I’m doing a full write up on my Magnum swap because there are a good number of variables that determine what parts will work with your current setup. I did this on my 1995 Mustang GT that has foxbody BBK headers on it. As always, there isn’t good information readily available that help you visualize how different parts work together. I am going to link parts that I didn’t buy, because I think they might help other people. A couple of things right off the top; this is not a cheap transmission option. If you want a budget option, you might want to consider a TKX, or something else. This is about an $8000+ swap no matter how you cut it. It also doesn’t fit well in the tunnel. The SN Mustang was never designed to have a transmission this large, and depending on what K-member you have, or other variables, you might have tunnel clearance issues like I did.
I am going to link every major part number that I used as well as other parts options I didn’t use because they might be helpful to other people. DO NOT shop around on the internet for the best price on each part and order them individually. There are 2 major reasons for this. First off, you are going to pay a fortune in shipping costs. There are several companies that specialize in Magnum swap setups. All of them have deals with the different companies that make the supporting parts so that you don’t pay drop shipping costs. Secondly, if something goes wrong, you want to be recognized as an $8000 customer, not a $200 customer. The only RAM part I have is the release bearing. If that didn’t work out, I don’t see RAM going out of their way to deal with me on the phone over a $200 part. I mean they probably would go out of their way, but I’d rather not chance it. Some of your options are Hanlon Motorsports, Modern Driveline, D&D Performance, Astro Performance, Liberty Gear, Tick Performance, etc. I can’t name them all. I purchased my setup through Hanlon, because I like dealing with the small family business types, I have dealt with them for over 20 years, Bob has a knack for finding ways to save money on parts you don’t really need, and their business was based on manual transmission drag racing from the beginning, and I like to shift these things really quickly. So they kind of have an understanding that no matter how well you plan, or how strong a part is, if you abuse it enough, it’s going to break. (Disclaimer; I am not endorsed by Hanlon in any way, nor are they compensating me in any way for this review. Nor should any of my comments or reviews be used as a substitute for their expert advice.) Had to get that out of the way. In the many years I have been messing with manual transmission Mustang stuffs, I have talked to every one of these companies at least once. They are all great people, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do business with any of them. Bottom line is you are going to have questions, and you want to deal with someone that gives you honest advice and guidance in a timely fashion.
My primary concern in all of this was my exhaust setup. My previous transmission was a Tremec 3550 that I installed in the car in 1999, that I had broken no less than 7 times. I had become so familiar with it, I could change the bucket in less than 3 hours. On the 3550, the clutch fork sits pretty much horizontal, and the cable attaches at the 9 o’clock position on the bellhousing, same as the foxbody factory T5. This allowed me to run BBK foxbody headers that tuck really tight up against the transmission below the clutch fork. I know I am dating myself, because BBK has become a byword for poor quality today, but that wasn’t always the case. Ten years ago when I bought these headers, they were the top quality header for a street car. The collectors on the “race car” headers sat way too low below the car, and couldn’t reasonably be driven on the street where speed bumps and pot holes would be an issue. No one made a 1 and 3/4” primary exhaust header specifically for an SN car, so I swapped to the foxbody headers. In 1994, Ford relocated the clutch fork so that it exits the bellhousing at roughly the 7 o’clock position which interfered with the BBK foxbody headers, and BBK had to make a special header just for 94’ and 95’ Mustangs. I have no idea why they did this. The T56 transmission that was in the 03-04 Cobra had the fork relocated back to the 9 o’clock position. Then when the Tremec Magnum transmission was released, it’s back at the 7 o’clock position once again. Again, no idea why these changes were made. I knew that I would not be able to use the Magnum transmission with the headers I had without going to a hydraulic setup. To be honest with you, I wanted a hydraulic setup anyway.
So basic parts list, and I am going to start with the stuff that is generic to every Magnum swap for an SN95, and foxbody Mustang. You can see how fast this adds up. Obviously you are going to need a transmission. There are two gear ratio options Tremec offers for the Magnum T56. I got the close ratio gear box
TUET11010
As far as I am aware, Stifflers is the only company that makes a cross member for the transmission.
