Overdrive-gear splitter vs. T-5 advice needed

bdepedro · Feb 6, 2007

Anybody using an overdrive trans in with a toploader? I'm running a 4spd toploader with 3.5 gears and a trac loc 9" diff. I love the low end gearing an performance but would love to get more high end for occasional highway driving. I could either go with a T-5 swap or add an overdrive-gear splitter trans. Does anybody have experience with these units and can give me some perspective on pros, cons, installation ease and comparason w/ T-5 performance? Thanks for the help!!

D.Hearne · Feb 7, 2007

Stick with the Toploader. With the money you'll spend on either, you can buy a LOT of gas, far more than you'll ever use in a weekend driver. You're geared like the 5.0 in my 89 Ranger, same transmission but I've got 3.73's with 28" tall tires. Been driving mine like that for years now. 60mph is 2687 rpms. Not a problem. Last year I was commuting 50 miles (round trip) to work with a 331 sixpack in it. Fuel mileage was 12-16 mpg.

ron67fb · Feb 7, 2007

You and I probably have a different description of "occasional" highway driving, but I switched from a t10 to a T5 years ago and I can't even remember the last time I used 5th gear. However, I do like the smoother shifting and knowing there's no longer a 200lb. lump of cast iron under the car.

jikelly · Feb 7, 2007

I swapped my C4 for a Tremec 3550 just so I could get overdrive. It dropped my rpm to around 2400 at 70. Down from 3000. It'd have been a lot lower but I switched from my 3:00 rear gear to 3:73s.

The T5 would be much more reasonable priced than the gearvenders overdrive unit. It's also a fairly easy install, but T5s don't hold up real well to high horsepower abuse, unless you beef up the internals, and that's becoming more reasonable to do.

ForceFed70 · Feb 7, 2007

I'm swapping to a T5 for pretty much the same reason.

It wasn't the fuel economy I didn't like it was the additional wear and tear, not to meantion the noise and the fact that I couldn't do more than 80mph for more than a few seconds without worrying about damaging the engine.

bdepedro · Feb 7, 2007

Thanks for the replys. My car has a 289 that pushes less than 350hp so the T-5 should handle that without problem I would think. In terms of my highway driving, it's about 6 times a year or so generally less than 5 hour drives. I'm taching just under 3K doing about 65mph. I'd like to drop the revs to under 2500 and be able to do 70mph but I'm not sure if it's a big enough deal to warrant the cost of either an overdrive or the T-5. Aside from the sound, how hard is it on my engine to run under or about 3K for a few hours? That is my biggest concern, I can tolerate everything else. Thanks again.

D.Hearne · Feb 7, 2007

No more than you drive it 3000 ain't a big deal. Just think about Nascar engines, these are taching 7-8 grand for 3-4 hours. I've driven mine for a couple hours at 3000-3500 without doing harm. Your Toploader's worth at least $500. Factor that into a T-5 conversion, at the very least, you'll need an adapter spacer for your bellhousing too, plus remember that the T-5 shifter isn't going to be where the Toploader's is. You'll need floor surgery. And possibly a driveshaft alteration.

ForceFed70 · Feb 7, 2007

He won't need to alter the floor for a T5 swap.

He'll also need a crossmember and a new speedo cable (Toploaders have the speedo on the wrong side).

bdepedro · Feb 7, 2007

Good point D, I hadn't factored the resale of my toploader in the overall cost. I also have a bullitproof bellhousing so maybe a little more $ even?

In terms of continuous rpm acceptability, I can't compare my car with what the Nascar guys do. They rebuild their engines a bit more frequently than I can afford to. All my mechanicals were rebuilt last summer and I'd like to get my interior done before I have to rebuild the engine.

A T-5 swap sounds like it would be the way to go all things considered but I think I'll suck it up a while longer and redo the interior and plan on the swap possibly next year.

Thanks D and Bottle Fed for all your help!!!

D.Hearne · Feb 8, 2007

Also think about the durability factor of the T-5 vs a Toploader. The Toploader in my 89 Ranger is nearly 40 years old with one rebuild. How many T-5's can claim that ? Next to a T-5 the Toploader is indestructable.

bdepedro · Feb 8, 2007

Yeah, you're right. That's definitely another factor. My buddy has a T-5 in his '69 Mach and he loves it but thinks the toploader is a lot stronger. For now, the toploader will stay if for no other reason than $$. That will give me more time to check options and do some more thinking. I really appreciate all the advice, I don't know what I'd do without you guys on Stangnet!!!:SNSign:

Overdrive-gear splitter vs. T-5 advice needed

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That's why they call it "dope"

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That's why they call it "dope"

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