Fox Current tranmission info request

7991LXnSHO · Jun 11, 2018

Hello, I was traumatized by a SROD incident and a horrible and long transmission rebuild process with many callbacks in my first Fox, a 79 5.0 hatch. When I got it, the insurance agent (who replaced it with a turbo Probe) warned me about it banging out of first gear, and it eventually left me almost stranded with only third gear.
In my 91 is a T-5, that past track numbers calculate to 325-350 hp, I fear when I drop the clutch or speed shift, I am going to eventually get the same results from my T-5. So I usually drive smoothly while going fast or slowly. But the quarter mile open track test and tune days are calling across town.
When it breaks, 1. what is the best current choice for enthusiastic driving, 2. What all do I need for the full swap, 3. is American powertrain still good, or who do I order from? Thanks!

deathb4dismount · Jun 11, 2018

My transmission is on borrowed time (pushing 200k miles) as well and I am dreading the day it needs to be replaced because no matter how you slice it, there is no "cheap" way to do it. You should look into Astro performance or Hanlon motorsports. Here are some options you can replace it with;

1. New T5 from LMR or any of the other vendors. Least expensive route. Pros, it's a T5 and has 2.95 first. Con's it's a T5 and is still only rated at 300 tq. Keep in mind that is supposedly 100k miles of trouble free normal driving.

2. Gforce T5 from Astro. Pros it's a T5, not much more expensive than a new one and rated at 425tq

3. Astro A5. Pros it's still a T5, rated at 575tq?

4. TKO variant. Pros, it's rated at 600tq. Con's some people don't like the feel of the shifts (notchy). Will require new bell housing and new drive shaft or changing the yolk on your current one.

Add in a new clutch kit and it's gonna be over $2500 for the least expensive option.

Some people get lucky and their T5 will hold up with a properly adjusted shifter and regular street tires.

FastDriver · Jun 11, 2018

The good thing is that it sounds like you have a back up car. Now, 2 more things you might have going for you: street tires, and a fairly mild, or even stock, clutch. Bad things happen to T5 transmissions when they are the weakest link in the drivetrain. Put on sticky tires and an aggressive clutch, and then the transmission becomes the fuse that pops when the strain exceeds the T5's capacity. A soft clutch can be the fuse that alleviates strain to the trans, and street tires (non drag radials) can also make traction the fuse.

Not sure what kind of times you're talking about, but I had pretty decent luck banging the hell out of gears with a 270 rwhp GT40 combo on the stock transmission, a Ford HD clutch, and Goodyear Eagle GT A/S 225/55/16 tires. I was a little worried I might damage the T5 doing powershifting it and running as low as a 12.63@107mph. However, it held together that way for 2 years and many passes. So, I'd say driver her easy, aka don't power shift, ensure the T5 is not the fuse, and otherwise be confident. Since you have another means of transportation, worry about that problem if/when it actually becomes a problem.

Chris

96pushrod · Jun 11, 2018

deathb4dismount said:
My transmission is on borrowed time (pushing 200k miles) as well and I am dreading the day it needs to be replaced because no matter how you slice it, there is no "cheap" way to do it. You should look into Astro performance or Hanlon motorsports. Here are some options you can replace it with;

1. New T5 from LMR or any of the other vendors. Least expensive route. Pros, it's a T5 and has 2.95 first. Con's it's a T5 and is still only rated at 300 tq. Keep in mind that is supposedly 100k miles of trouble free normal driving.

2. Gforce T5 from Astro. Pros it's a T5, not much more expensive than a new one and rated at 425tq

3. Astro A5. Pros it's still a T5, rated at 575tq?

4. TKO variant. Pros, it's rated at 600tq. Con's some people don't like the feel of the shifts (notchy). Will require new bell housing and new drive shaft or changing the yolk on your current one.

Add in a new clutch kit and it's gonna be over $2500 for the least expensive option.

Some people get lucky and their T5 will hold up with a properly adjusted shifter and regular street tires.

I ordered an Astro a5 about 6 weeks back. Tony who owns Astro is a very nice and knowledgeable guy.

575ft lbs and 600hp in a t5 is hard to beat, especially with a warranty.

Don’t get me wrong, a wc t5 can live for quite a while if you’re on street tires And if you don’t dump at too high an rpm. I had in a 81 luv with a 383 and t5 and I drove it angry every day lol.

If you want to go cheaper, order the gear set from Astro and put it in. T5s can be had used for cheap

Boostedpimp · Jun 12, 2018

Some people have T5's touched by god while others like myself ran through them like beer. With a decent clutch, drag radials etc and power shifting she's gonna get ugly. Could always pickup a used T5 with synchros going out etc and buy the set from Astro and build it yourself.

deathb4dismount · Jun 12, 2018

Boostedpimp said:
Some people have T5's touched by god while others like myself ran through them like beer. With a decent clutch, drag radials etc and power shifting she's gonna get ugly. Could always pickup a used T5 with synchros going out etc and buy the set from Astro and build it yourself.

Don’t they want nearly 2k for the complete set? Doesn’t seem worth it to me.

