After looking over all the installation notes on a T56 in a 3rd gen I am thinking it might be cheaper to get a TKO instead. How much modification is required to get a TKO in place of my T5? Anyone have any thoughts/opinions on this?

 

I hope somone other than myself will answer your question. because i too cant decide what tranny to get. 6 gears would be sweet but if tremec is thougher thats what I want

 

I have Tremec TKO in my 92TA
I got the Trans, Adapter Plate, yoke, shifter and speedo adapter from Fortes Parts Connection for 2250

Installation was straight forward - I didn't have to change the clutch or crossmember and it has a Torque arm mount

1. the back-up switch on the trans didn't match GMs connector- so I had to cut and splice that in

2. my driveshaft had to be shortened - so I had a new one made for $100, 3 inch Steel-

3. the shifter handle has to be relocated about and inch to the rear or you will hit the front of the console

I did this over 2 years ago and at the time the Tremec was cheaper to install and the low TKO first gear (3.27) with my stock 3.08 rear end gear gives an overall first gear ratio of 10.07 - which is comparable to running T-56 (2.65 1st) with a 3.73 rear end

If I had to do it again I'd go with the T-56 since it has a wider range of gears - I think they are cheaper these days-

later gottago


not sure which is stronger though

[This message has been edited by Kenn (edited January 17, 2001).]

 

After talking to Mike Forte I decided to go with the TKO option. I don't really drive my car on the street so the 6 speed was just more than I needed and the final gear ratios are close on the Tremec T56. I paid 2300 for the entire conversion kit and a pro 50 shifter. I recommend talking to him about your car if you decide to go with an aftermarket transmission. He was really knowledgable about installation on these.

 

Just for the record, Fortes can be reached at www.fortesparts.com

There's also another place, www.darkhorseperformance.com I've never used either one, just providing options.

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West Coast GM Shootout 2001!
1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Well I did my T56 swap for about $1700 total. This included the custom crossmember from Steve Spohn, the speedo recalibration box from Cyberdyne, and the 4th gen LT1 high torque starter. If you are gonna drive on the street then the T56 is the way to go. With my stock 3.23 rear end, I can cruise on the highway at 80 mph revving just over 1500 rpm.

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1991 Z28 - 350 TPI, T56, McLeod street clutch, ported plenum & runners, AFPR, Holley Annihilator ignition box and wires, Hooker shorty headers w/o AIR, no cats, Flowmaster muffler, homeade ram-air, SSM subframe connectors, Steve Spohn adjustable torque arm and T56 crossmember

 

I understand that i'm reading an old thread but where did you get this done Steve91Z28 L98

 

It depends on what you want. The T56 is a near bolt in using all stock parts save the crossmember. If anything goes wrong with a part it is easily found and replaced. The T56 is also an OEM trans, and the shift characteristics, noise, etc. are much better than the Tremec which is designed purely for racing. The 6th gear gives amazing highway milage (1,800RPM at 80MPH with 3.73s). The stock T56 is good to 450 lbs/ft., but they can be modified to take up to 900 lbs/ft.

The Tremec is a down and dirty race trans. They are at least as strong as their rated torque, probably a good bit stronger. They don't require too much finagelling to get into a 3rd gen. You start with a new trans, and thought eh cost may be higher than a used T56 and associated parts, a lot of T56s are getting to the point where they need to be rebuilt now, which is a major expense even if you dare to do it yourself (it's very complicated as the parts alone cost almost $500).

Ultimately the decision is yours. Do searches on TGO and read a lot before buying anything. I did the T56 some six years ago and have never looked back. It's still the best thing I've done to the car. I also started with an auto, which I hate, so that factors into the feeling.