T-5 Z-Spec Transmission?

[281pony]

anyone have any experience with this transmission? im looking into getting one, it also has modified syncro's. is this a good transmission? how much power on the street do you think this could handle safely?

future plans are a 331 with nice heads/cam, i don't powershift or launch hard. anything i do is pretty much from a 10 mph roll or so. should this hold up ok?

just want some feedback before i purchase it, i dont have the money for a tremec either. thanks

 

[giddyup306]

There's a guy here that's been running 10's on a z spec for years. I don't think they're much tougher than a standard t5 or t5 super duty. The weak point on a t5 is the case itself so upgrading the internal components is pretty much useless.

 

[281pony]

ok, if someone has been running 10's on it though its got to be somewhat tougher.

my car just has a bad second gear so im trying to get something decent that will handle some power later on. i think this is my best bet for the money.

 

[giddyup306]

ok, if someone has been running 10's on it though its got to be somewhat tougher.

my car just has a bad second gear so im trying to get something decent that will handle some power later on. i think this is my best bet for the money.

People have been known to run 10's on stock t5's. Hell I ran low 12's for years on a bone stock t5. Those were in my younger years and yes I drove it like I stole it. So did the previous owner and the owner before him.

 

[281pony]

ill probably buy this one if everything checks out ok then.

thanks for the information

 

[HISSIN50]

maybe Michael Yount will chime in - he runs one as i recall.

 

[giddyup306]

maybe Michael Yount will chime in - he runs one as i recall.

He'll probably be able to help you out more that i can. He definately knows his stuff.

 

[HISSIN50]

He'll probably be able to help you out more that i can. He definately knows his stuff.

im sure 88SC would appreciate all the input he can get. you have good stuff to say.

that said, in addition, sometimes getting some real-world input can help. i dont know of many people i would rather get input from (real world input and theoretical number crunches, etc) than M.Y......

 

[maverick0716]

There's a guy here that's been running 10's on a z spec for years. I don't think they're much tougher than a standard t5 or t5 super duty. The weak point on a t5 is the case itself so upgrading the internal components is pretty much useless.

Not really. There's something called a G-Force T-5......they upgrade the internals (big time) and it can handle 600 hp.

 

[ironmedic]

the g-force upgrade is too expensive. for that price, u can buy a tremec tko600

 

[maverick0716]

Yeah, I know, I'm just saying that the case isn't that weak.....it is the gear internals that go to crap.

 

[v8only]

maverick nailed it right on the head, the g force uses the stock case

fyi, the g force is supposed to be all that, so comparing it with the new tremec tko wouldn't be that far off, though I would take the tremec personally.

don't waste your time with the z. Bottom line is it's nothing more than a slightly upgraded t5, it's still crap. if you're gonna spend that much, at least cough out a few more dollers and pick up a tremec 3550 at the minimum

 

[maverick0716]

There's things about the Tremecs that aren't the greatest though......for one, they're heavy pigs. Two, you will need some sorta custom tranny mount for it. Three, they're notchier shifting than the T-5 (supposedly)......Oh yeah, and the price.

EDIT: I just looked up the specs for them and the T-5 Z (T-5 superduty) is 83 lbs. And costs $1395 (according to Ford Racing's website). The Tremec Extra Heavy Duty (I don't know if thats the 3550 or TKO) is 120 lbs. and costs $1850.

 

[04sleeper]

I had a Tremec 3550 in my car and recently took it out for a T-5. It was notchy and it was too heavy. I have used the "Z" tranny before and I think it is just fine for street use. A friend of mine run's in the 11's on slicks and has made hundreds of passes on his car with no trouble. I like them better than the Tremec and I would rather have a "Z".

 

[Michael Yount]

The original owner that put the V-8 in my car tried to rebuild the stock T-5 that came with it from the junk yard. But he must've done something wrong, because my brother replaced the tranny and clutch shortly after he bought the car. He bought one of the T-5Z's from Ford Racing. It's been fine in my application, but my set up is quite mild compared to a lot of folks posting; and I'm an old fart --- I don't ask too much of it.

I think that's the biggest single variable - if you drive as you say you will, very little in the way of hard launches or really hard shifts, that tranny will probably hold up just fine.

 

[v8only]

1. There is only about 30 pounds difference between the two, negligeable

2. 5 minutes with a grinder, you're done

3. Notchyness is a matter of opinion. I love that feel, feels like one solid heavy duty tranny. With a good tremec and a good adjustment, the notchyness won't effect anything.

 

[ironmedic]

i need a heavy duty tranny capable of handling 400+lbs of torque when i turbocharge the stang later. im gonna go with the TK0500 with an aluminum flywheel and possibly a mcleod twin clutch or even one of their single plate clutches.

 

[giddyup306]

Not really. There's something called a G-Force T-5......they upgrade the internals (big time) and it can handle 600 hp.

I'm not talking about the G force. BTW that's also a joke. Even if you upgrade the internals the case is still the weak point.

 

[89CopCoupe]

I'm assuming the 'Z' spec tranny talked about here is Ford's part #M-7003-Z??

If so it's supposed to handle 330ft/lbs "safely" (does this mean fw or rw?)

I like the 2.95 1st & .63 OD over the 3.30 & .68 in the factory T-5 .... gives you good use of 1st gear again when you go over 3.55's and it'll cruise at a lil' lower rpms at hi-way speeds

It's what I'm gonna put in my rig here soon with the set of 3.55s I plan.

 

[ironmedic]

i would probably blow that Z apart when i do my H/C/I and turbo LOL!