toploader how much abuse will it take?

[fe66comet]

Top loader? How much HP and torque will it hold. I hate to invest a huge amount in a trans that will spit gears and oil everywhere LOL. I am going 1 1/16 x 10 input and 31 spline out.

[BH107]

I haven't raced with them personally. I did read something from another racer recently that said he used to start bending 1 1/16" imput shafts at about 430 hp and sticky tires.

[machoneman]

It depends on a few factors. Try dumping a Long style clutch (not a Soft-Loc either) at 7K in a 660 hp Cammer in a 4,400 lb. '63 Galaxie with wide slicks on a sticky track and you'll break the input shaft at the gear base every 3-4 runs.  Saw an old pal Randy Migut waste a number of t-loaders doing just this. Today though with base pressure adjustable slipper clutches, metallic discs and a few other tricks, a stick car can leave just as hard but not incur breakage all that often.

Unless your running a really heavy car, a ton of hp and 14" or wider slicks, they will last...but not forever. And if one really worries abut breakage, then skip the t-loader and go with a G-Force racing tranny. 

http://www.gforcetransmissions.com/about.asp

[fe66comet]

Looks like I gotta loose the top loader I am running over 600 and going with a 370 gear with 11" wide wide oval Indy tires and caltrak suspension. Thanks for the advice I guess I am getting far more into this than expected that is for sure.

[fe66comet]

Found a TKO on Barry's site for 2500.00 better price than the Richmond for 4500.00 on summit. Anyone ran a TKO with a big block? What you guys think?

[e philpott]

my big in/out wide ratio TL was raced from 1970 to 1999 in a 63 427 galaxy 4400 pounds with driver and ran 11.60's and never broke with old school clutch with the previuos owner , I just installed it in my 63 fairlane this summer with soft/loc clutch and plan on racing it some more next year ..... the TKO on Barry's site won't shift under power with out modification , if your serious about a street/race transmission then look at Liberty's TKO600 that is face plated 2nd, 3rd and fourth gear for full throttle shifts             http://www.libertysgears.com/

[BH107]

Looks like I gotta loose the top loader I am running over 600 and going with a 370 gear with 11" wide wide oval Indy tires and caltrak suspension. Thanks for the advice I guess I am getting far more into this than expected that is for sure.

If you go to the 1 3/8" input shaft you'll probably be fine.

[fe66comet]

I'll check it out, I was just on the Tremec forum and it seems a lot of people were having shifting issues under load. Changing to a good race oil might offer some improvement?

[fe66comet]

Problem with 1 3/8 is available clutches. Pretty much light duty organic is it in a 12". I like the weight savings and extra gear also. What does the face plating do? Also they talk about a syncro upgrade, do the TKO 600s come syncronized? Or is that added?

[machoneman]

See Liberty's explanation: http://www.libertysgears.com/faceplate.htm

Driving a fully-face plated (it used to be called a slick-shifted, now pro-shifted, gearsets where every other or third slider 'dog' was removed) tranny can be tough on the street unless one matches rpms, up and down shifting, just about perfectly at every shift. These are truly race parts for 'almost" no-clutch speed shifting IMHO. I used to run slick-shifted Super T-10's (via Doug Nash) long ago and they are pretty neat.....for drag racing.  Once can also btw purchase face-plated gearsests for a T-loader.

Once again, it points up the difference beween true race car parts and the occasional strip car that sees 95% of it's time merely cruising around. 

Just for kicks, here is a truly clutchless tranny: http://www.libertysgears.com/clutchless.htm

You'll need a stiff shot of your fav poison after seeing the prices! Anyone ready for an FE Pro Stocker?

[MT63AFX]

I used a stock 65-66 Galaxie BI/BO Toploader in my 63 LWG behind a 650+hp TP. Car w/driver weighed 3,600lbs with 4.56 spool and 10.5 slicks. The same TL will go behind the HR that's slated for the 'resurrection'. If I were you, I would change to the bigger 1 3/8" input shaft and run the recommended dino oil too, jmo, Rod.

[fe66comet]

I was actually thinking of installing a gear vendor eventually but discovered they are not legal for any class so that is a dead idea. The five would be nice for street and road race, which it will spend most of it's time. I will go to the strip occasionally but not for serious ET place numbers. One thing for sure I do not have the cash for a strip only car to compete. Out here it is intense competition from the Chicago big wallets like a lot of sports figures compete as well as the big teams and machine shops. When it comes down to it faster is unobtainable unless you got a huge budget.

[fe66comet]

Yeah I spewed coffee everywhere when I saw the seven grand price tag on the clutch less. I would go with a lenco first. Actually I could never come up with that kind of money in one shot anyhow.

[e philpott]

sounds like you need a TKO600 with shift up-grade ..... they change the synchro's to shift better at high rpm , its still not like face plating but much better than the standard TKO600 .....

[fe66comet]

Face plating really was not that bad considering the boost in longevity standard trans is about 2400, with the added goodies under 3000. I'll have to save a few months but I needed to sink a grand in my top loader anyhow. For some reason someone installed a six cylinder wide ratio trans as a replacement for the three speed.