88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

I was Thinking why no one makes a stronger t-5 case, I have a t56 and had a t-5 and over all I really liked the t-5 the best. even had less hp loss to the rear. it would be very easy to make a stronger case and the demand should be worth making them. the stronger gears are the hard part to make and they make them.

manchesterbeast

dont they sell a kit for rebuilders to beef up the t5? i know they do.

88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

yes the gears not the case though

CrashedMatrix

the z spec gear set.

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

What kind of HP/TQ are you running?? I run the G Force upgraded gears (original WC case), and they claim it will handle around 500 TQ.....

Unless you believe the casing is going to flex like some say. Then I'd drop the T-5 idea all together and get a Tremec....

88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

???? I said I have a t56 but liked the t-5 better. I thought it was common knowledge that the case was the weak point

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

Yes, I know you said you have a T-56 and like the 5 speed better.
There is no stronger replacement for a factory T-5 case.....so if you don't trust them, get a Tremec 5 speed.

Common knowledge that the T-5 case is weak? I've heard of it also, along with other myths and legends.

I don't believe everything I read on the boards.....BUT - I will believe a company that upgrades transmissions for a living. And when I asked them about the same topic, I was told the T-5 case is really no worse than many others.

Of course, with the right amount of flat out abuse, I could break any of them. Just tried to be helpful by responding. No more, no less.

manchesterbeast

for regular street use, ive been finding that the t5 is actually a pretty damn good tranny

88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

I had mine for a very long time until it just up and broke one day when I was driving down the road. of course I beat on it many times before that. anyway I am just stating that if they made a better case to go along with the gears now made I would go back to the t-5. I have rebuilt both of the t5 and t56 and the t-5 case does have its flaws so no I don't belive everything I "read" and least here . BW should have just beefed up there t-5 desighn all around the more I think about it. they could have made a support between the input shaft and third gear. I guess the list would go on from there but, I know alot of mustangs have that same problem as I did.

TKOPerformance

The problems with the T5s have nothing to do with the case. Actually the T5 has one of th stiffest cases for a manual trans I've ever seen.

The problem with the T5 is that it was always designed to be a light duty trans. The original ones (non-WC) didn't even have tapered roller bearings, which made them fairly weak.

Eventually the bearings were repalced with stronger tapered roller units, except for the pocket bearing, which was still individual roller stacked in the input shaft (except for Cobra T5s). This increased the torque rating of the trans substantially.

Then the gears began to show themselves as a weak link. 2nd and 3rd are particularly prone to failure. Double moly and super alloy gearsets, like those used in the Z-spec box all attempted to correct this flaw. Both made the trans even stronger still.

Finally, the synchros become a problem once the gears are replaced. The T5 synchros are designed to be smooth, and aren't designed to hold up to powershifting and other abuse. This is why transmissions like the G-Force and Pro-Shifted Liberty T5s are available. These are rated right up to 500 lbs/ft, which is actually 50 more than the strongest stock T56. These transmissions use the stock T5 case, which can only mean that all the talk about "case flexing" causing transmission failurers is nothing but pure unleaded BS.

Actually, I think the myth started because of a problem that old Muncie M20, M21, and M22 transmissions had with casing flex. There is a company now that markets redesigned Muncie cases specifically designed to aleviate this problem.

StealthElephant

Not to jump in or anything, but is there anyplace I could get info on these aftermarket gears? Used T-5s are pretty cheap....not a bad alt if you can make them handle 500ft lbs.

TKOPerformance

Bob Hanlon at Hanlon Motorsports is the king of T-5 parts. He's got the gears and anything else you could ever need for a T-5 (except a mainshaft, don't even bother asking around they are discontinued).

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

Here's where I got mine. "Bubba" builds them too!


http://www.g-forcetransmissions.com/tran_gt-5.asp

hot69z

I understand that you pay for quality work but im a poor college student is there any cheaper sites out there for performance 5spd rebuild kits????

