T5 Info

the stock tranny on my 1950 chevy is about to give, i was searching for a t5 upgrade but was told to use only 83-87 s10 t5 on my 216 engine...is this the only or cheapest way to go? what other options are there.?

 

It's not the only way to go, but it is the easiest. Any GM pattern T5 will bolt up with the right clutch disk. Speedo & shifter placement are the other factors.

 

thanks Flat Ernie.....found this link at another site hope it helps some hambers

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/1101sr_putting_a_five_speed_in_a_49_54_chevy/index.html...

 

Thanks to all, this is the type of info I was looking for a few weeks ago.

 

I just yanked a NWC S10 T5 at PicknPull, have ordered the bell housing for my flatty. Does anyone know the length of the conversion bell housing? I'm trying to determine a driveshaft length now.

 

Do NOT cut your driveshaft until you have the adapter in your hot little hand. They are all different lengths. How do I know? Well, um.... er... OK, i cut my drive shaft and torque tube too short by 5/8", which meant I had to shift the engine mounts back 5/8" .....

 

Your getting ahead of yourself....ONE step at a time

 

yep

 

Actually I was thinking of going through the driveshaft pile at the local bone yard and keeping my old one intact. But you're right, no rush, I'm just caught up in the thought of all those extra gears and synchros!

 

Blowby I did that when I put my T5 in my 51 behind a Flathead 6. The shaft I bought was the correct length but wound up being out of a Nissan Pickup. That was 6 years ago but as I found out the drive shaft was the most expensive part of the install. I could have had a brand new drive shaft made by the time all was said and done cheaper than trying to modify an old one. Live and learn I guess........

 

So I had to ream the T5 mounting holes out to 1/2" to fit my new bell housing. You guys using 3/4" head bolts or something else? Kinda tight getting a socket in there.

 

I used a allen head bolt.

 

Damn, Gotta love the HAMB!

 

amen.......

 

Thanks, got 'em today. $2 a pop at Ace, $1 at Orchard. No big deal but by the time I bought bell housing to block bolts, cross member and other assorted bolts and washers I had $25 in bolts. Bolts sure have gone up. I have 50 drawers of bolts mind you, but never the right ones. I'm always screwed, it's nuts.

 

Nailed it!

 

Looks like that lug hanging off the bottom at the tailshaft/main case area is going to be the new low point of my undercarriage. Anyone cut that off?

 

Yes - I've done it for both my avatar and my 40 Ford coupe that now just had its 4th one installed ....

 

OK then, off with the lump. When I pulled my T5 out of the donor S10 there were braces running from there to someplace. Why I don't know.

Thanks.

 

Some applications bolted a bob weight on there to help with vibration. It can safely be removed.

Any weight added to a driveline component can usually be safely removed. These are attempts by the factory to reduce/eliminate a vibration or resonance in a specific application.

 

I cut that lump off of the T-5 I have in my avatar with no noticeable problems.

 

Curious what rear end gears y'all are running with the T5. The reason I'm asking is because, as my T5/rear end swap drags on, I have a chance to buy some 4.11 gears for my now 3.00 rear end (w/24" tires). I have a feeling with the 3.00s I'll never see 5th gear, and with the 4.11s never use first. What did the average T5 vehicle use for gears?

Sidevalve that truck looks sweet.

 

There were lots of S10s with 3.42 or 3.73 gears and T5s.

 

I run a 4.10 in the T roadster with the T-5. It's about a perfect combination. 1st is used for parking and going in an out of driveways and when starting out on a hill. 2nd is used for 90% of all starting off.
So really a 3 speed with overdrive and a granny low. It's nice. Real nice.

I left the fin on mine, and have dragged the oil pan and not hit the fin.

Frank

 

Thanks for the compliment on the looks.

I had 3.89 gears in it but got tired of the "granny" low gear so I went with a 3.25 ratio. I am much happier with that set up. Low gear is now a driving gear. I have 29" tall tires on the rear and can cruise down the Interstate in 5th gear and just loaf along.

 

When trying to determine what gears I wanted to run in my 51 chevy pickup after installing a T5, I searched online and found a gear/speed calculator (sorry, didn't keep track of the site).
Here is my chart I came up with for my particular T5 (1-5 gear numbers on left) and various rear axle gears (numbers across top). Body of chart shows the speed in mph running at 2500 rpm.


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=32096&pictureid=374699

I chose 3.42 rear gears. Won't know how it works out until I get it on the road (hopefully this summer).

 

Well, I'm glad we all agree.

I just bought the 4.11 gears. I think what I'll do is find another pumpkin and put 'em in, then I'll have both.

 

My 51 still has the orginal Flathead 6 in it, I put a 9" rearend with 3:23 gears in it. Truck runs fine and I can use 5th gear on a fairly flat freeway run. But if I had a choice of gearing I think I would probably go with 3:50 gearing. I'm currently running the 235-15 tires so I could probably go to a smaller tire and get the same results.

 

So I have a new flathead T5 bellhousing and clutch shaft, both from Speedway. With the TO bearing fork centered the new shaft only protrudes half way (1/2") into the driver's side bushing. The tech at Speedway got right back to me, he is checking some other stock but says that's just the way some are. Probably work but what do you guys think? The drive side is right where it needs to be for the lever.

 

Mine was the same way 20 years ago. No problems other than the grease runs out of the bearing.