Driving your muscle car can be an awful lot of fun! What’s not fun is buzzing the engine at 3000+ RPM driving down the highway or backroads for long periods of time and watching the gas gauge needle make a more rapid descent down to zero. Or seeing the wear and tear on your engine from extended high RPM outings.
A transmission swap may be just the thing for you.
Moving into a five or six-speed transmission affords one or two overdrive gears, which will help reduce your cruising RPM and make your drive much more enjoyable.
The transmissions of choice right now are the Tremec TKX five-speed and T56 six-speed models. There are many reputable companies out there selling these transmissions and complete transmission packages. RAM works with several of them to provide the clutch system.
When it is time to make your clutch selection for this package, don’t just settle for whatever clutch package the distributor offers. They may have their ‘own’ brand clutch systems.
RAM has been working on and building clutch systems for transmissions back into the early 2000s. We have several packages tailored for these applications based on your anticipated use of your vehicle.
Don’t Forget the Flywheel
The flywheel should never be overlooked when setting up a new drivetrain system. Don’t just reuse that factory cast iron flywheel that may be thirty or more years old! Instead, make sure to use a quality billet steel (street use) or aluminum flywheel (track use). New flywheels such as RAM billet models are typically a bit thinner overall than factory flywheels. As a result, they can allow more space to fit the clutch system with an internal hydraulic release bearing.
Pick the Right Kit
Most of the transmission distributors use some version of the factory internal slave cylinder or hydraulic release bearing. RAM has hydraulic bearing kits specifically designed for Tremec five and six-speed transmissions.
Five-speed kits include a billet replacement front bearing retainer that allows for more space in setting up the release mechanism with whatever clutch you decide on, whether it is a single or double disc.
Bottom line? Do your homework on a transmission package that is best suited to your needs and the use of your vehicle, and don’t be afraid to select a different clutch, flywheel, and hydraulics package than just what they ‘happen’ to offer.