TKOPerformance

The cheapest full kit you will find is going to be $185 or so, and that assumes that all your hard parts are good and reuseable.

hot69z

is that through hanlon motosports or someone else???

Beast5spdGTA

Why do most people seem to like the T5 better than the T56? Is b/c of shift smoothness?

I agree on the case not being the problem. I have 2 different WC-T5s that have broken rear ends 10 bolt and a 9 bolt, yet both are still alive, one is behind a 350 for ~6 months. I believe power shifting and slicks are the easiest way to hurt a T5. NOTE:1 T5 does "pop" out of 2nd gear, and rev. and grinds at 5000+ into 3rd, but still takes all my 350 and stock replacement clutch and can throw at it.

TKOPerformance

Hot69Z, yes the kit is through Hanlon.

I don't know why anyonw would prefer a T5 to a T56. I greatly prefer the T56 to a T5. I feel that the T56 is a very smooth trans, particularly for how strong it is. The T56 does make a little bit of noise though, which the T5s don't seem to do. The T56 is also a lot heavier. Given the choice I'd always pick the T56 though. The 6th gear is amazing on the highway, even with steep rear gears.

RB83L69

I extremely disagree about the case.

As probably the king of torn-up T-5s, I'll tell you that virtually every one I have trashed, was as a direct result of the front of the case stretching. There's about half as much aluminum, or less, across the front of a T-5 case as what there is in a T-10 or Muncie case. In fact the case is only about 5/16" thick or thereabouts across most of the front, for what reason I don't know; there's plenty of room for more metal if they had wanted to put it there. When you apply engine power to it, the gears want to try to spread apart from each other (I'm referring to the clutch gear and countergear); the thin aluminum foil eventually fatigues from this, and doesn't hold them in their correct place any more. Even Muncies are prone to this, with their half-inch thick case. Any of you that have been around long enough to have rebuilt those, will recall that the case is no good if the countershaft goes into the front easily. The reason is because the stretching of the case enlarges the hole, so if the hole is enlarged, it's a sure sign that the case is stretched. I've thrown away numerous Muncie cases from my 4-speed days, from this very failure.

Once the gears can spread apart from each other, their days are numbered with a very small number, because they cannot possibly survive this misalignment. The teeth don't contact each other right at all, and they rapidly erode each other.

In the 1st design T-5, the front countergear bearing is a drive fit into the case, much in the same manner as the Muncie and T-10 countershaft is. Once the case is worn out, it gets so much play that it leaks all the fluid out, and rotates in its bore in normal operation. That's a dead case. I've got 3 or 4 of them like that sitting on my shelf right now for some dumb reason, I don't know why, they're utterly worthless like they are.

Someday I'll have to snap a few pics of the result of this damage.

The 2nd design T-5, with its tapered roller bearings, also has a little more metal in that critical spot. Not really enough to be a huge difference, but a marginal improvement nonetheless. And, its front CG bearing is a drop-in fit with an O-ring for sealing, so it's not as prone to leak when the case wears out, which at least keeps the trans from being destroyed by running dry.

TKOPerformance

I've seen plenty of problems with Muncies having casing flex issues too. There's something very important to consider though, and that's that Muncies were built in the 60s. Metalurgy, especially in regards to aluminum, was in its infancy then. The casting processes were nowhere near as good as they are today either. Currently there is a company that builds new Muncie cases that are thickened up, specifically to prevent gear spread, as mentioned.

The design of the T5 case is much more technologically advanced. The T5 uses the rib style case, which allows it to be both lightweight and strong. The areas mentioned are fairly thin though, and probably contribute to the T5's lackluster strength record.

Stronger gears will improve the durability of the T5 though, much the same as they did for the Muncies (M22). Of course all this does is move the weakest link in the trans around, but it will get you better power handling. Ultimately the T5 was never designed for the abuse to which it is subjected by high powered, heavy cars an sticky tires. If you want to have a trans that is bulletproff get a Jerico, Liberty, or one of the Tremecs.