TKO Feedback

David Kirkham · #1 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 04:11 PM

There are other options but no one really uses them any more. The TKO 3550 is worthless. 1st gear is too low and 5 gear is way too high. You might as well have a 3 speed because that is essentially what you have.

Richmond, and Jerico make transmissions as well, but Tremec has really sewn up the market.

We are happy with the TKO600. Very happy. The top loader has just gone the way of the dinosaurs. David Kee makes a GREAT tranny, but technology marches on.

David

Anthony · #2 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

There are other options but no one really uses them any more. The TKO 3550 is worthless. 1st gear is too low and 5 gear is way too high. You might as well have a 3 speed because that is essentially what you have.

Richmond, and Jerico make transmissions as well, but Tremec has really sewn up the market.

We are happy with the TKO600. Very happy. The top loader has just gone the way of the dinosaurs. David Kee makes a GREAT tranny, but technology marches on.

When I was "building" my cobra 6 years ago, I checked out all the tranny options, including the tremec, richmond, toploader, and like you said, the 3550, which is all they had back then, was a super wide ratio 5 speed, that I knew without even driving one, it wouldn't be that ideal, and I obviously didn't choose it.

Now they come out with a TKO600 "close ratio", which is really a wide ratio box with an overdrive. If you want a wide ratio box, then your choices are either the TKO600 or a wide ratio toploader. With the WR toploader, you can use 3.07 rears, and then you really don't even need an overdrive. Gear it or the TKO with 3.54's, and I would say 1st gear is too low.

If you want a true close ratio street box, your choices are either the close ratio toploader or and the richmond 5 speed, which is a true close ratio 5 speed, not like the TKO600.

I have run a CR toploader with 3.54 rears, and its fine for some highway cruising. It's not like you're running 4.30's. I have also run a wide ratio toploader with 3.07 rears, and it's perfect for the street, but I thought the gear spread was a little wide for the track.

Overall, I would say the 3 best tranny choices are (1) a CR toploader with 3.54 rears, which again is not that bad for cruising, I think it's perfectly fine. If you really want an "overdrive" like final drive, then (2) I would say get a WR toploader with 3.07 rears, and if you don't want the wide ratio, (3) get the Richmond with 3.04 first, and 2.88/3.07 rears, which I think would be the best option for a true close ratio box and some "overdrive" benefit.

I still don;t think the TKO600 is the best option, and it's probably not as strong as either the toploader or the richmond. I continue to say get either a toploader or richmond.

jwd · #3 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

I still don;t think the TKO600 is the best option, and it's probably not as strong as either the toploader or the richmond. I continue to say get either a toploader or richmond.

But since you've never owned one, this is merely an opinion not based on fact. The MAJORITY disagree.

David Kirkham · #4 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 06:55 PM

jwd,

Yes, it gets better with time. The best ones are trannys that have about 3000-10,000 miles on them--assuming they were not abused. The shift like butter.

That said, don't let ANYONE talk you into the stupid 0.64 overdrive in the TKO 600. It is a boat anchor. 5th gear is useless. Generally speaking, (in our cars at least) the 427 guys run 3.42 gears and the small block guys with big cajones run 3.54's and the small block guys with small huevos run the 3.73's.

Anthony,

It is true you can run the gear options you mentioned--that is what we used to do. I have run all of the gear ratios you mentioned (and even more) until we settled on the above combinations for the majority of our customers. Now, there will always be exceptions. Morris wants to run 4.10's in his car with a 5 speed. I think he is crazy. BUT, if you saw how fast he drove, you'd think I was the one who was crazy. I am sure the BATF will regulate him pretty soon.

Good thing everyone has their own opinion as it would be pretty boring if we all liked vanilla. Everyone has their opinion and that is what makes the world go around!

David

Anthony · #5 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Anthony,

It is true you can run the gear options you mentioned--that is what we used to do. I have run all of the gear ratios you mentioned (and even more) until we settled on the above combinations for the majority of our customers. Now, there will always be exceptions. Morris wants to run 4.10's in his car with a 5 speed. I think he is crazy. BUT, if you saw how fast he drove, you'd think I was the one who was crazy. I am sure the BATF will regulate him pretty soon.

Good thing everyone has their own opinion as it would be pretty boring if we all liked vanilla. Everyone has their opinion and that is what makes the world go around!

David

A question for you. After running hot laps, you come in the pits to sit out a session. What do you do ? put the tranny in 1st or put on the E-brake? Put out wheel chalks?

Didn't the TKO's have problems with the tranny's sometimes locking up if left parked in gear? Did they fix that yet? And, if you put the E-brake on, you may warp the rear roters.

Obviously, someone like morris, unlike most of us, knows exactly what he is doing, and has good reason for it.

Anthony · #6 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Now, there will always be exceptions. Morris wants to run 4.10's in his car with a 5 speed. I think he is crazy.

well, if you look at the ratio's of a tko600

2.87/1.89/1.28/1/0.82 , you will find that there is a 34% decrease in rpm's when shifting from 1st to 2nd, 32% in 2nd to 3rd, 22% in 3rd to 4th, and 18% from 4th to 5th.

I would guess that morris has found that racing the TKO600 may have a little too spaced gears primarily using 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and by changing to a 4.10 rear, he'll be instead using 3rd, 4th, and 5th primarily, which obviously have a closer gear spread.

I remember "talking" (on this forum) to him about his tranny choice years ago, i.e.tko600, and thought back then the gears were kind of a wide spread. I actually met him and his brother at a run-n-gun years ago, his brother had bought a csx4000 car about the same time as me.

jwd · #7 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

jwd,

That said, don't let ANYONE talk you into the stupid 0.64 overdrive in the TKO 600. It is a boat anchor. 5th gear is useless. Generally speaking, (in our cars at least) the 427 guys run 3.42 gears and the small block guys with big cajones run 3.54's and the small block guys with small huevos run the 3.73's.

David

Nope. .82 5th, 3.27 rear gears with a 420HP & 420TQ 351W. Perfect combination for me regardless of cajone size

.

WarrenG · #8 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

jwd,

That said, don't let ANYONE talk you into the stupid 0.64 overdrive in the TKO 600. It is a boat anchor. 5th gear is useless. Generally speaking, (in our cars at least) the 427 guys run 3.42 gears and the small block guys with big cajones run 3.54's and the small block guys with small huevos run the 3.73's.

David

Obviously, you've never really given the TKO 600/0.64 much of a run. I use 5th all the time on the highway. I have no problem even passing most cars and 5th gets me approx 21mpg with my 289 and 3.54 gears.

Anthony · #9 (**permalink**) 08-26-2007, 08:20 AM

I just love these kind of threads.

Kind of reminds me of the Big vs Small block and 427 vs 289 fia threads years ago. Brings back memories.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Good thing everyone has their own opinion as it would be pretty boring if we all liked vanilla. Everyone has their opinion and that is what makes the world go around!

David

Ain't that the truth.

I think for the most part there is no perfect tranny for all circumstances, and in reality, whichever tranny you pick, there will be some compromising, jujst depends upon what you want to compromise.

Anthony · #10 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

But since you've never owned one, this is merely an opinion not based on fact.

You're right, and I'll never own one. It's not that I think it's a bad tranny, just that I think the other options get you what you want with maybe a bit more durability. The only way I would contemplate buying one is if they came out with one with a gear spread similar to a CR toploader with a 0.86 OD or something like that.