My Tremec Experience
 

Just thought I would post my thoughts on my recent purchase and install of a Tremec 3550 in my 88Coupe.

1). Love the Tranny. It is solid in everyway. Hope I never have to shift a t-5 again.

2). I did not need the crossmember, just broke loose the spot welds on the factory piece and it fit like a glove.

3) Buy a shifter. I cannot beleive that a $1,300 transmission could have such a cracker jack piece for a shifter. My Dad's F-150 had shorter throws! Now thanks to Hurst I am happy. Spend the money the first time and you won't have to do it 2 weeks kater like i did.

4) I understand that a Bellhousing from a 82-83 srod 4spd will work, but i bought the new piece.

Hope to try it at the track soon, maby Bristol in March

Congrats on your buy. I love tremecs and have had good luck with them.
I here you on the shifter thing:eek: they suck

I don't mind the shifter. But then again I had an SROD tranny before that. That's alot more like a dump truck. I'm thinkin of buying a shifter.

I know what you mean about that Tremec shifter....the day after I installed my Tremec I ordered a Pro 5.0 shifter. I had a Hurst on my T-5 so I was already spoiled. :)

What tranny do you think the Tremec 3550 was based on? The Ford toploader, which is why Tremec bought the rights to it. The SROD is a Toploader with an aluminum case, different ratios, and a different shift mechansim.

Calling the SROD a dump truck and the Tremec good is kind of an oxymoron.

Good to hear that everything went well with the install.

I have around 550 miles on my Tremec and love it to. I am definately getting a shifter for it, just not sure which one. I had a Hurst Competition Plus on my T5 and really liked it. But, I've heard the Steeda Tri-Ax is nice too. Any thoughts?

E

I am running a Hurst competition shifter with the chrome stick and t handle. I have always used Hurst stuff and have never been disappointed. I have a friend that also has a 3550 with a Pro 5.0 shifter base and B&M Ripper handle (I Think) and it felt good also.

I just cannot understand Tremec on this factory shifer. Maby they are paid by the shifter companies to keep the weak shifter going.

Thanks
Kevin

All I know is I drove both trannys on the same day and the difference was night and day. The design might have been similar but the are not the same tranny. No need to slam me.

the 3550 only comes with a base..if you buy a short stick for on top then you have a good overall shifter..i can powershift both my pro5oh shiter on my notch and the hatch witch only has a hurst handle on top of a stock base

FYI-tremec has just said that aftermarket shifters are what is killing the tremecs prematurally..they said that the stop bolts should be takin out as the stock shifter base doesn ont have any..they said that they are plenty stong so handle hard shifts(i dont know about you guys but i wont take min out..ill readjust it though o make sure it is all the way out

I didn't slam you. I just made note of the fact the two trannies are very closely related. There are changes between the two, obviously.

LX XLR8r - I heard the same thing. The "instructions" that came with the tranny said something about not using an aftermarket shifter as this could lead to some sort of failure.

I don't understand how the Pro 5.0 or the Steeda Tri-Ax could cause any problems with the tranny? I just want to be able to shift quickly and accurately under race conditions. I got too spoiled with my Hurst.

E