TCB-M05
You need a bunch of pigtails for the wiring, back up light, reverse lockout, etc. I’m not going to list all the Hanlon part numbers, because every one of the companies that sells a transmission package knows what pigtails you need, and will include them.
At this point in time, there is only one bell housing option I am aware of, and it’s the Quicktime bellhousing. It’s expensive because it’s an SFI approved scattershield. I had an old friend that had a clutch go through his leg, so I kind of wanted a scattershield anyway.
RM-8031
I want to take a moment to talk about this bell housing. The bell housing along with the Magnum T56 is a dowel aligned setup. This bell housing has to be aligned with the crankshaft in the engine. It has nothing to do with the manufacturing quality of the bell housing. It’s because the line honing process in the engine can cause ever so slight deviations in how centered the crankshaft is in the block. Checking your crankshaft to transmission alignment is a simple process. I did mine many years ago, and found that my crankshaft sits higher in the block, and requires offset alignment dowels. I rechecked it when I did this transmission install as well. Unfortunately, the Quick Time bell housing is not as easy to check with a dial indicator as the common cast bell housing my 3550 came with, which had a perfect circle. So, they claim you can check it by putting tape over the gaps or whatever, but honestly I tried it, and it was a crap shoot. It’s much better to use the tool for it, and I know it’s expensive, but everything about this is already expensive. It’s money well invested when you consider how expensive the transmission is, and the investment you are protecting.
Quicktime RM-130
Here is the video on how to align your bell housing from Quick Time. I mean look at this poor bastard doing this with an engine sitting on a bench, and not on his back under a car.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J5U7evTSeA&t=195s
If you are in fact doing this on your back on Harbor Freight jackstands in a poorly lit garage, you might want a very visible marker to do it with. This is what I used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BRBHCO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
You are going to need a custom made driveshaft because the transmission length is quite a big longer than the factory one. The Magnum T56 also has a 31 spline output shaft instead of the factory 28 spline shaft, which requires a different yolk. You can cut your stock driveshaft down; you can have a Motorsport aluminum shaft cut down, or have a complete custom driveshaft made. It all depends on your application, and how hard you are driving the car. Hanlon arranged this for me with 3.5” aluminum driveshaft that used the larger 3550 U-joints. You are going to need to measure for the driveshaft after the transmission is installed. Different driveshaft companies want different measuring points. The company I dealt with wanted the measurement from the face off the output shaft (not the tail cone housing) to the edge of the flange on the axle. Here is an example from American PowerTrain on how to do a basic measurement.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSe1_PY4NU
The Magnum T56 has an electronic solenoid that locks out the reverse gear when the car is in motion. In a car that comes with a Tr6060 (Magnum T56), the ECU would control this function. If you are putting this transmission in an older car, you are going to have to install a reverse lockout module to control this solenoid. Hanlon uses an Accutach module. It was super easy to install, and comes with great instructions. Above all else, Mark Olsen was super helpful with support on this product. I wanted to put an LED in the circuit so I could have positive confirmation that the module was working correctly and locking out reverse when the car was moving. The LED didn't go out, I contacted Mark Olsen, and he told me that the control circuit was actually on the ground. I was able to verify with an LED light that this module functions absolutely perfectly. Can't recommend this company or their support enough.
accutach.com
I think I mentioned that I like to shift these things very briskly. I had always used a B&M Ripper shifter in the past, and loved it. The Magnum T56 comes with a shifter that I understand works fine. If you are putting this transmission in a cruising car, then the shifter that comes with it, then you will likely be fine with the provided shifter. The factory shifter does not come with the handle. I bought a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter handle, because it brings the shifter closer to you than most. The Tri-Ax handle is not designed for a Magnum T56. It is designed for the older T5s, TKO's, etc, which have 5/16" bolts, and the Magnum has 3/8" bolt holes. The handle is made of soft aluminum, and drilling it for bigger bolts literally takes a few minutes.
www.steeda.com
I elected to get the Hanlon shifter for quicker shifting. If you have driven a car with an MGW, Pro-5.0, B&M, etc, you are not prepared for this thing. This shifter is on a whole different level. This shifter is designed very specifically to shift the transmission as quickly as possible. The pattern on it is extremely tight, and the centering springs are very strong. This is designed specifically for the drag racing community. That being said, once you get used to it, it is completely functional as a street car shifter. I know Tick Performance makes a competing product, but I can't imagine it is better than this one.
