cosmick

The '93-'02 T5 is WC, with a 26-spline input, and the 18-degree tilt, and it's easy to get at a good price, but it has a 3.75:1 first.
Another common / cheap T5 is the '94-'98 Mustang V6, that one may have a 3.35:1 low, but other sources say it's 3.75:1 also.
I really want the 2.95:1 first, but without having to spend $600+
Anyone know a more affordable way to get the good gears into the '94-'02 T5?
If not, I'm going to disassemble the next 3.8L Mustang T5 I find, right in the yard, just to see if it's at least a 3.35:1

86iroct5

for this v10 build?

cosmick

No, I gave my '86 Camaro to my new step-son, it'll be running a 47RE automatic.
I have a '94 T5 in an '83 RX-7 I just built, and I'm considering re-gearing that car from 2.29:1 to 2.41:1, so there's my experience with the 3.75:1 first.
I have a friend with an '84 Z28, so there's my experience with the 2.95:1 first.
But I'm stopping the 4.8L LSx swap into my '87 S-10, and searching for an LT1 for that. Meanwhile, the 3.4 in my '94 Camaro has never run right, and the 4.8 makes 285 TQ at sea level, so a T5 should work.
The late-'80s 5.0L Mustangs used the 3.35:1 first with 300 ft-lbs.
And even though I'm thinking of trying this in my '94, it still applies to third-gens.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Facts for today:

You can't set a price. The market does. Blah blah blah luck blah blah blah.

Time is money. When you spend hours, days, years avoiding paying what something is worth, you paid yourself negative wages and you still ultimately paid what the market would bear.

There is no GM input to convert a 3.35 Ford box to GM spline/pilot.

The GM and Ford V8 T5 both started out with 2.95 first gear in the early 80s.

A Ford T5-Z has the right cluster (for 2.95) and is not special metal, nor special ratios. It's just a bunch of carry over parts and a tapered mainshaft-to-maindrive pilot bearing setup. But you're not getting one within your "budget" to convert to GM.

The T5 parts market is available aftermarket. Price the whole gearset changeover through a vendor and buck up and pay if you want a V8 T5. Or get an F-body core and just suck it up, buttercup. The ratios are worth it.

Further: the 93-02 V6 T5 also has a Ford case. Then the tailhousing with reluctor VSS perpendicular to the mainshaft is different. So what exactly do you have left to "put taller gears in"?

/facts

Wanna buy a T56?

cosmick

Already knew both started 2.95/0.73, input length can be an issue, input spline only determines which clutch disc, can mix-n-match clutch disc, pressure plate, and flywheel if mindful of measurements.
The aluminum bellhousings for T5 to SBC w/ 28-degree tilt are as rare as the T5s they came with, and don't clear 168-tooth flywheels anyway, which is all you can get for LSx.
Aftermarket steel is an overpriced option, but I'm thinking of adapting the T5 to the aluminum bellhousing from a SM465, as those are cheap and easy to get.
Internal HTOB is possible, shimming or spacing for input shaft length is a possibility since the Ford input is longer than the GM.
Not everyone can do something like this cheaper than just buying the V8-spec T5, but the only thing stopping me is unfamiliarity with T5-internals-interchange.
Counting my time as free is valid if I can't work-for-pay the hours I'll spend doing the mix-n-match.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

GM started with 2.95 and 0.63; keep in mind 3.73 was LG4 and L69 available.

McLeod offers a 153 tooth LS flywheel option. Uses their starter though.

You're right on the 168, since Lakewood makes 82-83 style and 84-92 scattershields.

In my experience with every mechanical and hydro. f-body clutch release set-up, there's no tangible benefit to a HTOB if an external slave option is available. Easy hydro. changes are IMO, a benefit.

I go (and went) out of my way not to play too many games with shims and length, so I could keep using the same driveline. So, a mechanical 1995 T56. I've done a stock-GTO/F-body length TR6060 build as well. Not "kinda close" like those you'll see everywhere like on eBay.

I'm strongly in favor of the V8 ratios. Burn your time on classified, craigslist, eBay and whever else until you find the "right" box; TBI 88-92 models had the taller 0.63 5th; Those are my favorite.

cosmick

Been doing spreadsheets, and reading on Mustang forums. I'm just going to get a '93-'02 Camaro T5, I found a used '89 IROC-Z bellhousing, and if I break the 3.75:1 gearset, then I'll try the 3.35:1 rather than paying $500 for new 2.95:1s

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Let's go over this.

An 87 S-10 is light. If it were heavier, it might make sense to go with a wider (3.35 first) gear set. It's not. And it doesn't. No sane person with a 3300lb or less F-body or S-10 eight would trade a 2.95 gearset for 3.35.

Do you know how the 3.xx ratios drive in a light S-10? Terribly; I drive my friend's S-10 on occasion and I always want 1st gear to be taller / lower numerically.

Further, the further apart in size / tooth count a gear set is, the weaker it is. The 3.35 gearset has zero tangible benefits here.

Ever look at that 10-spline input? The o.d. is smaller to start with. And the splines go much further in. It's a failure point, keeping in mind an LS 4.8 will rape the 4.9 Fords that twisted those splines in T5s. And you'd have to piece together a disc & pressure plate, or take the disc. in for a 10 spline hub.

I'm cheap. But I am cheap when it benefits me. I'm not cheap if it's going to craptasticafy a car. No V6 ratio T5s behind V8s for me. Quit bullshitting yourself into thinking your truck will drive nicely, or be as serviceable, or benefit from all the false sense of economy and horse dust shuffling you're doing. A 3 hour easy clutch change for the truck will turn into taking a disc. to the brake/clutch guys for a hub swap with no benefit whatsoever. A wider ratio set will save a few bucks now and it will never feel great banging gears like a 2.95 gearset will. The powerband of the 4.8 will be better in that truck with the 2.95 gearset, all day long.

I've driven the wider ratio T5s in Camaros and S10s. I've had a few GM V8 T5s behind 5 liter engines, driven the Mustang versions with 2.73 and 4.10 gears and in between ratios. You've already price, pondered and know the cost and know you still want the 2.95 ratio set. Sell some stuff, work some overtime and just do it right the first time.

cosmick

Ok, now that I scored the correct bellhousing from an LB9 IROC-Z, I've read online that the 26-spline input of 2.95-geared T5s necks down to the same minor diameter that ALL other T5 inputs neck down to, so the 26-spline is no advantage by itself over the 14-spline input. That surprised me.
Still leaves the problem of the input shaft length and the gearing, and whether or not the WC really holds more TQ than the NWC, or survives it longer.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Got a V8 ratio T5 in hand yet?