T45 Rebuild / Upgrade thread

[96blak54]

Welcome to the T45 repair/rebuild thread.



Here are a few links to companies that still support the T45 with stock replacement parts or upgraded parts and lots of information. These companies may or may not still be doing business.

MUSTANG/CAMARO/CORVETTE Performance Manual Transmissions/Clutch/Repairs/Parts FL

https://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/ This one you have to do a specific T45 search

Pro-Force Performance; Specializing in Rebuilt Mustang Manual Transmissions in Atlanta, GA

Rebuilt Ford Mustang T5 Transmissions in Atlanta, Georgia

www.pro-forceperformance.com

T45 Standard Transmission Kits & Parts | Cobra Transmission

Are you looking for the T45 standard transfer kits and parts for sale? Shop them all today at Cobra Transmission, your online parts store.

cobratransmission.com

T45 Ford Mustang Manual Transmission

Midwest Transmission Center is an Automotive Parts Rebuilder and Re- manufacturer can help you with your T45 Manual Transmission Below you will find a detailed list that includes complete T45 rebuilt transmissions, plus a full line or repair parts including: bearing rebuild kits&a

www.midwesttrans.com

T45

The Gear Box is your online source for t45 transmission parts,t5 transmission parts,borg warner t56,muncie transmission,t10 transmission,super t10 transmission,3550 transmission parts,manual transmission parts,t45 transmission overhaul kit, t45 transmission rebuild,rebuilding a...

www.thegearbox.org

This thread is for us to support as a group with what knowledge we have gathered through the years of experience working on our rides. Also to highlight some of the companies that still support the transmission by manufacturing upgraded parts.

First and foremost....the t45 is a very capable transmission and can handle some good power. The stock form of this transmission has its issues and the earlier make of this transmission, the more problems it carried.

The worst issue i my opinion is the reverse engagement.
I believe all years of the t45 has engagement issues when shifting to reverse. Although not terrible issue to the experienced driver, the novice driver it can be a real pain when attempting to shift reverse and being locked out. The simple solution?.....when attempting to reverse, dont force the shifter, but hold the shifter towards reverse while easing off the clutch, allowing the rotating assembly within the transmission to rotate and the gearing to open up for engagement. Then once engaged, do your normal clutch/acceleration combo to move the car.



The stock shifter is another common problem, it overshifts. The stock shifter causes the shifting mechanics within the transmission to move more than necessary. This is when we shift into a gear, the gear engages, and we are still applying more force in that motion than is necessary, causing the shift mechanisms to apply more force, but has nowhere to go and this typically breaks things. Simple solution is to purchase/install an aftermarket shifter that has adjustable dead stops that prevent any unnecessary movements beyond gear engagement. Now keep in mind, replacing the shifter is NOT a fix all, but does prolong breakage.

 

[96blak54]

Reserved!

 

[96blak54]

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[96blak54]

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[lwarrior1016]

Stan at pro-force performance is the man. He helped me out tremendously with my t45 build.

I will say with the reverse issue, it is not synchronized in the t45 and has to move two pieces. Stan makes a billet shift fork for the reverse that converts it to a single disconnect setup and synchronizes it. This makes reverse much easier.

I had my t45 behind my coyote and would dump the clutch at 6500 rpm, on slicks. Then would shift it at 8000 rpm. The transmission held up great and never missed a beat.

 

[Snorky]

Following.. even though i don't have a t45

 

[shurur]

Nice.
I have the 99 T45 for the cobra that is holding up on original HP.

If I were to upgrade, I would like to keep it, but with close ratio, i.e. a useful 5th gear, as I don't plan on going 120+ on the highway.

It's nice to know there are still parts available for the T45. I know for a time, the T45 was looking like a dead end.

Off the top, I think pro-force performance may be the only place doing stuff with the T45, as they merged/bought The T45 Source.

This is a nice history or genealogy of the single rail? transmsions:
www.pro-forceperformance.com/t-45.htm#:~:text=Pro-Force Performance is proud,in the spring of 2016.

 

[shurur]

Stan at pro-force performance is the man. He helped me out tremendously with my t45 build.

I will say with the reverse issue, it is not synchronized in the t45 and has to move two pieces. Stan makes a billet shift fork for the reverse that converts it to a single disconnect setup and synchronizes it. This makes reverse much easier.

I had my t45 behind my coyote and would dump the clutch at 6500 rpm, on slicks. Then would shift it at 8000 rpm. The transmission held up great and never missed a beat.

I know it doesn't sync, but I always found that putting in my clutch and counting down from 5, then putting it in reverse has always worked for me. I don't know why.

I have the pro 5.0 with the stops for the other issues.

 

[96blak54]

@shurur Great info! This is exact the info I like to see! Have you rebuilt your T45?