www.hanlonmotorsports.com
So let’s get into the clutch stuff. First off , you are going to need a 26 spline input shaft clutch as a opposed to the factory 10 spline. I’m not going to spend much time talking about clutch options in this right up. There is the operation of the clutch on a Magnum T56. You can always stick with the cable actuated clutch fork. Good news if you have a factory car, the Magnum uses a factory 94’ and newer clutch fork. I didn’t have the clearance for the clutch fork. In fact my exhaust clearance was so tight, I actually had to cut the receiver hole for the clutch cable off my almost one thousand dollar bell housing.
So I’ll talk about some of the hydraulic clutch actuation systems instead. The big issues is firewall clearance hands down. If you have a pushrod car like mine, then you need a master cylinder that clears the vacuum brake booster. If you have a modular or Coyote swap car, then you need a master cylinder that clears the really wide valve covers on the engine. First off, I currently have a Mcleod clutch in the car, but their hydraulic clutch conversion kits don’t exactly have the best reputation. Hanlon sells the Mal Wood setup. The upside is that it offers maximum firewall clearance for any engine or brake booster, because the master cylinder is actually under the dash. The downside is, it really is a pain in the ass to install. You have to take the pedal assembly out of the car. Go ahead and pull the steering column. Trust me, it will be worth it. It’s just a few bolts and wiring harnesses. This is the link to the Mal Wood master cylinder assembly. It has a video in the link that shows you have to install it.
https://www.malwoodusa.com/hydrauli...r-cylinder-clutch-pedal-kit-billet-reservoir/
The other option I was intrigued with was the Modern Driveline Conversion kit. This looks a lot easier to install, and they advertise a SEMA award for it. I am not going to list any part numbers, and just put a basic link to it. If you are interested in this product, definitely call Modern Driveline and make sure you are getting the correct matching parts for your application.
https://www.moderndriveline.com/sho.../hydraulic-master-kit-lf-series-sn95-mustang/
I have had no problems with the Mal Wood setup at all. It was super easy to bleed, and functions great.
For the release bearing, I used a Ram unit. It works fine, but I kind of don’t like it. The hydraulic lines are attached to face of the hydraulic unit instead of the base. So every time you push the clutch, the lines move. That leads to chaffing of the lines at the exit points on the bell housing. Factory hydraulics aren’t set up like this at all. On a factory hydraulic setup, like on an F150 or something, all the hydraulic lines are static. The funny thing is all the competing products are set up the same way, so you are kind of stuck on this one. The release has to be shimmed to be within spec for your clutch. For my Mcleod RST that was .050” to .150”. So I’ll put the link for the part and the video on how to set it up below.
https://ramclutches.com/product/78141/
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrF0BBgSv4Y
In addition to the Stifflers cross member, I also bought their driveshaft safety loop. This was also a mistake. Stifflers sells a driveshaft safety loop that bolts in between the transmission mount and the transmission. When I bought it, I assumed it bolted under the transmission mount, because drive line angles are critical, and you would never make product that interferes with that. Also, you are unlikely to get a Magnum T56 to fit in an SN tunnel without elevating the rear of the transmission. The loop exacerbates this problem. The output on the Magnum T56 transmission is slightly off from factory T5, so a normal floor bolted driveshaft safety loop won’t be centered on the driveshaft properly. I ended up modifying the BMR driveshaft safety loop I bought over 20 years ago to fit the new setup. I’ll attach as many pictures as I can.
If you have tunnel clearance issues, you can either cut the tunnel like I did, or you can get K-member spacers. I added a plate and some weather stripping to the shifter cover to cover the extended hole in the tunnel. Adding K-member spacers obviously means taking the front suspension apart, etc. I didn't want my oil pan sitting any closer to the ground, so I cut the tunnel instead. I have put a link in for K-member spacers if you choose to got that route.
Please refrain from commenting on my metal working skills. No actually, I have thick skin, let them rip. Just be aware that they are not adding to the content of the people genuinely looking for information on how to do a Magnum T56 swap.
