Gear Ratios

[1HOTSVO]

What is the stock SVO Gears in the 86 WC T5?
I am sending my tranny to Hanlon to have the upgrade it to T5-Z spec with the Super Alloy gear set to handle to power I am making with the car. They only sell a 2.95 gear set. I am building a new 8.8 rear end and I am curious what rear end gear set would best match the 2.95 tranny gears and still get me off the line in a reasonable amount of time?

Thanks!
Brian

[AustinL]

I am positive the 1985 is as follows,and pretty sure the 1986 is the same:
Axle Ratio: 3.73:1
1rst.......... 3:50:1
2nd.......... 2:14:1
3rd............ 1.36:1
4th............ 1.00:1
5th............ 0.78:1

The 2.95 first gear in those tranny's will really kill your launch without a real aggressive axle ratio, especially in the SVO
I ran the same tranny in my 85 GT with only 3.27 and I had a 50 mph first gear shift. I really do not like such a high first gear. I really think a 3.35:1 first or 3:50 :1 first with 3.73 or 4.10 are great.
If I put that tranny in my svo I would run at least 4.10 and probably 4.56. However the downside to 4.56 is that 5th gear will become an acceleration gear obviously reducing the life of the non beefed up 5th gear synchro. With a .63 fifth gear you will be okay with 4.10 or lower on the highway, as long as you go into fifth real easy to save the synchro.
See Ya
Corey

[svobud]

I think I've posted this link before - but what the hey....all the questions you could have about T-5 should be covered here.

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/09/t5swap/index2.shtml

--

[1HOTSVO]

The gear set for the Kit that Hanlon is selling is to get the T5 nice and beefy is:
1st: 2.95
2nd: 1.94
3rd: 1.34
4th: 1.00
5th: .63

I need some way to build a real strong T5 and my options seem to be limited. I don't think I will like running a 4.56 rear gear, but I am not sure what else I can do at this point that will really be able to take a beating but not end up costing my $4-7K for a special tranny.

Thanks, all help will be great!
Brian

[svobud]

Originally posted by 1HOTSVO
I don't think I will like running a 4.56 rear gear, but I am not sure what else I can do at this point

Not unless you go with a 6 speed....dunno how hard it is to fit one on the back of a 2.3 liter cause I've never heard of someone using a T56, but you're not going to break it given the HP/TQ limits of a reasonable 2.3 liter.

[AustinL]

I would also be concerned about the big spread between 4th and 5th. In the 5.0 if you run deep into the revs in 4th gear you can catch the power curve again in 5th but I am not so sure how well that will work with the turbo car? That is true that your options are limited though. I really enjoyed my t-5 z, I only needed more aggressive gears to make it even better.
\Corey

[AustinL]

a six speed would be neat but then you have a 1.95 first and .50 6th.
However with enough hp and torque 4.10 and a t-5z should work pretty good. It may even help keep it from breaking loose at high boost.

[1HOTSVO]

A possible option?! I happen to still have a 94 Cobra tranny that if the list that SVO Bud gave me is correct has a 3.35 first and my SVO has a 3.50 first.
How well will do you think the 3.35 first will work if I run a 4.10 rear? Will it be enough or will I still need the 4.56?
The same .15 difference is in second gear. SVO has a 2.14 2nd and the 94 Cobra has a 1.99

Does this sound like a good or bad swap. I know the input shaft will need to be changed and turned down but that is not too bad.

Opinions?

Thanks!
Brian

[AustinL]

I think it really depends on how much power you have and where the power starts. I you are planning on making 350 hp or more I think that the 2.95 would be okay with 4.10. But the 3.35 first would be great with 4.10's for sure. I am also not convinced that the svo tranny will not be strong enough. The number one killer of t-5s is synchronizer damage over time which leads to gear clash and eventually the demise of an entire gear or set of gears.
I would first build the car and install a firewall adjusting clutch quadrant kit in the car. This will allow you to adjust the clutch to disengage high on the pedal travel. This is the easiest way to prevent synchro damage. Too often the stock adjuster gets too low to the floor which causes the clutch to not be COMPLETELY disengaged during hard fast shifts. If you take care of the synchros I believe the tranny will support substantially more than the rated numbers. I have known several guys in the past running deep into the 11s with the setup I just described.
Just my $.02.
Corey

[1HOTSVO]

The car is complete except a few more mods I plan on adding soon. As it sits right now I am running just over 240RWHP when I run it on street gas, then when I take it to the track, push the boost up and run 110 fuel I am around +285 RWHP. The SVO T5 has now become noisy and is most noticed when I am going down hill with my foot off of all peddles (this way the exhaust noise is not drowning out the tranny noise).
I plan on pushing well over 350 RWHP for short amounts of time while running a NX nitrous system which the motor has been built to handle. I am just working out a few bugs first.
I don?t think any T5 was built to handle that kind of power, but I want to do what I can without braking the bank or the car.
Can you give more detail about the firewall adjusting clutch quadrant kit and where I can find one? Have any part numbers?

Thanks!
Brian

[svobud]

if it was me...I'd use the 94-95 Cobra tranny. You'll have to changed out the input shaft though - the two trannys have different shaft diameters. I have the stock tranny in my 94 Cobra that has one wicked 347ci in it - and it's seen plenty of days at the track (1/8 mi, 1/4 mi, Road Course, and AutoX)...and currently has 90k miles on it. If you keep the clutch properly adjusted (as mentioned), install a shifter with positive stops (properly adjusted as well) and don't crunch the gears when you shift....then it should hold with no worries..

[svono50]

Brian,

The T-5 can handle that kind of power, it all depends on how you apply it through the tranny (i.e.- slow rolling start, clutchless power shift, drag racing 5000rpm clutch dump on slicks, etc). I know of a Merkur that was putting ~350RWHP that would kill its differential before the weak knee'd T-9 that was backing it up.

If you want good advice/service check out D&D Performance:

http://www.ddperformance.com/index2.htm

They know T-5's in and out and have always given me good customer service. They are one of the few places that didn't say "huh" when I mentioned I had an SVO.

As for the firewall adjustable clutch quadrant kit, there are a couple of them out there, the best known is the Forte's unit:

http://www.fortesparts.com/

I have never tried any of them, but I have heard good things about their unit. Good luck.