New T56 Choices for Cobra Owners???

[Apicia]

Have an 04 Cobra and want to buy a new transmission. What are our choices? I found a new version of the T56 (Magnum), but it requires you to shorten the drive shaft an inch along with a few other small modifications. It is priced reasonably at $2800 and comes with a 26-spline input shaft (which I need).

Found a beefed up one for $4k with carbon fiber this and that, but 4k? I want a nice transmission and might change a few gear ratios and such, but don't even know what my choices are? Who has the best reputation versus affordability? Core versus no core, etc.

 

[navyht]

Give these guys a call.
ProMotion Powertrain FORD/GM Performance Manual Drivetrain Specialist FL

 

[navyht]

or this?

T-56 Transmissions : Lethal Performance, Performance parts for Ford Mustangs

 

[EvilBlack]

Welcome to D&D Performance - The 5 & 6 Speed Experts!

Great place to buy from.

 

[navyht]

^^ was going to post link as well but forgot.

 

[TRQJUNKIE]

I talked to Promotion and DD Perf. about a rebuild and it seemed that Promotion had more options and knew a little bit more. Pricing was the about the same. Why do you want a new tranny vs a built one that will cost half the price??

 

[Nickerz]

Here is my take as someone who sells about 12,000 parts a year. I'm not going to post a link, and I don't sell performance parts anymore, but I have my opinion on this matter.

A LOT of performance parts are just marketing gimmicks. I've seen a lot of these claims to build 1000lb\ft T56s or 800, 900. Thing is, these transmissions are more or less designed to handle 550lb\ft at viper spec. You can cryo the gears and that's going to add a LITTLE bit. But who has a multi million dollar transmission dyno to really measure that? Really only tremec and other OEMs have that.

So all these ratings are just for the most part, in my opinion created on the fly. I've seen all the tricks and marketing hoopla because I still function as a wholesale supplier to a variety of forum sponsors from Vortec to LT1 (not really heavy on ford stuff). I've seen 2 bar sensors of mine be marketed as 3 bars. I've seen arbitrary RPM limits slapped on other parts. I've seen performance claims slapped on OEM replacements.

There are a couple big turbo guys that have been through all of these big name T56s. They all more or less fail at 700lb\ft or above.

There is a whole market of this.

I believe if you want to hold 550lb\ft, you should get a viper spec. If you want to hold 700lb\ft get a magnum T56. If you want more than that. Go auto or pay for real race ready transmission, not an OEM variant.

If you plan on staying at your power level, a would bet a magnum T56 would be a good bet for you. Input shaft aside. If you hook on a 6000rpm launch on slicks, nothing is going to survive that. But just beating on it on the streets it should live for damn near forever. That 700lb\ft rating is an OEM rating on a real transmission dyno for an OEM application. So there is no tomfoolery, no nothing. Its the real deal.

Think of it this way. They've put the viper spec T56 in Aston Martins as well. There wasn't a special variant, because really, that's the limit for that design.

 

[Apicia]

Here is my take as someone who sells about 12,000 parts a year. I'm not going to post a link, and I don't sell performance parts anymore, but I have my opinion on this matter.

A LOT of performance parts are just marketing gimmicks. I've seen a lot of these claims to build 1000lb\ft T56s or 800, 900. Thing is, these transmissions are more or less designed to handle 550lb\ft at viper spec. You can cryo the gears and that's going to add a LITTLE bit. But who has a multi million dollar transmission dyno to really measure that? Really only tremec and other OEMs have that.

So all these ratings are just for the most part, in my opinion created on the fly. I've seen all the tricks and marketing hoopla because I still function as a wholesale supplier to a variety of forum sponsors from Vortec to LT1 (not really heavy on ford stuff). I've seen 2 bar sensors of mine be marketed as 3 bars. I've seen arbitrary RPM limits slapped on other parts. I've seen performance claims slapped on OEM replacements.

There are a couple big turbo guys that have been through all of these big name T56s. They all more or less fail at 700lb\ft or above.

