TKO Feedback

Anthony · #11 (**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.