Lot's of folks put big torque in front of T5's and they live. It's tough to say how long. Depends on how you drive. If you drive hard and shift hard, the T5 will probably last just about long enough for you to get that tremec on order! If you shift easy and don't push it that hard, it'll probably live for a while.

 

Put some good street slicks on it and dump the clutch once from about 3500 RPM.

Instant Box-O-Parts.

 

Ya what Wade said, I have run the t-5 in my 86 convertible for 5 years and had many
mid 12 @ 110 mph second runs on the tranny and it still works great, the thing I always ruin is the clutch,
better to have a clutch that gives out before the tranny, except now I have a dual friction centerforce, just don't miss to many shifts.

 

Originally posted by Ozona:
Put some good street slicks on it and dump the clutch once from about 3500 RPM.

Instant Box-O-Parts.

More like "Box-O-Gravel"! Just for conversation and braggin', I have what's left of the teeth on my last T5 3rd gear in a zip-lock in my Cobra door pocket.

 

T-5Z's can handle almost the same torque as a 3550 Tremec. It's the shock that splodes em.
Marc A

 

I agree with the above comments by Marc and Wade. I have had a T5 behind my supercharged engine in a Mustang and now in the Cobra and it is still hanging in there with no complaints. The car was recently dyno'd at over 400 ft lbs at the wheels at only 2300 rpm way above the factory rating for the T5. But to make it live, I don't use slicks and I don't powershift.

 

AWESOME story Wade!

The T5Z is not as durable as a 3550, for the marginal extra expenditure it's worth it. The first time you blow up the T5Z the extra money for the 3550 would have been CHEAP.

IMHO if you want to use a T5, you should use a T5Z. My opinion would be to start with a 3550. The first time you blow up a T5 the tremec just became half the price of TWO T5's.

Anyways, maybe it's just me and Wade, but I can grenade a T5 by just STANDING next to it.

[ November 14, 2002, 08:54 AM: Message edited by: Ozona ]

 

Don't buy a new T5 or T5z get the 3550, but if you're going the donor route, use the T5 until you blow it up, then replace it with a 3550.

Brendan

 

For less money than a new T5Z or 3550 I would get one of Gordons rebuilt T5 trannys. These thing will hold up under 600FT Lbs of Torque. The price is better and I believe Gordon has a warranty on the tranny.

There is a 408 with 550 FT Lbs torque running this tranny here. It gets raced alot.

Mike

[ November 14, 2002, 12:53 PM: Message edited by: mikiec ]

 

Check out the input shafts. See the difference.
Bigger is always better......At least that is what my wife...oh never mind.........

 

BillKnight,
My 302 Vortech blew mine all to hell in hurry!

Now I have a tremec and 420 RWH and no problems.
Thanks,
Ron FFR1738

 

Give me more information obut the "Gordon" tha rebuilds the T-5.
Thanks
Bill Rodman

 

Bill,

Gordon Levy runs Levy Racing and is a forum vendor and FFR builder. Another person you can talk to is Mike Forte at Forte's Parts Connection . Mike's also a forum vendor, knows a ton about tremecs, and even machine's them to fit in the FFR for free.

Brendan

 

mikiec - I've heard nothing but good things about Gordon's T5's, but 600 ft-lb?!?!

 

If you use the T5 make sure you have a Tremec savings fund because unless you baby the gears I bet you will break the T5. The gears on the Tremec are almost twice the size. I had a T5Z behind a crate 351W..no problem. HP was boosted to the 455 range and third gear was toast the first time I dug down into it. It's traction and sudden TQ that will snap the T5. The 392 makes big TQ.