new Tremec T-56 Magnum transmission

[Michael C Henry]

I just read about Tremec's new T-56 magnum trans that is suposed to be good up to 700 ftlbs. The new KIT CAR BUILDER magazine, June 2009, Add is on pp 15 lower right and the article is on pp 24 and 25. I Went to the websites listed and nothing concerning the new magnum transmission. Tried to go to local dealer listed as DarkHorse Performance and hit a stop.. I'm curently running a big input Ford top loader 4spd trans with the 8 bolts holding in to a steel scattersheild bellhousing behind a 427 FE sideoiler engine. I'd like to find out more about the possibilities of a swap to gain those extra two overdrives. I have no experience with the Tremec transmissions. I'd like to hear about how hard are they to shift? How much of the equipment I allready have would I have to be replaced? How much would it move the shifter? Will it fit in my tunnel? I have a lot of questions at this point to ask.
Additional information : 3.56 Jag rearend ,BF GOODRICH P255/50 ZR16 tires 427 sideoiler, Dove alluminum Super Canadian Cobrajet heads, Dove inline 2-4 Tunnelwedge intake manifold, Comp Cam solid lifter cam with shell lifters tubular pushrods and Dove roller rockers, 2- 600 cfm holley carbs and those little S&H aircleaners. Mcleod alluminum flywheel w/steel heatd sheild for 12" clutch,11 1/2" Mcleod clutch and pressureplate. The steel scattersheild is three parts (plate on back of engine and the formed upper and lower, and actually cut to fit around right frame rail tube. Fork type throwout arm. Everything is so tight I have to wedge the transmission in the tunnel to the rear attach the upper formed part of the scattersheild, assemble the clutch then bring the transmission forward and attach it to the scattersheild.

[joyridin']

Look at the top of this page (Forte's). He can help you.

[Rwillia4]

You will love the T-56!! The shift is probably one of the nicest I have felt and way better then a TKO. The shifter hole is in the exact same spot as other trannys. The tranny also comes with a bell housing (is it not steel or a scattersheild). It is longer then a standard transmission and a little wider. You will probably have to shorten your driveshaft.
I have pushed more than the tranny is rated for and have had no problems, I believe this is due to the light weight of our vehicles.

[mikeforte]

Hi Michael,
I have a few on order right now. It is a really stout gearbox with MANY improvements from the stock T-56 of yesteryear....
Please call me with any questions.

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Rwillia4

You will love the T-56!! The shift is probably one of the nicest I have felt and way better then a TKO. The shifter hole is in the exact same spot as other trannys. The tranny also comes with a bell housing (is it not steel or a scattersheild). It is longer then a standard transmission and a little wider. You will probably have to shorten your driveshaft.
I have pushed more than the tranny is rated for and have had no problems, I believe this is due to the light weight of our vehicles.

Actually the Magnum is quite a bit different than the T-56 you have. Though I am waiting for the product to mature a bit before we start using it.

[Rwillia4]

I was guessing that it is the rebuild kit that takes the power rating up to 800-850 #/Trq . If this is the case the external dimensions remain the same. The rebuild kit is internal parts: bearings, syncros, dog gears,...

If this is a totally different configuration can someone post some information about it?

[blykins]

It's rated for 700hp/700lb-ft. It uses a 26 spline, longer input shaft, so you will need a different bellhousing than the typical Ford T-56. It also has the same shifter configuration as the TKO 500/600, where the shifter can be relocated to different positions to fit the vehicle.

Michael,

I steer customers away from the T-56. Unless you're running a 4.88 rear gear, I see no advantage to having the extra bulk of the T-56. In several of the replicas, the T-56 won't physically fit without a lot of work.

You would still get 600 lb-ft of torque from a TKO 600. It's going to be about $800-900 cheaper than the Magnum T-56, and it will be a lighter/smaller box.

Depending on what clutch you're using now, to swap over from a Toploader to a TKO would require a different clutch kit, clutch fork, and a TKO with a short input shaft conversion.

To swap over to a Magnum T-56, you would need a different clutch, different bellhousing, and a different clutch fork/pivot.

[mikeforte]

Hi,

The New T-56 Magnum is physically the same size as the early production T-56. It is MUCH more adaptable than early T-56. With multiple shifter locations, optional gear ratios, electronic or mechanical speedo, and bellhousings available to fit most common engines and adapters to fit odd combos too. This T-56 Magnum is what we have been waiting for years to be made.

As for 4.88 gears I don't go along with that. You have a choice of the .62 or .50 6th gear. This is actually a nicer gear spead than any T-56 to date except the Aston Martin which shares the same 5th & 6th gear.

As one of the 10 ELITE Tremec distributors, I have touched and seen these along with factory training about the benefits. Hell, I was asked how I would like to see it made....

[blykins]

Mike, I'm not trying to make this an argument between venders.

However, most of the guys here roll around with 3.27-3.55-3.73 gears. You have the occasional Cobra with the deep rear gears, but remember that most of these cars either use transplanted BMW rearends or transplanted Ford 8.8 rearends. These guys with 3.27-3.31 gears would not benefit much, if any at all, from a .50:1 overdrive.

Now granted, most of the newer muscle cars from Ford/GM available with the T-56, such as the Mustang Cobra, Corvette, etc, have the higher rear gears with the additional .50:1 overdrive. I've had as much seat time in these as the next guy and shifting into 6th gear at anything below 75-80 mph is pointless.

To me, a T-56 is more of a bragging right than anything else....."...oh yeah, well my transmission has SIX speeds...."

With the added cost, size, and weight over a TKO 600, the benefits for the average street car and Cobra guys are negligible.

Again, I'm not trying to see which one of us can out-pee the other one, but like me, I'm sure you have the customer's best interest at heart, and in my opinion, this transmission (along with a regular T-56) is not the best match for a Cobra.

[joyridin']

I have a 4.56 rear gear in my Cobra with an MN12 T-56. It doesn't even hit 2k RPM at 60 mph. If you have a hefty cam with a higher torque curve, this trans isn't going to benefit you. I couldn't imagine having 3.73 gears. I'd probably end up driving around in 5th gear all the time.

Oh..forgot...it took a LOT of modifications to install it. It wasn't the length that killed me, but the diameter of the trans. It has probably a 12" diameter all the way back to the end of the trans except the last 3-4 inches. I had to literally cut the whole center section of the frame out and build a new one. There is just no room compared to the old 4 speed.

[Fordzilla]

I'm a Toploader guy. I would keep the Big In/ Big Out Toploader. Regards,