Fox 500rwhp T5...grinding Sound When Hitting 2nd...

If it's started happening suddenly, maybe the he cable sheath is collapsing, causing the cable not to fully pull the fork and fully release the clutch. Have a look where the cable meets the trans and see if the sheath is bulging.

T5 with 500hp is your problem. Upgrade or get good at rebuilding.

The noise was the stranglehold the T5 has on your wallet...


I don't know how you feel about the DYI thing when it comes to gears, some people don't like the idea of working on transmissions. If the DYI transmission fix idea isn't something that you would rather leave to someone else, here are some resources:

See http://www.ttcautomotive.com/lit_oem.php to download a FREE service manual for T5 or Tremec 3550/TKO

You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://get.adobe.com/reader/

See http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/ or http://www.ddperformance.com for parts

A T5 rebuild kit with syncros, bearings and other small parts costs about $160-$200. It does not include any gears or shafts.

http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/ also has a video on how to rebuild your T5 or Tremec. It costs about $20, and is worth every penny of it.

I did a Tremec 3550 rebuild, and it wasn't that difficult. The video was an immense help, and I would recommend viewing it. At $20, it will give you an opportunity to look and decide for yourself if you think that it is something you want to try to do.

Alternate sources for the T5 rebuild video...
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...30j0i22i30.0.0.0.9710...........0.Mz886XmDDt4

T5 Shim kits – best product I have seen in a while… http://www.5speeds.com/t5/shims.html
“The Peel ‘n Place T5 World Class shim kit makes shimming T5 counter gear and main drive gears very easy.”

For Tremec 3550 and TKO's:
You will also need a magnetic base and dial indicator to measure the endplay ($40-$120). http://www.mscdirect.com P/N 06444129 cost was approximately $57 + shipping as of Feb 2013


The tricky part is that you will need some shims to adjust the endplay in the two shafts: the new bearings will change the clearance. There is no way of telling what it will be until you get to the point that it is time to measure and check the clearances. Halon has the individual shims if you can wait for them. If you can't afford the wait, the auto parts store can sell you some shim stock and you can make your own, or have a machine shop make them for you. The shim stock comes in brass (easy to cut) and steel, in varying thicknesses. That's where the dial indicator & base come in - there is no way to get the clearance right without it.

Getting the car jacked up high enough to get the trans jack in and out from under the car was somewhat challenging. Since I didn't have a helper, getting the trans out of the car and back it was one of the more difficult things about the job. I built a trans jack out of 2x6's, some angle iron and a $25 floor jack. If I hadn't done that, I would have needed a helper or to rent a commercial trans jack. At 100+ pounds the Tremec 3550 was far too heavy for me to lift by myself.

Sounds like your input shaft may need to be shimmed. Early sound of a rebuild in your future.

In my experience, the input shaft starts getting play in it....then the main cluster starts to walk a little....that leads to second gear chipping and space between the synchros.

I got a quote if 7k for the t56 and all the swap stuff needed for a fox. I'm going t56 but it'll be a while down the road. The TKO600 is notchier than the TKO500. I've driven both and the 500 seems better on the street. The t56 is a lot better, but the 6th gear ratio .64 is about the same as my zspect5 .62. There is a .50 6th gear available for the t56 but most are .64.

A basic decent mechanically inclined person can install the swap....here's the swap list I was quoted....

It is 5778...not 7k....smh. Might as well be 7k to me...smh

90sickfox said:

I got a quote if 7k for the t56 and all the swap stuff needed for a fox. I'm going t56 but it'll be a while down the road. The TKO600 is notchier than the TKO500. I've driven both and the 500 seems better on the street. The t56 is a lot better, but the 6th gear ratio .64 is about the same as my zspect5 .62. There is a .50 6th gear available for the t56 but most are .64.

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That's weird because the 500 and 600 are identical internally, the gearset is the only difference- all syncros and shift mechanisms are the same. There have been some revisions over the years and different builders have different tricks, so maybe that was the difference.

90sickfox said:

A basic decent mechanically inclined person can install the swap....here's the swap list I was quoted....

It is 5778...not 7k....smh. Might as well be 7k to me...smh

Click to expand...

I didn't see a clutch on that list. A twin disc adds considerable.

Gear grabber said:

I didn't see a clutch on that list. A twin disc adds considerable.

Click to expand...

It's on the list, it's a Kevlar clutch set for $550

That poor little T-5 must of been crying,screaming with pain

Mine cries every time I quickly shift into 2nd and 3rd gear at or above 4k rpms. I can't even downshift from 5th to 4th either. I'll eventually be going Astro but first I'll put in my good T5 and beat that one in to submission.

I tortured myself for a few months,between the TKO 600 and the t-56.
By the time you buy a TKO,and do the needed mods,the cost is very close.
But the t-56 is a much stronger (and heavier) box. Since I could not afford to
do it once. The thought of breaking the 600, 6 months down the line swayed
me toward the t-56. My t-5 was so beat up,i could barely drive it the last month.
Best thing I ever did,lots of clutch and tire (twin disc/QTP's) shifts like butter.