T-56 or TKO600 for high Torque engine

[edmonds007]

I have a TKO on my SPF and while I haven't driven the T56 I can acknowledge that the TKO is a little "mechanical" feeling at first if not a little clunky. You can literally feel and hear the gears engage in 1st or especially reverse. At the same time, once you get used to it you'll probably like the fact that it is bulletproof. I havent' hit the drag strip yet but I do like to run it hard on a regular basis so the strength of the TKO was well worth it to me.

Good luck with your decision.

[RMHINC]

Rob I'm building a BDR now, car #435.Performance engineering is building the motor,351W @420 HP.I went with the TKO 600.It has a tight shift feel and it's bulitproof.

[JayBar]

Not so fast. I have an early BDR #78. I ran a T-5 (from a 6 cylinder mustang) behind a 326 hp (dyno's rear wheel) for a track car and 5 trips to the drags. When my engine went south and I replaced it with a 408 (418 rear wheel hp) I elected to use the tko 600, with the .68 fifth gear. All was well till I ran longer tracks. When you red line 4th and go to 5th the engine bogs. It is not worth the shift for only a few seconds. If I had it to do over again and my BDR was a later model I would most definatly go with the T-56.

This is a great transmission. I have one in my 03 Mustang Cobra (dyno'ed at 448 rear wheel) and it works great. This car is 1,000 lb's heaver than the BDR and no problem.
It gives you the advantage of a tko 600 with a .78 overdrive and one extra gear for crusing.

If you must go with a tko get one with th lower 5 gear. While you may intend to cruse on the highway, after the first year you won't and will be sorry you went with the crusing gears.
So the best compermise is the T56 the best of all worlds.

[Rwillia4]

Jay,

I agree with what you are saying. And my only worry is the "stock" T-56 won't hold up. Strength is the only advantage of the TKO. (IMHO)

D&D makes a T-56 that is converted from a Viper T-56 and can handle 650#T, but cost is $3k (or $1k more then the stock). It is reworked with better cones, keys, shafts, syncros, and a 26 spline. Comes from Chrysler not Tremec (some legal thing with who owns the tooling).

Hopefully the stock T-56 will survive or a least long enough so I can recover from the initial $$$, without any fixing or replacing

Rob

[JayBar]

Remember my example of my 03Mustang cobra, that is 448 RWHP and 460 torque, (real numbers), car weights almost 4,000 lb's. I have had it to the track (road race and drags) 5 times and the trans. performed flawlessly. An aftermarket shifter is helpful my group seems to prefer the MGW shifter; I think it is worth the investment.

There are drag racers in my Mustang club running 615 HP who use there cars as daily drivers and drag strip cars, and guess what they use the stock T56.
You have to be realalistic, the huge HP numbers advertised by the engine builders are achieved on the engine builder’s dyno, using his headers and maybe with out accessories, then there’s the loss through the drive train. I would bet that once installed in your BDR with BDR headers and the drive train loss, you would see numbers in the 450-475hp ranges. Then remember you have a 2,500 lb car. The t-56 is more that adequate for the job.
You did not mention what size tires you are running. I say this only because if you are running 15-inch tires you will surely break loose before any damage occurs to the transmission, even using a t-5.

PS I started with a 3:15 rear but changed to a 3:73, a good compromise and I still have a useful first gear.
If you want to see the t-56 in action in my Mustang check out

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...q=dave+and+jay

[Rwillia4]

Great video!!

I just orderd T-56 from AMP. If anyone else needs a transmission I highly suggest these guys, not pushy and easy to talk to. Calling Tom (602 437 2727) is better then the price on-line. Cost $2000 (with better warrenty then ford) and he is willing to swap it if I don't like it. http://www.ampperformance.com/