Gforce T-5

[Rickd]

I had tentatively planned on buying a Tremec TKO 600 for my new ERA (body in the mold), but I am hesitant due to all of the "stuck gear" issues I have been seeing. The GForce T-5 is priced at $2000, competitive with the TKO (this is NOT the dog ring shiftless racing transmission, but simply a T-5 with the shaft and 1-4 gears replaced with very high quality steel, and either a .59 or .73 OD 5th. gear) Does anyone have experience with this transmission? It is reportedly rated to 600hp. I appreciate your comments. Rick from Miami.

[RICK LAKE]

Rickd Welcome to the family. You are heading in the right direction with trans. I have a G-Force race trans and with the side pipes you don't hear much in drivetrain noise. If your motor is a soft street motor, 500 hp& tork you may want to look at the G-Force 6 speed with the overdrive. You would need for G-Force to get your power numbers,gear ratio, tire size, wieght of car, cruising rpm wanted at 70 mph. You want to have the motor in the low part of it's torque band so it doesn't lug along going on the highway, 2,000 rpm would be the min. A richmond 6-spd is a possiblity as long as no slicks are used. You will need custom clutches, most trans run the GM input shafts. Talk to Doug at ERA, he will give you the best advice for your car. Rick Lake

[Rickd]

Thanks Rick, I believe I will give Doug a call and get his input. I had a Unique FIA for almost 2 years, and that had a standard T5 and mild 302, and the combo worked very well. Shift lever position is critical for the FIA, and on my Unique, due to the T5, the handle was so far to the rear, that I had to use a 427 'bent lever' style shifter (worked great but did not look right on the FIA). The GForce transmissions appear to be beautiful pieces of equipment. I am concerned that no one from Tremec has been willing or able to address the "sticking" issues that have been discussed on this Forum. I know they sell thousands of their transmissions to Ford for the Mustangs, and Saleen and Steeda use them as well. Are some of the smaller, independent buyers getting the QC rejects?? I have seen comments from a couple of buyers that they had theirs partially disassembled and 'extra shims' put in, and 'they shifted like butter'. Again, I will ask Doug for his input. I drive my cobra every weekend, and don't want to risk being stranded 150 miles from home due to a faulty tranny. Thanks. Rickd, Miami, Fl.

[cobrajam]

I mirrored your concerns about the TKO, so much in fact, that I purchased a G-Force T-5 in Oct 06 to put behind my alum Shel 427. I detoured by their shop while on vacation and dropped off a core. Explained what it was intended for (ie lightweight Cobra replica, some street, some strip, some track, etc.), the guys were very attentive, knew what I wanted and assured me that it would work. It was shipped back to me in a week. Input shaft the same length as the toploader so an adapter does not have to be used, and upgraded to the heavy duty aluminum main case w/ toploader bolt pattern. In addition, I think it is about 20lbs lighter than a TKO. Later added a Pro 5.0 shifter w/ adjustable stops, and even with shipping and upgrades came out less than $2500. With the .63 O/D, 3.73 rear, and 335/35/17s, I should be turning about 2250rpm in 5th. I wish now that I would have had them add the hydralic t/o bearing. If you are making plans to go the the Carlisle Kit Car Show in May, they are only about 50 miles away.

[Rickd]

Cobrajam. Thanks for the comments. I am going to run all of this by the tech guys at ERA, as it looks very positive. Thanks, Rick.

[Rick 427 Cobra]

The T5 shifter position can be changed by using a Chevy S-10 extension housing with the S-10 shift rails. Its a bolt on as long as you stay away from the .80 5th gears. Speedo drive gear may require a shim in some cases(shaft diameter) Picture compares a Camero housing with an S-10 but the Mustang is the same. Beware some S-10 came with electric speedo pick-ups instead of cables.
More info at http://www.flatheadv8.org/t5-swap.htm

[RICK LAKE]

Rickd The old line of taking a knife to a gun fight applys here. Tremec sell trans for normal and little racing applications, Under this driving they hold up like and average car. Now we have any where from 450rwhp to someguys in the 1,000+ hp. If the trans is blue printed, it will stand up to some more beating than normal. A straight cut gear is alot noisyer than 30 degree gears. In a cobra with side pipes you can't hear anything but exhaust and wind. With the under the car system, you hear alot more. I hear my trans in my car because First I turn wrenches for a living and people ask all the time for road test and what that noise is. Second my motor is very streetable, no loping idle with a large cam. I can put glass of water on the air cleaner and it wil not move or spill. There are a couple of trans companies that are building or rebuilding some trans. T-56, T-5,and the T3550 to give it alot more strenght. I have a spare T-56 and looking at the G-Force updated kit for it with new main shaft and gears. Better shift forks and the blueprint idea will let this trans handle 800+hp and torque without any problems. There are a couple of people running STOCK trans that have 600+hp and have no problems. Answer to this is even a squirrel gets a nut sooner or later. What motor are you going with? and rough HP? My car started with a Richmond 6-spd. On street tires the trans was great once I got rid of the wieghts off the center force clutch. Get the lowest first gear you can, Mine has the 3.25 first and I never used it. The 2.77 would work alot better. Thetrans mount would need to be moved 1" back in your frame and a small notch may also be needed. If you want to talk call me in the evening after 8:00pm 732-254-3536 Rick L.

[Rickd]

RickL. My car (on order) is a small block car that will be getting a 331 stroker, most likely from Keith Craft. Their "econo stroker" with AFR 165's shows just over 400 HP and 400 Ft Lbs of torque. I'm sure it will be less 'installed', but it is a healthy, quick reving motor, and along with the Aluminum flywheel, should rev quickly and have a fair amount of touque throughout the low and mid range of the power band. My concern on the TKO is not one of strength, but simply of it not getting stuck as so many have reported. The 'sticking' issues COULD BE related to some installation issues (not shimmed where needed, something not dialed in properly), and that is what I am trying to find out. Ford uses thousands of these transmissions, apparently without the problems that some of the replica cobra guys are encountering. I just want to make sure there is some way of ELIMINATING this 'sticking' problem when the tranny is installed, or if there isn't, then get the GForce rather than the TKO. RD

[Rickd]

I had a conversation with a Tremec dealer (also rebuilds Tremecs, T-5's and G Force) and he said that for MY application, using the mid shift point on the TKO 600, there would be no "sticking" issue. He said the sticking problem is only encountered when using the "rear" shift position on the TKO. RD

[RICK LAKE]

Rickd If this is what the tech said, there is a problem There should be NO shifting issue no matter where the shifter assembly is installed in the trans. I think there is 4 - 5 positions it could be installed in, and for HOW MUCH? 3,500.00$$$. NO WAY. Worst is they know they have a problem and still sell it without fitting it. And you want to buy a trans from them Sorry Rick for getting on the soap box. No WAY. The Richmond 5 or 6 speed is a nice trans, Good for 450hp and tork. It fits in the trans tunnel just fine. You can get the orginial shifter to work off it. The g-force trans is not cheap but you will buy it one time and it WILL OUT LIVE your motors You want to talk, give me a call after 8:00pm est 7322543536 Rick L.