96pushrod · Jun 12, 2018

deathb4dismount said:
Don’t they want nearly 2k for the complete set? Doesn’t seem worth it to me.

$2000 for a 575ftlb tranny sounds pretty good to me. I mean, it’s not like it’s chump change by any means. I just think if you’re gonna replace something, might as well upgrade

FastDriver · Jun 15, 2018

To be honest, it would be a bit hairy for me to spend that coin on a T5 without reassurance from others who had gone before. Has anyone actually put some serious power, through an aggressive clutch a sticky tire, and the astro A5? I mean, I believe it but definitely prefer to verify.

RangerJoe · Jun 15, 2018

The A5 is the cats meow of T5 trans. Add the upgraded g force case and it's a great trans, but the price gets up there with the other options.

I have a g force t5 built by Tony about 13 years ago and rebuilt by me a year or so ago. It has held up fine for me, but I have only sprayed it with street tires on it. That may change tonight when I shoot for my first 6 second time slip, so we will see
Joe

Boostedpimp · Jun 15, 2018

I personally couldn't invest that much money or faith into a T5. I've been through a bunch of them and jumped to at56 only to have issues that were even more costly. Eventually got on board with a 3550 and haven't had any issues for years now.

FastDriver · Jun 15, 2018

RangerJoe said:
The A5 is the cats meow of T5 trans. Add the upgraded g force case and it's a great trans, but the price gets up there with the other options.

I have a g force t5 built by Tony about 13 years ago and rebuilt by me a year or so ago. It has held up fine for me, but I have only sprayed it with street tires on it. That may change tonight when I shoot for my first 6 second time slip, so we will see
Joe

Hell yeah! Good luck. Well, I hear you about the comparison to the other options. I'm a T56 guy through and through, because I want that deep O/D on the street and the ability to handle 1000+ rwhp. Still, if I were trying to wring out every bit of performance through a manual, I believe that the T5 is far more efficient and lighter. So, it's probably the better performance option.

FastDriver · Jun 15, 2018

Boostedpimp said:
I personally couldn't invest that much money or faith into a T5. I've been through a bunch of them and jumped to at56 only to have issues that were even more costly. Eventually got on board with a 3550 and haven't had any issues for years now.

What?! Surprising! What issues did you have with a T56 that improved going to a 3550? I had the exact opposite experience.

I had a 3550 and a TKO (3550). When new, the TKO was great, but eventually, I really had a hard time shifting fast. I'd read about problems with the shifter rails, linkages, etc... But, I remember it being great when new, even expecting the notorious notchiness. Both T56's in my current cars, and the one in my old corvette have been dreams to shift, and all of these transmissions have handles the power I threw at them. The corvette's had a design/tolerance issue that was costly to fix, but was only related to reverse. 762 rwhp through the TKO (3550), 880 through my g-force geared T56, and apparently 954 rwhp through a stock Viper-spec T56, which I think is really pushing it. But, I am powershifting the hell out of both transmissions making 600+.

Boostedpimp · Jun 15, 2018

From a monetary standpoint, it just made more sense for me to stick with the 3550 but the T56 is a great transmissoin. The extra gear is really awesome to have but I just ran into a bunch of issues with mine. The t56 developed a problem with popping out of reverse but also grinding going in or coming out of 2nd. Had the thing out of the car and opened a few times which made the whole process that much more terrible. Anyways ended up replacing the blocker ring and then eventually the synchro hub, and the teeth on the gear that the syncrho engages on had some wear or damage. Ended up then replacing the actual 2nd gear as well as full synchro assmebly with 1st-6th rings, and of course a new reverse synchro.

FastDriver · Jun 15, 2018

early T56 s had a problem where the gears did not mesh completely in Reverse. I actually had to pull mine twice, and on the second time after much research I found this issue. I ended up having a part within the transmission machined down so that the gears meshed more completely, and I never had that problem again. As far as the rest, I would say that was probably a set of bad synchros and or you had a clutch issue

Rebecca.haynes · Jul 23, 2020

96pushrod said:
I ordered an Astro a5 about 6 weeks back. Tony who owns Astro is a very nice and knowledgeable guy.

575ft lbs and 600hp in a t5 is hard to beat, especially with a warranty.

Don’t get me wrong, a wc t5 can live for quite a while if you’re on street tires And if you don’t dump at too high an rpm. I had in a 81 luv with a 383 and t5 and I drove it angry every day lol.

If you want to go cheaper, order the gear set from Astro and put it in. T5s can be had used for cheap

My husband and I have ordered from Astro over 2 months ago and haven’t been able to get anyone to email us back to get info on when the trans will be delivered. I can’t find a number to reach anyone. Do you know how I contact tony??

Fox Current tranmission info request

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

deathb4dismount

Crap, didn’t realize my crotch was in that picture

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

Boostedpimp

deathb4dismount

Crap, didn’t realize my crotch was in that picture

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving

Boostedpimp

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Boostedpimp

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Rebecca.haynes

New Member

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Fox Current tranmission info request

wanna catch the space herp

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