Question about a T-5 Transmission

[Bob Hatcher]

I am swapping in a T5 World Class 5 speed out of a 1986 5.0 Mustang for my 302 swap into my 2000 2WD Ranger - I saw where it was mentioned that a T5 out of a Chevy S-10 has a tail housing that will allow me to have my shifter in the normal location and not part way under my seat - the question, that I have, is -------are there any specific year S-10 tail housings that I need to look for or to stay away from? I found one for sale and need to ask - it is listed as "Tail housing from a 92 s10 with Hurst shifter" - would it work? Thanks

 

[Brain75]

Early S10's have a mechanical speedo (gear), later ones have an electric sender (sends pulses)... don't know the 1986 ford recipient from ~1980's chevy donor differences, but by 1990 they were electric speedo and I put a 1990 S10 T-5 in my 1948 F-1. It worked fine for me cause I was using an aftermarket speedometer that needed electric pulses and was universal, you program the speedometer in the 1st mile for however many pulses you happen to get from any sender. Swapping tailhousing means basically completely tearing down the transmission entirely. Just be aware that the ford mustang variety has the ford "SBF" or"symetric butterfly" bolt pattern and the chevy S10 T-5's have chevy Muncie or MT350 pattern, so making a hybrid is a lot of work no matter how you tear into it. I guess if I was going about it I would hunt down an early S10 with mechanical speedo. Even then you might end up having to buy a chevy to ford speedo cable (if they are different threads, end connectors or whatever). Over on ford-trucks.com in the 1948-56 forum there is tons of tons of info on the T5 swap for them and somewhere buried I bet you can find which year was the cutoff.

I just thought of another solution, but it is more electrical parts and $$$ - aftermarket they make an backwards converter, converts the electric speedo pulses from the trans back into mechanical, I bet you can find it on CJ Pony Parts or Dakota Digital.

 

[Brain75]

also the HAMB might have the info... someone over there said the T-4 trans has the same tailhousing and you could borrow just the tail from one of those (of course and the shifter).. but I have no validation to those comments.

Hot Rods - t-5 electric to mechanical speedometer conversion

installed a t-5 behind a flathead in a 50 ford and was wondering how to convert the speedometer from electric back to mechanical if at all possible....

www.jalopyjournal.com

 

[Bob Hatcher]

Early S10's have a mechanical speedo (gear), later ones have an electric sender (sends pulses)... don't know the 1986 ford recipient from ~1980's chevy donor differences, but by 1990 they were electric speedo and I put a 1990 S10 T-5 in my 1948 F-1. It worked fine for me cause I was using an aftermarket speedometer that needed electric pulses and was universal, you program the speedometer in the 1st mile for however many pulses you happen to get from any sender. Swapping tailhousing means basically completely tearing down the transmission entirely. Just be aware that the ford mustang variety has the ford "SBF" or"symetric butterfly" bolt pattern and the chevy S10 T-5's have chevy Muncie or MT350 pattern, so making a hybrid is a lot of work no matter how you tear into it. I guess if I was going about it I would hunt down an early S10 with mechanical speedo. Even then you might end up having to buy a chevy to ford speedo cable (if they are different threads, end connectors or whatever). Over on ford-trucks.com in the 1948-56 forum there is tons of tons of info on the T5 swap for them and somewhere buried I bet you can find which year was the cutoff.

I just thought of another solution, but it is more electrical parts and $$$ - aftermarket they make an backwards converter, converts the electric speedo pulses from the trans back into mechanical, I bet you can find it on CJ Pony Parts or Dakota Digital.

Speedometer will not be an issue since my 2000 Ranger picks up it's speedometer reading through a sensor in the top of the rear end housing - since I am also swapping in a disc brake 8.8 rear from a 2000 Explorer, that has that very same sensor - anything that was used on the 86 Mustang T5 will just be plugged

 

[Brain75]

gotcha, I would swear your profile said you had 86, so was going along those lines - yeah for 2000 if it comes from the axle, not the trans you are golden, just leave the electric sender in the hole and don't connect anything to it.

 

[Brain75]

as far as the hurst shifter goes, that is completely out of my know how.. I took the S10 shifter, cut off 1" above the ball, and welded on my 1948 stick to it, so it looks 1948 with anything different hidden inside the boot.

 

[don4331]

I think you're making this overly difficult.

Other than the electronic vs mechanical speedometer gear (and of course 2 vs 4wd) there isn't a lot of difference in S-10 tail shafts.

You undo the shifter and remove the pin holding block to the shift rod.​

Then unbolt the tail shaft housing and set aside.​

Remove the top cover and set aside.​

Repeat on the other transmission.​

Put the S-10 tail shaft housing on the SBF transmission.​

Check end play; shim to correct tolerance!​

Remove the S-10 tail shaft housing.​

Install the top cover making sure the forks are in correct position.​

Re-install the S-10 tail shaft housing.​

Connect the shifter block to the shift rod and install shifter.​

Add oil.​

Install.​

​

Reassemble the S-10 T-5 and put up on Facebook market place as for parts.​

​

You probably want to keep the reverse sensor from the Mustang to get reverse lights.

 

[Brain75]

I haven't watched the entire video, but this guy seems to know his stuff - he knows T-5 was originally a Borg-Warner before Tremec came to exist, etc... he's taking a camaro (rear shifter almost the same as mustang) and hybridizing it with a S10 to get the correct shifter placement.

 

[Brain75]

I made it through the whole video, and he did NOT change the tail shaft, just the housing - so like the other guys in the gear speedo world, that would not work (nothing to drive the speedo gear), to remove the shaft you have to tear the trans completely apart. For your use, where you don't need the speedo signal it would be just as simple as his video spot on, couple hours is all.

 

[don4331]

Corrected - I meant just the tail shaft housing, not the tail shaft. Apologies for confusion.

I made it through the video too - pretty good. I will note, he referred to the housing as the tailshaft and had to correct himself, so I don't feel too bad. And he assumed the play on the new housing would be same as the old and didn't check play. My buddy had us check and adjust. There are also a couple pieces in housing/on counter shaft that like to fall off when you're working on the garage floor that a little 'sticky grease' keeps in place.

If you are reinstalling the original split pin in the shifter block, you have to remove it and insert from the top. So, no risk of pin preventing future removal...

 

[gearfather]

also the HAMB might have the info... someone over there said the T-4 trans has the same tailhousing and you could borrow just the tail from one of those (of course and the shifter).. but I have no validation to those comments.

Hot Rods - t-5 electric to mechanical speedometer conversion

installed a t-5 behind a flathead in a 50 ford and was wondering how to convert the speedometer from electric back to mechanical if at all possible....

www.jalopyjournal.com

The t4 tail has nowhhere for the 5th gear set.. it is flat where the 5th set needs to go..