I am going to link every major part number that I used as well as other parts options I didn’t use because they might be helpful to other people. DO NOT shop around on the internet for the best price on each part and order them individually. There are 2 major reasons for this. First off, you are going to pay a fortune in shipping costs. There are several companies that specialize in Magnum swap setups. All of them have deals with the different companies that make the supporting parts so that you don’t pay drop shipping costs. Secondly, if something goes wrong, you want to be recognized as an $8000 customer, not a $200 customer. The only RAM part I have is the release bearing. If that didn’t work out, I don’t see RAM going out of their way to deal with me on the phone over a $200 part. I mean they probably would go out of their way, but I’d rather not chance it. Some of your options are Hanlon Motorsports, Modern Driveline, D&D Performance, Astro Performance, Liberty Gear, Tick Performance, etc. I can’t name them all. I purchased my setup through Hanlon, because I like dealing with the small family business types, I have dealt with them for over 20 years, Bob has a knack for finding ways to save money on parts you don’t really need, and their business was based on manual transmission drag racing from the beginning, and I like to shift these things really quickly. So they kind of have an understanding that no matter how well you plan, or how strong a part is, if you abuse it enough, it’s going to break. (Disclaimer; I am not endorsed by Hanlon in any way, nor are they compensating me in any way for this review. Nor should any of my comments or reviews be used as a substitute for their expert advice.) Had to get that out of the way. In the many years I have been messing with manual transmission Mustang stuffs, I have talked to every one of these companies at least once. They are all great people, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do business with any of them. Bottom line is you are going to have questions, and you want to deal with someone that gives you honest advice and guidance in a timely fashion.
My primary concern in all of this was my exhaust setup. My previous transmission was a Tremec 3550 that I installed in the car in 1999, that I had broken no less than 7 times. I had become so familiar with it, I could change the bucket in less than 3 hours. On the 3550, the clutch fork sits pretty much horizontal, and the cable attaches at the 9 o’clock position on the bellhousing, same as the foxbody factory T5. This allowed me to run BBK foxbody headers that tuck really tight up against the transmission below the clutch fork. I know I am dating myself, because BBK has become a byword for poor quality today, but that wasn’t always the case. Ten years ago when I bought these headers, they were the top quality header for a street car. The collectors on the “race car” headers sat way too low below the car, and couldn’t reasonably be driven on the street where speed bumps and pot holes would be an issue. No one made a 1 and 3/4” primary exhaust header specifically for an SN car, so I swapped to the foxbody headers. In 1994, Ford relocated the clutch fork so that it exits the bellhousing at roughly the 7 o’clock position which interfered with the BBK foxbody headers, and BBK had to make a special header just for 94’ and 95’ Mustangs. I have no idea why they did this. The T56 transmission that was in the 03-04 Cobra had the fork relocated back to the 9 o’clock position. Then when the Tremec Magnum transmission was released, it’s back at the 7 o’clock position once again. Again, no idea why these changes were made. I knew that I would not be able to use the Magnum transmission with the headers I had without going to a hydraulic setup. To be honest with you, I wanted a hydraulic setup anyway.
So basic parts list, and I am going to start with the stuff that is generic to every Magnum swap for an SN95, and foxbody Mustang. You can see how fast this adds up. Obviously you are going to need a transmission. There are two gear ratio options Tremec offers for the Magnum T56. I got the close ratio gear box
TUET11010
As far as I am aware, Stifflers is the only company that makes a cross member for the transmission.
TCB-M05
You need a bunch of pigtails for the wiring, back up light, reverse lockout, etc. I’m not going to list all the Hanlon part numbers, because every one of the companies that sells a transmission package knows what pigtails you need, and will include them.
At this point in time, there is only one bell housing option I am aware of, and it’s the Quicktime bellhousing. It’s expensive because it’s an SFI approved scattershield. I had an old friend that had a clutch go through his leg, so I kind of wanted a scattershield anyway.
