the Liberty fixes were the be all to end all. That was not my intention to communicate that to the reader. It was my intention to communicate to the reader that at the time I had my TKO modified the only firm that recognized the problem and the only firm to offer a commercial fix was Liberty. Although I have not searched for the fix in recent years I suspect Liberty may still be the only provider.

The modifications will not make your TKO shift like a T56 and certainly not like a T56 Magnum. The fix will provide you with likely the best easily accessible solution to an unpleasant shifting experience that many TKO users have come to know. Not surprisingly the more aggressively you attempt to shift a TKO the more apparent the problem.

Knowing what I know about TKO's today, if I had to do it all over again, I would use a T56 Magnum in the blink of an eye. That is essentially the old woulda, shoulda game replayed on transmissions — not much help for anyone who is stuck in the same quagmire as you (meaning me) are.

The Liberty fix is the best advice I know of at this time for TKO's and the only advice I have confidence will produce an improvement in the shifting experience for similarly afflicted TKO users. By far the best fix is to replace the transmission with a T56 Magnum. I have driven a T56 equipped car and amazing as it sounds, the T56 seems to have a nearly perfect gear for most every driving situation.

The vast majority of us do not have T56's we have TKO's and it is not likely we would go through the cost and effort to convert to a T56 so Liberty looks like the best compromise situation available, at this time, to most of us.

In the FWIW bucket if anyone has found a better solution I am not about to rain on that parade — in fact I would support it, particularly as a competitive alternative. Competition is always good and produces better alternatives for all of us.


Ed