T5- The Ultimate Performance Transmission

Belgian1979vette said:
I think it is far to simple to think that the only thing that breaks a trans is the torque rating of the engine.
IMO serious shock loading of any trans, will break parts eventually.
Click to expand...

Very true, but the T5 was a light duty transmission originally designed for 4 and 6 cylinder applications, that was upgraded to handle light duty V8s. They can handle power, for a while...I had one in my Vortech blown 5.0 Mustang, and babying it on street tires it was staying together. Even in that light notchback Mustang, it was on borrowed time, and I had a TKO waiting to to swap in when it finally blew (unfortunately, the car was totalled by a truck driver not paying attention). Honestly, I don't see a problem with running one behind a low torque engine, or one that isn't driven hard...but what is the point of a big block, and all the compromises that come with it (weight, bulk, handling, etc) if you can't really get on it? If you can't hook up the power? Seems pointless to me.
 
1981Z06Vette said:
Belgian1979vette said:
I think it is far to simple to think that the only thing that breaks a trans is the torque rating of the engine.
IMO serious shock loading of any trans, will break parts eventually.
Click to expand...

Very true, but the T5 was a light duty transmission originally designed for 4 and 6 cylinder applications, that was upgraded to handle light duty V8s. They can handle power, for a while...I had one in my Vortech blown 5.0 Mustang, and babying it on street tires it was staying together. Even in that light notchback Mustang, it was on borrowed time, and I had a TKO waiting to to swap in when it finally blew (unfortunately, the car was totalled by a truck driver not paying attention). Honestly, I don't see a problem with running one behind a low torque engine, or one that isn't driven hard...but what is the point of a big block, and all the compromises that come with it (weight, bulk, handling, etc) if you can't really get on it? If you can't hook up the power? Seems pointless to me.
Click to expand...

HUmmm U must have taken Logic 101 in grade school, NO FAIR!!!.....:twitch::smash::fishing:
 
I have broken lots of parts that GM seemed to think were adequate for the application... numerous 7 5/8 10 bolt rears in 4th gen F-bodies come to mind, a few transmissions, etc...and if even the General says its too weak for a certain application, I beleive them (plenty didn't, swapping 350TPIs into 305 cars and found out why). GM could have sold TONS of IROCs with the 350 TPI/T5 combo if they had just built it, but they didn't...because the TPI 350 had too much torque and they knew what the result would be (pissed off customers and a ton of warranty claims).
 
The problem with most trannies is that people also fail to realize that different gears have different TQ ratings. Some trannies have strong 1-2-5th gears.

I have exploded a manual 5 speed and also had an old 4 speed Saginaw that would pop out of gear just going down the hiway.

You are better off with higher TQ ratings
 
Of course a high torque rating is better, but there is much more to consider as for instance the gear spread. Ever consider why the M21 and M22's were such strong transmission whereas the torque rating was not even that high ?

That same gear spread makes for a big difference on how you put the torque through the trans and finally how you load the bearings and gears in them.

Putting a clutch down at 3000 is not going to help. Most of the time it will only make your wheels spin and won't make you go faster. It won't hurt anything occasionally but doing this all the time... just my .02$

http://www.5speeds.com/ratios.html
 
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