Thread: T5 guys TKX
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Old 11-17-2020, 05:40 AM   #8
V8COOPMAN
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Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
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Default Re: T5 guys TKX

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This is interesting, so let's do some comparing. The TKO and TKX are both aftermarket transmissions manufactured for hobbyists building cars like "hot rods", "Muscle" cars and healthy street racer types. They are beefy, they can generally survive the torque produced by today's healthy performance engines, and come with enough OD ratio choices that offer acceptable tuning for different "upper speed" requirements, especially when a lumpy, performance cam figures-in to the picture. It's nice to get the RPMs down while tooling-along at higher speeds, but you really don't want your RPMs in 5th gear to go so low with a performance camshaft that you end-up "lugging" the engine at too low of an RPM at normal highway speeds. In other words, that .64 OD ratio MIGHT sound great to get the RPMs down low at say 65-70 mph, but with a performance cam and a lower numerical rear end gear, or larger diameter rear tires, it's possible to get into a situation where you're lugging your engine with that "Gee-Whiz-Lumpety-Lump" camshaft at 1,300 or 1,400 RPMs, and that ain't necessarily good. The older TKO offers a .64, a .68, and an .82 OD ratio for just such occasions.

The new TKX offers a little more diversity with a .68, a .72, and a .81 OD ratio. Since the new TKX and the older TKO can both be had with the same two choices of 'close ratio' gear sets, I would imagine that the slight (1%) difference shown between the .81 and .82 OD ratios is likely a "rounding of numbers" exercise rather than two different (and insignificant) OD ratios.

I own a TKO 600 that I bought new about twelve years ago for $1995, shipped and no tax! This one has the .82 OD and was bought to go behind the lumpy-cammed L76 (365 horse) Corvette engine in my '40 coupe. That car has a '57 Ford 9" with a 3.50 gear, and I just didn't want the revs getting too low at 70 or 75 mph with that cam. And it has a near-perfect 2.87 1st gear.

What I believe we have here in the new TKX is a "re-packaged" TKO, with probably some improved synchronizer pieces, as SOME TKOs have been reported to have problems shifting at over 6,500 RPMs. Tremec claims this new one shifts well up past eight grand. As can be seen by the pictures, the TKX's main and rear cases have been cleaned-up and made more compact when compared with the older TKO. The lumps on top AND the shifter location seem to be lower on the TKX, affording more tunnel room at top of trans. MOST folks ARE NOT going to break either of these transmissions unless 'stupidity' somehow gets into the picture.

So, our poor little T5 tries to remain in the limelight. And it WILL! I've bragged on the T5s for years now. They are such a diverse design. As long as you respect the WC and NWC differences between early ones and late ones, you can swap parts to come-up with all sorts of configurations, as well as different gear ratio sets. ALL main cases are of the same internal dimensions, and they are still easy to find. They are affordable! Pieces are available all over the internet, and assembling them does NOT involve rocket science. And, they can be made to fit most vehicles, and do offer plenty of strength (If YOU'RE CIVILIZED) behind a flathead, or even a little Chevy. All three of these transmissions offer very smooth, solid shifting with a shifter located just a little ways behind the original shifters on Model As thru 1939 Fords. You can build a nice, close-ratio T5 for well less than a grand.
DD






The "TKO" 600




The "TKX"



The Camaro T5/S-10 Tail Shaft Housing






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