There is a whole market of this.

I believe if you want to hold 550lb\ft, you should get a viper spec. If you want to hold 700lb\ft get a magnum T56. If you want more than that. Go auto or pay for real race ready transmission, not an OEM variant.

If you plan on staying at your power level, a would bet a magnum T56 would be a good bet for you. Input shaft aside. If you hook on a 6000rpm launch on slicks, nothing is going to survive that. But just beating on it on the streets it should live for damn near forever. That 700lb\ft rating is an OEM rating on a real transmission dyno for an OEM application. So there is no tomfoolery, no nothing. Its the real deal.

Think of it this way. They've put the viper spec T56 in Aston Martins as well. There wasn't a special variant, because really, that's the limit for that design.

Makes sense. I read a lot about the new Magnums and they seem like great transmissions. Not expensive and no core needed. Going with the Magnum.

 

[greengt88]

Keisler transmissions.....Rockland Standard Gear Transzilla rsgear.com

 

[NateTermi]

RPM Transmissions is a pretty solid company. You should check out their site while you're searching around.

 

[evn62719]

RPM Transmissions is a pretty solid company. You should check out their site while you're searching around.

I have one of their transmissions and I haven't been happy with it. I had a snychro break off and got stuck in 4th gear. Now it has a whine/chatter from a gear bearing.

 

[Teej281]

Here is my take as someone who sells about 12,000 parts a year. I'm not going to post a link, and I don't sell performance parts anymore, but I have my opinion on this matter.

A LOT of performance parts are just marketing gimmicks. I've seen a lot of these claims to build 1000lb\ft T56s or 800, 900. Thing is, these transmissions are more or less designed to handle 550lb\ft at viper spec. You can cryo the gears and that's going to add a LITTLE bit. But who has a multi million dollar transmission dyno to really measure that? Really only tremec and other OEMs have that.

So all these ratings are just for the most part, in my opinion created on the fly. I've seen all the tricks and marketing hoopla because I still function as a wholesale supplier to a variety of forum sponsors from Vortec to LT1 (not really heavy on ford stuff). I've seen 2 bar sensors of mine be marketed as 3 bars. I've seen arbitrary RPM limits slapped on other parts. I've seen performance claims slapped on OEM replacements.

There are a couple big turbo guys that have been through all of these big name T56s. They all more or less fail at 700lb\ft or above.

There is a whole market of this.

I believe if you want to hold 550lb\ft, you should get a viper spec. If you want to hold 700lb\ft get a magnum T56. If you want more than that. Go auto or pay for real race ready transmission, not an OEM variant.

If you plan on staying at your power level, a would bet a magnum T56 would be a good bet for you. Input shaft aside. If you hook on a 6000rpm launch on slicks, nothing is going to survive that. But just beating on it on the streets it should live for damn near forever. That 700lb\ft rating is an OEM rating on a real transmission dyno for an OEM application. So there is no tomfoolery, no nothing. Its the real deal.

Think of it this way. They've put the viper spec T56 in Aston Martins as well. There wasn't a special variant, because really, that's the limit for that design.

The ratings that they are given is usually unverifiable, I will agree. But these ratings are probably based off of what is upgraded and what is strengthened, and also is probably based off of real world testing that the company has done such as putting the transmission in a car with 1000hp and testing it out and making sure it holds. Most performance parts are sold off of false advertising, but as far as strength goes, if you build it right, I dont see why they wont be strong enough to hold lots of power. And at the point of 700lb+ of torque, you'll be running into clutch configuration problems because not many clutches can hold that at all so the clutch would give out before the trans will.

Also, one of the biggest strength upgrades to the T56 is a 26 spline input shaft. There is most of the holding capacity upgrade for the transmissions in cobras. Building up the trans just means putting the parts to shift smooth and well and be reliable into the trans really...the parts Ford should have had tremec build them with in the first place. But there definitely is strength upgrades to be had over and above stock parts, moreso than youre giving them credit for.