t56?
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Teching In
Joined: Jan 2011
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t56? don't laugh but I was wondering if a t56 from a lt1 will fit a ls engine? It seems like Lt1 t56 trans are a lot easier to find, one more thing on some of the pictures of a t56s from a CTS rear 1/4 of the trans looks huge is this a trans to stay away from ?
93 LT1 T56 are not compatible
94-97 LT1 T56's can be converted with a LS1 input shaft, front plate, bellhousing, HTOB, and clutch components. Sourcing these components can be time consuming and expensive, so most get a LS1 trans from the start
CTS-V and GTO T56's are a bit different. The gearing is different (better) and they have no TA mount cast into the tailhousing. The shifter is different too and there are ways to mix/match parts for whatever shifter you desire
94-97 LT1 T56's can be converted with a LS1 input shaft, front plate, bellhousing, HTOB, and clutch components. Sourcing these components can be time consuming and expensive, so most get a LS1 trans from the start
CTS-V and GTO T56's are a bit different. The gearing is different (better) and they have no TA mount cast into the tailhousing. The shifter is different too and there are ways to mix/match parts for whatever shifter you desire
I can remember when LT1 T56's were a good bit more expensive than the LS variants. The LT T56's work with first gen SBC where the LS ones won't.
That either goes to show the popularity of LS swaps or that it takes 10+ years for the tranmissions to become plentyful.
That either goes to show the popularity of LS swaps or that it takes 10+ years for the tranmissions to become plentyful.
The GTO T56 is physically the same as an LS1 f-body. It has all the torque arm mounting locations and everything along with the same tail housing but uses a different shifter block and a unique GTO only shifter. You can change the shifter block to an f-body block and use a standard f-body shifter.
The CTS-V can't be used in anything other than a CTS-V or an IRS car with a fixed center diff. The CTS-V uses a flange to drive the driveshaft instead of a slip yoke. The shifter is what is called a divorced shifter. It mounts to the car and uses a rod that connects to the transmission that actuates the gears.
To the OP.
If you are starting from scratch I would look for an LS1 f-body or GTO transmission. You are going to have roughly $400 in NEW parts to convert an LT1 style T56 to an LS1 style. That price will usually offset any money saved by buying an LT1 T56 to start with.
Here is a picture of CTS-V, LS1 camaro and GTO transmissions from left to right.
Hope this helps.
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One thing to keep in mind too when swapping the front portion of any T56 is that you have to check end-play on the Input Shaft and Counter Shaft. Lots of people dont do this, just throw them together and wonder why they fall apart or grind their *** off when going into some of the Gears.
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Teching In
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18
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The GTO T56 is physically the same as an LS1 f-body. It has all the torque arm mounting locations and everything along with the same tail housing but uses a different shifter block and a unique GTO only shifter. You can change the shifter block to an f-body block and use a standard f-body shifter.
The CTS-V can't be used in anything other than a CTS-V or an IRS car with a fixed center diff. The CTS-V uses a flange to drive the driveshaft instead of a slip yoke. The shifter is what is called a divorced shifter. It mounts to the car and uses a rod that connects to the transmission that actuates the gears.
To the OP.
If you are starting from scratch I would look for an LS1 f-body or GTO transmission. You are going to have roughly $400 in NEW parts to convert an LT1 style T56 to an LS1 style. That price will usually offset any money saved by buying an LT1 T56 to start with.
Here is a picture of CTS-V, LS1 camaro and GTO transmissions from left to right.
Hope this helps.
The CTS-V can't be used in anything other than a CTS-V or an IRS car with a fixed center diff. The CTS-V uses a flange to drive the driveshaft instead of a slip yoke. The shifter is what is called a divorced shifter. It mounts to the car and uses a rod that connects to the transmission that actuates the gears.
To the OP.
If you are starting from scratch I would look for an LS1 f-body or GTO transmission. You are going to have roughly $400 in NEW parts to convert an LT1 style T56 to an LS1 style. That price will usually offset any money saved by buying an LT1 T56 to start with.
Here is a picture of CTS-V, LS1 camaro and GTO transmissions from left to right.
Hope this helps.
I purchased a cts-v ls/t56 combo for my 72 camaro. Didn't realize there was such a huge difference. Is there any way to convert the cts v t56 tailhousing to make it more user friendly. Odly enough I am using a irs in the camaro from heidts, not sure if it is a "fixed center differential". Any help is appreciated. thanks
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2009
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F-body parts won't work, f-bodies are single cone blocking ring transmissions. You need GTO triple cone parts since the CTS-V is triple cone too. The biggest hurdle you will run into by trying to use the CTS-V as it sits is the shifter. If you can figure out a way to make it work for you, then you could use the flange drive setup with your IRS rearend with out any hassel.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2007
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Another alternative to this is to modify an older chevy 4x4 driveshaft that has the companion flange with the slip yoke in the shaft. You can have a simple plate machined off of the pilot of the trans output that connects the CTS flange with the 4x4 driveshaft and tailshaft mods arent necessary. Shifter relocation is obviously necessary but that has been covered here many times. Another member on here helped me with this solution but I cannot remember his i.d. Last year I was looking for this information for a CTS V trans and ran into a brick wall until he told me how to do it.
