[blykins]

Ok, here's the 411...

I break it down into the rpms that the engine will see.

If you're gonna be at or under 6000 rpm, I would use a good aftermarket shifter like a Steeda Tri-Ax and put some miles on the trans. With miles, they will limber up a little and will shift better.

If you're gonna be shifting hard above 6000, then I would recommend some modifications be done to the internals. That's where the Sure Shift upgrade comes in that we offer. The TKO is a mass produced transmission, which means that everything has tolerances. The tolerances of the surface finish on the synchronizers and gear cones give the most problems if the trans is speed shifted at higher rpms. If the gear can't match the rpm of the synchronizer quickly, then they just won't want to go into gear. We offer them with the synchronizers and gear cone finish enhanced, and we blue print and upgrade some parts as well: blocking rings, shift finger, etc.

Most people don't need it. The guys who are really banging gears up in the rpms do.

The TKO will never be a Toploader or a T5, but the Toploader and T5 won't hold 600 lb-ft of torque continuously as a stress test. It's still the best bang for the buck. The T-56 is a waste of time/money IMO, and other transmissions just won't hold the power of a healthy FE.