Rebuild T-45 versus T-56 conversion costs? Help please!!!

[mustang_jr+]

I'm grinding / popping out of 2nd. Not too bad, but it's probably the synchro.

How much do you think a T-45 rebuild would be versus a T-56 retrofit?

MPS has T-56 trans for $1900 or so, but that seems a bit high for a used trans.

 

[mrrob96fs]

I haven't purchased anything from them, but D & D performance makes a t-56 conversion kit. If I remember correctly it was about 1600 for the trans.

Of course when I was faced with replacing my t-45 I went with a TKO. Would I do it again? Nah go with the t-56, that extra overdrive is nice especially if you run 3.90s!

 

[mustang_jr+]

Thanks for answering, I really appreciate it.

Any reason why you didn't like the tko? they are
discussed like they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Did you install it yourself? If not how much did it cost you?

 

[thomas91169]

I haven't purchased anything from them, but D & D performance makes a t-56 conversion kit. If I remember correctly it was about 1600 for the trans.

Of course when I was faced with replacing my t-45 I went with a TKO. Would I do it again? Nah go with the t-56, that extra overdrive is nice especially if you run 3.90s!

i believe the T56's 6th speed has the same o/d ratio as both the T3650 and T45. the only difference is gears 1-5 are geared closer on the T56 to kinda bridge that gap the 5spd's have going from 4th to 5th.

IMO if you can afford it, go with the T56. Its a stout transmission, they hold up well to alot of abuse (how many Terminator guys do you hear blowing trannies?), they are a little notch but that is understandable given their design. Plus i think its a bit more fun than a standard 5spd, especially if you like shifting or driving your car through twisties and always being in the right spot of your powerband.

 

[mrrob96fs]

T-56 gear ratios, when I checked them, were basically a t-45 all the way through 5th with an extra o/d. I don't know if it is changed, but 4th was still a drive gear 1:1, 5 was something like .84:1 and 6th was .65:1. I think the T-56 would just let you run something like 3.90s or 4.11s out back without killing your streetability like driving down the freeway NOT at 2800 rpm.

I could be wrong though, I haven't checked the gears in the t-56 vs t-45 in about a year and a half.

Edit: Checking on those tranny gearings... the t-56 in Ford applications sports a 2.90 1st, 2.07 2nd, 1.43 3rd, 1.00 4th, .84 5th, .57 6th ratio. The t-45 has a 3.37 1st, 1.99 2nd, 1.33 3rd, 1.00 4th, 0.67 5th.

Close, that first gear in the t-45 is pretty darn tall too but they are pretty close right up until 5th/6th. So you are paying for an extra over drive.

 

[duckhead08]

i changed my trans in a 99 cobra from a t-45 to a t56 it cost about 2600 all together , i still have the t-45 that i will sell its in great shape with about 70,000 miles but i had it checked by a ford trans guy and he said it was fine.. pm me if you want to no more about either one .. oh yeah and i got the t-56 from d&d

 

[duckhead08]

i have 373s in mine i get about 25 mph out of first and 40 out of second havent really used 6th at all