RM-8031
I want to take a moment to talk about this bell housing. The bell housing along with the Magnum T56 is a dowel aligned setup. This bell housing has to be aligned with the crankshaft in the engine. It has nothing to do with the manufacturing quality of the bell housing. It’s because the line honing process in the engine can cause ever so slight deviations in how centered the crankshaft is in the block. Checking your crankshaft to transmission alignment is a simple process. I did mine many years ago, and found that my crankshaft sits higher in the block, and requires offset alignment dowels. I rechecked it when I did this transmission install as well. Unfortunately, the Quick Time bell housing is not as easy to check with a dial indicator as the common cast bell housing my 3550 came with, which had a perfect circle. So, they claim you can check it by putting tape over the gaps or whatever, but honestly I tried it, and it was a crap shoot. It’s much better to use the tool for it, and I know it’s expensive, but everything about this is already expensive. It’s money well invested when you consider how expensive the transmission is, and the investment you are protecting.
Quicktime RM-130
Here is the video on how to align your bell housing from Quick Time. I mean look at this poor bastard doing this with an engine sitting on a bench, and not on his back under a car.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J5U7evTSeA&t=195s
If you are in fact doing this on your back on Harbor Freight jackstands in a poorly lit garage, you might want a very visible marker to do it with. This is what I used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BRBHCO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
You are going to need a custom made driveshaft because the transmission length is quite a big longer than the factory one. The Magnum T56 also has a 31 spline output shaft instead of the factory 28 spline shaft, which requires a different yolk. You can cut your stock driveshaft down; you can have a Motorsport aluminum shaft cut down, or have a complete custom driveshaft made. It all depends on your application, and how hard you are driving the car. Hanlon arranged this for me with 3.5” aluminum driveshaft that used the larger 3550 U-joints. You are going to need to measure for the driveshaft after the transmission is installed. Different driveshaft companies want different measuring points. The company I dealt with wanted the measurement from the face off the output shaft (not the tail cone housing) to the edge of the flange on the axle. Here is an example from American PowerTrain on how to do a basic measurement.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSe1_PY4NU
The Magnum T56 has an electronic solenoid that locks out the reverse gear when the car is in motion. In a car that comes with a Tr6060 (Magnum T56), the ECU would control this function. If you are putting this transmission in an older car, you are going to have to install a reverse lockout module to control this solenoid. Hanlon uses an Accutach module. It was super easy to install, and comes with great instructions. Above all else, Mark Olsen was super helpful with support on this product. I wanted to put an LED in the circuit so I could have positive confirmation that the module was working correctly and locking out reverse when the car was moving. The LED didn't go out, I contacted Mark Olsen, and he told me that the control circuit was actually on the ground. I was able to verify with an LED light that this module functions absolutely perfectly. Can't recommend this company or their support enough.
AccuTach Company
Electronic Automotive Products Instrumentation Service Tachometer Calibrator Tool And helpful information
accutach.com
I think I mentioned that I like to shift these things very briskly. I had always used a B&M Ripper shifter in the past, and loved it. The Magnum T56 comes with a shifter that I understand works fine. If you are putting this transmission in a cruising car, then the shifter that comes with it, then you will likely be fine with the provided shifter. The factory shifter does not come with the handle. I bought a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter handle, because it brings the shifter closer to you than most. The Tri-Ax handle is not designed for a Magnum T56. It is designed for the older T5s, TKO's, etc, which have 5/16" bolts, and the Magnum has 3/8" bolt holes. The handle is made of soft aluminum, and drilling it for bigger bolts literally takes a few minutes.
Steeda Mustang Tri-Ax Shifter Handle (1979-2004)
The Steeda Tri-Ax stick shift handle combines the quick shifts of a short handle shifter lever with an easy to reach, ergonomic design. The exclusive three axis bend positions your hand perfectly, for short, precise, and comfortable shifts.
www.steeda.com
I elected to get the Hanlon shifter for quicker shifting. If you have driven a car with an MGW, Pro-5.0, B&M, etc, you are not prepared for this thing. This shifter is on a whole different level. This shifter is designed very specifically to shift the transmission as quickly as possible. The pattern on it is extremely tight, and the centering springs are very strong. This is designed specifically for the drag racing community. That being said, once you get used to it, it is completely functional as a street car shifter. I know Tick Performance makes a competing product, but I can't imagine it is better than this one.
