.boB

Picking one transmission over another simply by cost is - IMO - foolish. It will end up costing you twice as much later on. I think you should take a carefull evaluation of your car, your driving, and your goals. Drag racing beats up a transmission like nothing else. Road racing, not so much. Pick the trans that fits that goal. Then go just one step higher. Picking the top of the line monster tremac may actually hurt your performance if you don't need it.

There's a lot of advantages to a well built T5. Starting with weight. Power:Weight is king. The lighter the car is, the faster it will be. We all know that, but sometimes forget it when making decisions like this. Since it's a T5 at heart, it's a simple R&R, with no mods at all. Bigger heavier transmissions are like diffs - they take more power to run. More parasitic power loss. Not much, mind you. But some. Why use a 8.8" diff instead of a 9"? We all know why.

Building a killer car is not simply a matter of collecting the biggest baddest parts you can find, and then bolting them together. You have to pay attention to the car as a package, and how each part fits in that package. For someone like Project 5.G0, a well built T5 is probably a much better choice.

But, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

302army187

this is true.


but for me, i currently have a AOD, witch is very very heavy.

i think in the end the TKO600 is a "heavy" transmission, but im still willing to bet that the AOD is heavyer

absolutbspec

I been watching this tread slowly get Jacked. LOL.

Lots of good info in this. A lot of people are interested in doing the same thing this winter as i am.

I think im gonna jump up to the 600, due to the gear and plans for next winter.

Project 5.GO!

Slowly? It got jacked right away!

302army187

meh, its all for the greater good!

AmericanPowertrain

The transmission is a direct bolt-in, with no cutting and the correct shift position. The only changes that need to be made are a bell housing swap, a new slip yoke, a driveshaft spacer and a little messing around with the cross member. It is a weekend job. AP

AmericanPowertrain

I have a TKO customer with a Road Runner (3800lbs) running a 540 Hemi and an 871 blower. He dyno'd at 920ft-lbs at the rear wheels and drives the car like a Grand Theft Auto SIM. After three years the TKO600 is doing just fine and he is still grinning from ear to ear. Hard to beat that kind of durability.

Project 5.GO!

How about the stocker shifter on that thing? Is it a pos like the original Ford shifter? If it is, or even if it's respectable, but not top-notch, that's another thing, because most folks have aftermarket shifters that they won't be able to reuse.

AmericanPowertrain

The t5 shifter is an absolute POS from the factory, with a sheetmetal plate that flexes like a double jointed hooker and feels terrible. We generally replace that shifter with a billet piece that includes safety stops to protect the rails when shifting hard.

The TKO, on the other hand, comes with a billet shifter from the factory that is designed as a replica of the HURST Billet Pro. It has an adjustable centering spring system and a smooth floating yoke design. It does not have external shift stops, but it is solid gold compared to the t5 shifter. We do have a billet shifter with stops for the TKO if customers want it, but the TKO also has some pretty hefty steel shift rails, steel stops and steel forks to protect it from Gorillas at the wheel, all stuff the t5 lacks.

Bottom line: Yes, the TKO shifter is a heck of a lot better piece in every way compared to the t5.

Jon82387

I've been looking into getting a tko500 recently, im wanting to get the 10spline one only b/c i just purchased a brand new centerforce D/F clutch for my t-5 i have atm, but its gonna be gettin pulled soon......(its a astroperformance rebuilt t-5 the 450ish hp one, it didnt last 6 months even....)

How much durability am i going to lose if i go with the 10spline instead of the beefier one?