 

[SPeace-ATL]

SHIFTER STOPS:

I contend that it is not that the factory T45 (or even T5) shifter moves the shift forks too far, but that once the transmission gets all "loosened up" the slider can move further than necessary even if the shift rail did not push it that far due to slack in the forks, etc. Shifter stops can limit the movement of the shift rail, but the forks, fork pads and other things can still allow the problem to happen. Even WITH the shifter stops.

Look closely at the shifter. Under that Shifter Block in the shifter housing is a finger that sticks down into the "H" pattern to guide the shifter. This also limits how far the shifter can move... Yes, T45 forks love to break, but they don't break from the shifter pressing them too far. These weak forks and weak shift plates are actually a different discussion.

I'm not knocking shifter stops for these two transmissions. Just be sure to adjust them properly. Too loose and they don't do anything, and too tight and the synchro slider fails to fully engage causing premature synchro wear and popping out of gear.

Okay, what goes on when the slider seems to have moved too far and the keys get stuck? This is pretty common for the T-5/T-45/T-56 3-4 and the T-45 5-R and the T56 5/6 synchro. Have you ever opened one of these and found the ends of the 3 stamped keys in the synchro hub to be completely sheared off?

What has happened is when the slider moves a little too far the factory stamped steel keys in the synchro hubs tend to "pop up" on the side where the slider has uncovered the keys. Having shifter stops can help this over-travel, but it may not solve the issue because once the parts are worn some, the fork pads have worn down, and all has become pretty loose you can't fully control the play in the synchro slider by limiting the motion of the shift rail.

I have observed in bench testing that the cause of these synchro jams is often from the 3 stamped steel keys popping up. If the slider moves a little too far in one direction it uncovers a little too much of the key on the other side of the slider. the tips of those uncovered keys "live" in 3 notches in the synchro ring. when they all 3 pop up simultaneously, the synchro ring is allowed to rotate. At that point the synchro gets stuck in a gear. The slider can't return to the neutral position because the keys can't et back in to the 3 notches in the ring. The driver continues to "work" the shifter lever until they get it out of gear, but that process sheared off the tips of the 3 keys. At this point, the opposite gear from the one that got stuck has no further synchro action. Example, T45 stuck in reverse, keys shear off, then fifth gear has no synchro action. Stuck in third, the keys shear off and fourth gear has no synchro action. Sometimes this process actually breaks the forks themselves.

I have noticed that the aftermarket solid keys available for these synchros tend to not pop up when the slider moves more than necessary. If they don't pop up, they don't release the synchro ring to rotate, they don't get jammed, and the problem of shearing off the keys doesn't happen.

All these years people have been blaming the stock shifters for breaking the forks by pushing to far, but I contend that the original stamped steel synchro keys are the root cause of this problem. For this reason I highly recommend the solid keys in the 3-4 synchro hubs of the T-5, T-45 as well as the T-56. Likewise, for the 5-R slider for the T-45 as well as the 5-6 slider in the T56. All of these locations use the same original stamped steel keys... While solid keys are available for the T-45 and T-56 1-2 sliders the stamped keys in those positions really don't give much trouble. Note that the early Corvette T-56 1-2 synchros do have solid keys there from the factory.

Stan

 

[96blak54]

Fantastic info!

This is awesome! Thanks a ton @SPeace-ATL

 

[96blak54]

Rebuilt T-45 Transmissions in Atlanta Georgia

This link has a wealth of info and just about everything needed for the transmissions we all use in our mustangs! I know it was posted up top earlier, but I just checked out the link and its got some great info. Everyone be sure to check it out!

 

[BMAC96GT]

I can also vouch for Stan at Pro-Force Performance. He was a huge help when I was installing a 26 spline input shaft on my T45 Source built T45. Even talked with me on the phone and gave me some very helpful info to make sure I was able to do it correctly.

I've also been very pleased with my T45. It was one of Zak's last builds before he quit. It's his "Street Heat" build with reverse fix as talked about above. Stan at Pro-Force has said that a T45 with a 26 spine input shaft is generally considered "good" to the 600hp mark. Mine has held up perfectly in my Vortech supercharged '96. It held up to 520whp for about 2 years, and has continued to hold right at 650whp for the last year and a half.

I think the weak link in these transmissions is the third gear. At a certain power level it will strip the teeth off of third gear, and from my understanding, there are no other reproduction gears for this transmission. I would love to see a company produce aftermarket gears for these transmissions, but I'm sure the market just isn't there for it. I've been looking into a T56 magnum and TKX due to the T45's third gear, but it's currently holding close to 650whp with no complaints.

 

[mcgr]

Great thread!

I recently managed to get replacement 3-4 shift fork through All State Gear, but I think they don't have much T-45 parts left. Had to hunt for that thing quite long to get good price.

 

[badass98svt]

ProMotion still does T45s as well.

T45/TKX