Phantom Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Jeromio - I was looking at the Richmond website the other day. It managed to confuse me on the gear ratios. I also wasn't quite sure if it was a dimensional clone to the T56 as far a length, shifter location, bell housing bolt pattern, etc. I just didn't have that information available at the time. Also got confused on the gear ratio's and the way they did them. It didn't appear that they really had many more options than the standard T56. What have you been able to decipher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Well, except for the clunky stock shifter, I'm perfectly happy with the T56 thus far. I was just throwing out the Richmond as another possible alternative.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Know what you mean about the shifter. THe problem is that the aftermarket smooth move ones are like $200. I just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money yet. Too many other things I want first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Dreamer Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 In the Sept 2003 issue of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords a build-up of the G-Force T5 is shown. I don't know if there has been any following write-ups by them commenting on this buid-up. I too have spoken with G-Force personel, including the tech assembly people, and all of them have been open and frank about this T5 upgrade. G-Force Transmissions has been a leading competitor in serveral forms of racing and has a great name in those santioned bodies. I don't belief that they would chance their well established name by selling crap. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I'd like to chime in here and say that one of the reasons you said you wanted the T5 instead of T56 was 1st gear ratio. A couple of later posts stated T56= 2.66 and T5(yours)=2.95. Isn't that a step in the wrong direction? Can they tighten the ratios for the gears up, say startbw/2.33 and modify 2-4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 ....A couple of later posts stated T56= 2.66 and T5(yours)=2.95. Isn't that a step in the wrong diection? Can they tighten the ratios for the gears up' date=' say startbw/2.33 and modify 2-4?[/quote'] That would be the case (for me anyway) and I would want a numerically lower first gear, personally. I is easier (read: cheaper) to run lower gears in the diff on the R200. One would assume if there are custom tranny gear makers out there like G-Force that it would be relatively easier to get a numerically lower first gear like you just stated: a 2.33. It would be the bomb for a turbo V8... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrenp Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 i just bought a for b/w WORLD CLASS from a mustang for $150 to put on my chevy engine. summit racing offers a bell housing to adapt the ford T5 to a chevy engine. and ford borg arner T5's world class are much esier to find than a chevy T5 class. easy and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfreer85 Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I know this is an old thread but was curious if anyone has any updates on adapting a T5 to an LS1. I've seen that some (mikelly?) have had experience with McLeod and Lakewood, both companies that make adapters. http://www.mcleodind.com/catalog_htm/PAGE6.HTM and http://store.wpsracing.com/lablbe.html Now (unless I'm mistaken I have an R230 diff) out of a Saginaw, Muncie, T10, T50, G-Force, Jerico, Liberty, which would be the most cost effective transmission swap for dropping the most weight on mostly street car (not really), putting down close to 360 RWHP. I'm still doing some searching but wanted some more opinions on this as I continue to look. I'm trying to get the car as light as possible, on my 72 with frame connectors, 10 sec roll-bar, mostly full interior, true CF hood, and FG hatch, eventually a PDK dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Man, I've missed this thread, which means one of two things... Work is going well, or I'm getting lazy... Gforce power ratings are very respectable IF you have another vendor buy them and then finish the fitment of the gearsets by hand. The vendors from the threads that Pete and TimZ have started, along with the info in the thread I posted about 5speeds.com losing their Gforce work are all worth checking out... We've got a Gforce fortified T5 in Jim McNemar's Red 240Z and it shifts lik butter. But keep in mind that Paul Cangialosi hand filed the gears and removed all burrs, casting imperfections, and other fitment issues before installing the gear sets into the trans. The weight savings of the T5 over the TKO600 I have is about 25#. The savings of those two compared to the T56 drops significantly if you use an SFI approved lakewood or McLeod bellhousing... That little upgrade costs about 30-35#. And as I've found, then you might be stuck with the more expensive hydraulic release bearings offered by Tilton or McLeod. Don't even think about the cheap HOWE option as it isn't rated for anything above factory power ratings for lower powered V8s. An LS1 would kill it for sure. The gear offerings from Tremec for the TKO and from the various vendors for the T5 are nice to choose from, but you can also do that with a T56. I've preached the word of doing away with the T56 in a number of applications, but I believe that the T56 is a GOOD partner to the LT1/LS1 family of motors for two reasons... The PCM is designed aroung the use of the T56 and compensates for the gearing choices, and so are the cam profiles. Putting the T56 into a carb based traditional SBC will be more difficult, and cause more problems with tuning and drivability, but can be accomplished with the right cam and tuner associated... What all that means??? I'd put a T56 behind an LS or LT1 motor if the car is being used for a lot of daily driver types of use with a little playing on the side... But If you'r going to do some hard rag racing or track day stuff, I'd recommend either a TKO, or a "Custom" T5 (Remember, I'm no fan of Gforce and Bubba) or getting the parts from D&D Performance and beefing up your T56 to Vette/Viper standards before you install it! As always, the standard warning is applied... These are my opinions and thoughts based solely on my experiences with all the above combos. I'm fortunate to have had my hands on all the parts you guys are mentioning. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfreer85 Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Thank you Mike for weighing in, I was glad you did because as i read through the older posts, its seems like you were able to offer an experienced opinion on these transmissions. Trust me they mean a lot, and the 25# is not as much weight drop as I had wanted/thought it to be, kinda of a misnomer when comparing stock T56 to a stock T5, with the comment the "T5 is much lighter" I had read a lot in older posts. One quick question before I have to run, I know its not very well suited for a street car, and are really hard on your arm, but what about like a Richmond T10 4spd, or a Muncie 4spd? Also what about the possibity of buying a one of either the Ford Racing 5spd or the Ford Cobra Racing 5spd (claimed 500ft/lbs TQ handling)? Thanks, Tyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 One thing we all need to keep in mind is that all this data on HybridZ.org is subject to maturity and change. What might be a great solution today is outdated tomorrow! The Richmond or OTHER 4 speed options are not a bad option if you go with the aftermarket cases out there. If you choose to go this route, call Paul Cangialosi at http://www.5speeds.com and chat with him about his experiences and options with newer cases for the older Muncie internals. The older Rockcrusher style cases had serious fatigue/flex issues over time that would kill the internals and cause so much movement within the case that the case would eventually crack in a numbre of areas. Paul has solutions for this issue supposedly (If my memory is correct!) As to the Ford units out there, you can use the McLeod adapters, but once you buy all the parts to adapt the ford transmission, My guess is you've reached the $1800 cost that D&D performance charges for their TKO600, which is a MUCH stronger transmission, but at 100# weight of just the tranny without bellhousing. As the other guys have mentioned, once you crack open a stock transmission and starting beefing it up, it does add weight. I think the best approach would be to forget about weight all together and focus on STRENGTH! I know what I've said in the past, and I've got the luxury of a twin post lift and trans jack out back in the shop... I'm ok with pulling a light weight tranny out for a rebuild, but I'm not sure others with less access to tools would be as open to such duty. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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