T56 or TKO 600?? HELP!!!!!!

SaleenGT2001

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2005
2,811
4
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Four Oaks NC
I broke my tremec 3650 at the track this weekend.:bang: i'm not going to rebuild it b/c it isnt worth the money. i have been looking at the T56 and the TKO 600, but i dont know which will be better for my car. i dont drive it daily but i still want decent MPG. here is what has been done to the car. all normal bolt-ons, full exhaust OR x pipe w/ flowmasters, 3.90 gears, and soon to have a KB 1.7 9# kit. someone help me decide. i have been told the D&D t56 will not hold up, but i dont see how that is possible since it comes in 400 hp cobras. :scratch: someone let me know what i need to do!!!!!!:shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:
 
i would do the tko-600 if you want i better performing trans because the t-56 i a cruising trans and gears are a little lower. i have a tko-600 that i love and i paired it up with some 3.90s also. the trans i rock solid and if you can break it your good. the tko-600 will be a lot cheaper also because all you kneed is to buy a new clutch and everything else with work. with the t-56 youll need a need D/S and i think a new cross-member. IMO tko-600 all the way. i got 26mpg highway and about 17-18 in city driving
 
how much would it cost me TOTAL for a TKO 600. i was quoted $3400 for a T56 with a crossmember alum driveshaft, new clutch and pressure plate, and a short throw shifter. all delivered is this more than i would spend on a TKO 600. i kinda like the idea of having a 6 speed in my GT
 
I completely understand what You mean about liking the idea of a 6 speed. I rode in an 04 cobra and fell in love with the t56. I've always said if my 3650 goes out that I would scrape up the money to get one. Never have known anything about the tko.
 
I have the TKO and LOVE IT! It takes a little bit to break in, but is extremely strong, and great ratios. I have the higher ratio 5th gear, so with the 3:73 gears, I cruise in 5th gear at about 2100 RPMs at 50 MPH. I paid a little under $2000 for the tranny, then had to but the 26 spline yoke and bell housing. Total job installed should be well under $3000
 
Coming from someone who actuallys owns both. The tko is great trans if you are on more of budget and more serious on drag racing. The viper t56 on the hand is the best manual trans I have ever shifted and would take one over a tko any day of the week.
 
for my tko 600 i had bought it at ampperformance here in PHX and it ran about 1600 tranny + 350 clutch and pressure plate + 270 bellhousing and that was all i needed. i do recommend a tri-ax handle for it though. feels a lot better. if your going on budget all you need is trans and bellhousing for a tko-500. with the 600 youll need a 26 spline clutch
 
i'm not really on a budget. i can spend up to 3500 total. so that makes either one a posability. will i have a problem with the T56 when i put the KB on? i only want 400 to the wheels no more than that. so either one should hold up ok right????
 
good, my goal is 400 rwhp, no more than that. i still want a street car not a race only car. but on another note, when i messed up the 3650 last friday it wouldnt go into 2nd at all. and would grind 1st. today i drove it to work and it still grinds 1st, but now for some reason it goes into 2nd fine and drives just like it should, except for the grinding in 1st. any ideas????? i was thinking maybe the syncros are broke in 1st and somehow a little bit of metal mighth have been caught in the tranny and not letting me shift into 2nd until it broke loose. anyone had this happen before????
 
I dont know much about the 600 but I hav blown two regular TKOs to hell. The first one was with a 1990 GT with 175000 miles on the motor. I launched on slicks hard but come on. I couldnt believe I broke it with maybe 190 rwhp. The second one, well I can understand its breakage. I launched hard on slicks with a 550 fwhp 351w. It made a best pass of 10.65 @ 136 before it laid down on the next pass. Nothing left but 5th gear. I would try teh 600 tho cuz i have heard they are stout.:nice:
 
Fact is you beat anything hard enough, its going to break. Tremec used to offer a warranty on there tko trannys if they break, under certain power levels, ( dont know if they still do) But I know the tko 600 will last just fine up too 600 ft, lbs as well as the T56, If you want more talk to G Force Transmissions. they have some cool stuff. I like the way the T56 shifts better than the tko IMO.