T56 Magnum Short Shifter %
Our exclusive HMS T56 Magnum Shifter features dual spring (inner & outer springs); Positive Stops; 1/4" thinner for more tunnel clearance;
www.hanlonmotorsports.com
So let’s get into the clutch stuff. First off , you are going to need a 26 spline input shaft clutch as a opposed to the factory 10 spline. I’m not going to spend much time talking about clutch options in this right up. There is the operation of the clutch on a Magnum T56. You can always stick with the cable actuated clutch fork. Good news if you have a factory car, the Magnum uses a factory 94’ and newer clutch fork. I didn’t have the clearance for the clutch fork. In fact my exhaust clearance was so tight, I actually had to cut the receiver hole for the clutch cable off my almost one thousand dollar bell housing.
So I’ll talk about some of the hydraulic clutch actuation systems instead. The big issues is firewall clearance hands down. If you have a pushrod car like mine, then you need a master cylinder that clears the vacuum brake booster. If you have a modular or Coyote swap car, then you need a master cylinder that clears the really wide valve covers on the engine. First off, I currently have a Mcleod clutch in the car, but their hydraulic clutch conversion kits don’t exactly have the best reputation. Hanlon sells the Mal Wood setup. The upside is that it offers maximum firewall clearance for any engine or brake booster, because the master cylinder is actually under the dash. The downside is, it really is a pain in the ass to install. You have to take the pedal assembly out of the car. Go ahead and pull the steering column. Trust me, it will be worth it. It’s just a few bolts and wiring harnesses. This is the link to the Mal Wood master cylinder assembly. It has a video in the link that shows you have to install it.
https://www.malwoodusa.com/hydrauli...r-cylinder-clutch-pedal-kit-billet-reservoir/
The other option I was intrigued with was the Modern Driveline Conversion kit. This looks a lot easier to install, and they advertise a SEMA award for it. I am not going to list any part numbers, and just put a basic link to it. If you are interested in this product, definitely call Modern Driveline and make sure you are getting the correct matching parts for your application.
https://www.moderndriveline.com/sho.../hydraulic-master-kit-lf-series-sn95-mustang/
I have had no problems with the Mal Wood setup at all. It was super easy to bleed, and functions great.
For the release bearing, I used a Ram unit. It works fine, but I kind of don’t like it. The hydraulic lines are attached to face of the hydraulic unit instead of the base. So every time you push the clutch, the lines move. That leads to chaffing of the lines at the exit points on the bell housing. Factory hydraulics aren’t set up like this at all. On a factory hydraulic setup, like on an F150 or something, all the hydraulic lines are static. The funny thing is all the competing products are set up the same way, so you are kind of stuck on this one. The release has to be shimmed to be within spec for your clutch. For my Mcleod RST that was .050” to .150”. So I’ll put the link for the part and the video on how to set it up below.
https://ramclutches.com/product/78141/
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrF0BBgSv4Y
In addition to the Stifflers cross member, I also bought their driveshaft safety loop. This was also a mistake. Stifflers sells a driveshaft safety loop that bolts in between the transmission mount and the transmission. When I bought it, I assumed it bolted under the transmission mount, because drive line angles are critical, and you would never make product that interferes with that. Also, you are unlikely to get a Magnum T56 to fit in an SN tunnel without elevating the rear of the transmission. The loop exacerbates this problem. The output on the Magnum T56 transmission is slightly off from factory T5, so a normal floor bolted driveshaft safety loop won’t be centered on the driveshaft properly. I ended up modifying the BMR driveshaft safety loop I bought over 20 years ago to fit the new setup. I’ll attach as many pictures as I can.
If you have tunnel clearance issues, you can either cut the tunnel like I did, or you can get K-member spacers. I added a plate and some weather stripping to the shifter cover to cover the extended hole in the tunnel. Adding K-member spacers obviously means taking the front suspension apart, etc. I didn't want my oil pan sitting any closer to the ground, so I cut the tunnel instead. I have put a link in for K-member spacers if you choose to got that route.
Please refrain from commenting on my metal working skills. No actually, I have thick skin, let them rip. Just be aware that they are not adding to the content of the people genuinely looking for information on how to do a Magnum T56 swap.
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