t-5 transmission
we tried to use a stock T-5 behind a 6.0. for us it didn't seem like it was worth the hassle. we had it bolted up but do not remember exactly why we didn't use it. in the end it was not worth it.
Have you ever seen the internals of a T5? The gears are tiny.
To give you an idea, the wet weight of a T5 is ~75 lbs.
In comparison a T56 is over 150 lbs.
To say that the T5 are complete garbage is an understatement, it is easy enough to destroy them behind a stock 305 SBC or 302 Ford, let alone an LS1. Keep in mind that the T5 was engineered in the early 80's for sub 200 hp smog motors.
Sure you can build it up, but it will never be even half a strong as a stock T56and it will not be a matter of if it goes, but rather when.
Also when you consider the cost to upgrade a T5 and adapt it to an LS1 with simply buying a used T56 for ~$1500, it simply does not make an sense to use a T5. Not to mention the cost of replacing the T5 every month.
To give you an idea, the wet weight of a T5 is ~75 lbs.
In comparison a T56 is over 150 lbs.
To say that the T5 are complete garbage is an understatement, it is easy enough to destroy them behind a stock 305 SBC or 302 Ford, let alone an LS1. Keep in mind that the T5 was engineered in the early 80's for sub 200 hp smog motors.
Sure you can build it up, but it will never be even half a strong as a stock T56and it will not be a matter of if it goes, but rather when.
Also when you consider the cost to upgrade a T5 and adapt it to an LS1 with simply buying a used T56 for ~$1500, it simply does not make an sense to use a T5. Not to mention the cost of replacing the T5 every month.
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It's not just the fact that they are weak but they dont shift well. I have never driven a t5 that shifted well.... grinding and no feel at the shifter
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 310
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heh, I had only heard good things about the GForce T5 trannies. I don't know if their claimed limits for the T5 upgrades are realistic, but they have a good reputation.
It certainly does save alot of weight if it works. My car is 1700 lbs, so saving 75 lbs in the tranny is a big deal.
It certainly does save alot of weight if it works. My car is 1700 lbs, so saving 75 lbs in the tranny is a big deal.
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: BKCT
i want to swap a 5.7 or 6.0 lsx motor into my '89 s10 but the only thing holding me up is the fact i cant afford a tranny. someone has to have info on using a stock gm t5 on an lsx motor. my t5 actually has a truck shifter to so when i go t56 i have to move the shifter hole. i know i saw an old hot rod magazine about swapping lsx's in older cars, and they had listed companies who made adaptors, brackets, mounts and everything to use older trannies.
i want to swap a 5.7 or 6.0 lsx motor into my '89 s10 but the only thing holding me up is the fact i cant afford a tranny. someone has to have info on using a stock gm t5 on an lsx motor. my t5 actually has a truck shifter to so when i go t56 i have to move the shifter hole. i know i saw an old hot rod magazine about swapping lsx's in older cars, and they had listed companies who made adaptors, brackets, mounts and everything to use older trannies.
You can get a 5.3 and 4L60E for less than the price of just a 5.7 LS1.
i want to swap a 5.7 or 6.0 lsx motor into my '89 s10 but the only thing holding me up is the fact i cant afford a tranny. someone has to have info on using a stock gm t5 on an lsx motor. my t5 actually has a truck shifter to so when i go t56 i have to move the shifter hole. i know i saw an old hot rod magazine about swapping lsx's in older cars, and they had listed companies who made adaptors, brackets, mounts and everything to use older trannies.
For the price of the T5 and the parts to adapt it, you could have a T56.
Also consider when you destroy the T5, how much more money you will end up spending.
Originally Posted by Hans Grüber
Have you ever seen the internals of a T5? The gears are tiny.
To give you an idea, the wet weight of a T5 is ~75 lbs.
In comparison a T56 is over 150 lbs.
To say that the T5 are complete garbage is an understatement, it is easy enough to destroy them behind a stock 305 SBC or 302 Ford, let alone an LS1. Keep in mind that the T5 was engineered in the early 80's for sub 200 hp smog motors.
Sure you can build it up, but it will never be even half a strong as a stock T56and it will not be a matter of if it goes, but rather when.
Also when you consider the cost to upgrade a T5 and adapt it to an LS1 with simply buying a used T56 for ~$1500, it simply does not make an sense to use a T5. Not to mention the cost of replacing the T5 every month.
To give you an idea, the wet weight of a T5 is ~75 lbs.
In comparison a T56 is over 150 lbs.
To say that the T5 are complete garbage is an understatement, it is easy enough to destroy them behind a stock 305 SBC or 302 Ford, let alone an LS1. Keep in mind that the T5 was engineered in the early 80's for sub 200 hp smog motors.
Sure you can build it up, but it will never be even half a strong as a stock T56and it will not be a matter of if it goes, but rather when.
Also when you consider the cost to upgrade a T5 and adapt it to an LS1 with simply buying a used T56 for ~$1500, it simply does not make an sense to use a T5. Not to mention the cost of replacing the T5 every month.
I've had this discussion before. YES, you can beef up the internals of the T5, but even if you do so (& p!ss away your money, IMHO), the real limiting factor is the case strength - it really doesn't matter if you get kevlar clutches, cryo-treated forks, & gears made from pure billet "unobtanium" if the case itself isn't beefy enough to live behind 350 lb/ft of torque...
(And no, the so-called "World Class" T5 isn't noticeably better than the "regular" T5 - it might live behind 5-10% more torque, but not any engine worth mentioning...)
Originally Posted by Rodder
The stock GM NWC T5 is rated for around 230 ft-lbs I think... It will die. Horribly.
If you can't afford to do better than a T5, then in all honesty, you can't afford to do the swap (I'm quite honestly not trying to be offensive). Save your $$$, save the grief - get a REAL tranny.
Last edited by V8Rumble; Oct 10, 2007 at 10:58 PM.
It's not just the flimsy case, the gears and everything inside it is much smaller compared to a T56.
I simply don't understand why people use these pieces of junk when there are so many better options that don't cost much more.
I simply don't understand why people use these pieces of junk when there are so many better options that don't cost much more.
