I've been searching threads looking for clutch info but am having a hard time finding the info I need. I've got a T5 trans from an 89 S-10. I ran the numbers at its from a 4cyl model with a 14 spline input shaft. Its being mated to a GM 621 bellhousing provided in a kit from So-Cal speed shop (https://www.est1946.com/clutchpedallinkage***embly.aspx), and will be powered by the 350 I just finished building. I'm using the kit parts to set it up with manual linkage in a 32 frame with So-Cal K member. I believe the stock S-10 clutch would have been a 9-10" clutch. I'd like to fit a larger clutch, like an 11". Does anyone know if I can fit an 11" with the described setup? Does anyone have a specific clutch kit the recommend? Thanks!
The 621 bell housing will accommodate the 168 tooth flywheel which will accept an 11" clutch. Not sure of the availability of a 14 spline 11" clutch disc. The S10 T5 is the weakest version due to the super low 1st gear ratio. (4.11) Most of the big shooters just use the S-10 tail housing and main shaft on a main case with better ratios.
Something like this LUK brand should work: https://www.phoenixfriction.com/p-23140-04-086-clutch-kit-astro-safari-van-11-in.aspx FWIW, I swapped a T5 into my '90 Astro Van (i.e., heavy, 4400 lbs, IIRC) behind a 4.3L and used a very similar clutch and PP setup as above. The Astro-specific T5 is slightly different, but wasn't World Cl*** rated, and held up to a decade of semi-aggressive driving by me. The 4.3L was torquey, so make sure the S10 T5 is rebuilt and tolerances are as they should be. Buy as a good a set of br*** synchro rings and synchronizers as you can find, as those areas seem to feel the most amount of wear in my experience.
should be this one. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...c0nsSH1Bp0eMHP9qC3-9fe75J1MvyaQwaAgK-EALw_wcB
GM was really sloppy with which T5 made it into an S10. Some 4-cylinder engines were not backed by the 4.03:1 ge****t. Some got the 3.76:1 ge****t. Only the metal tag, or the decal will tell the tale.
This: https://www.jegs.com/i/Centerforce/183/384212/10002/-1 You will need a 168-tooth flywheel. Are you running an SBC?
What up Brian @gimpyshotrods ! My trans has the 3.76 first gear. Yes this will be behind my SBC with a 168 tooth flywheel. Looks like the Astro van 4.3 clutch is the ticket. 14 spline 11”
Gimpy, I should have known better. I've looked at so many T-5s that my brain is foggy. Glad you pointed out the 3.76 fist gear. Better for @Cali4niaCruiser.
I am going to be running a 1959 Chevrolet 283 out of an El Co and when I was at Pick-A-Part about a year ago I came across a 1987 Chevrolet Astro van with a t5 in it. I pulled the t5 brought it home, it uses a 11 clutch with 14 teeth/spline. I bought my clutch off of RockAuto. I bought a clutch that I'm probably going to regret because it is a puck design but you can look it up under 1987 Chevrolet Astro van and you should see a few options I think mine was made by LUK. I used a 1969 Chevrolet Caprice to find my flywheel if I remember correctly it was 168 tooth. There was quite a learning curve to get everything to mash together correctly because nobody really knew the answer, it wasn't hard but it was a lot of research. I am using the astro van hydraulic slave cylinder BTW... I believe you can technically use a Ford mustang throwout bearing that has the slave cylinder built into it for extra room. I believe on your Chevrolet S10 transmission you are going to run into a slight problem with the input shaft, it will need to be trimmed about 1" and then the teeth that the clutch slides on need to be cut farther down the input shaft also about another inch but don't quote me on that there are some other articles here on the hamb from a long time ago that I read.to my information. Also for full disclosure my engine and transmission are bolted together and ready to go in the car but that being said I have not driven it started it or anything else but everything seems to be correct. One other thing I learned is make sure to get the bell housing cover plate... The one you can buy online is for like an old school Muncie type transmission it will not fit the t5... I was going to make one out of a piece of 16 gauge steel and I was going to retap the metric bolts to an SAE size just because I don't like having metric **** on my American cars but I digress.
You would be better off to resell the trans you have while its "not broken". Know thats not what you want to hear, but the T5 just won't stand up to even a moderate 350s power. You want an 11" clutch so that tells me you expect to abuse it on occasion. Once its broken it will be expensive to fix and you will be afraid to abuse it again. Knew a guy who broke 4 of them before he stepped up to a stronger transmission. A Tremec TKX is expensive, but its money well spent. Probably never tear it up and you can move it from car to car or resell it for about 75% of its new cost years from now. Think about all the cost and h***le of repairing a broken trans and maybe needing to be towed home as well. In the long run, you will be happier..........or look at some of the NV trans and bellhousings at least.
I’ve had a junkyard 89 s10 t5 in my c10 for over 6 years. STD bottom end 350, cam, aluminum heads. It’s my daily and Been from so cal to Tucson 4 times. I change the oil in it once a year and it’s on 2nd clutch, never had an issue. Best part is a tkx is almost a direct swap down the road.
Anyone have an idea what clutch fork would work @gimpyshotrods? Like I said I'm using a fully manual linkage that came with my so-cal kit.
I wish I could help but I unfortunately do not have a clue I just kept the stock Astro van stuff. A Stock Borg Warner t5 can handle 280 lb of torque and a world cl*** isn't much better as it's rated to 305 ft lb of torque. A stock F body (camaro and firebird) from the 1980s and the svo mustang and the GT mustang all used a T5 needless to say a lot of those cars got beat on, I remember being in my early twenties and my buddy had a trans Am GTA with a T5 I think that thing did a burnout every time the light turned green transmission never broke, the key was and probably is his car didn't hook it spun so although it was a clutch dump at every light it never got traction and tried to "shock" the trans. Obviously if you drive the car like you stole it every single day you take a bigger risk of breaking it and the transmission will probably be the weak link with a typical healthy 350 and a 9" but for the occasional beating on I would imagine it would be just fine especially in a lightweight hot rod which generally turns tires into dark black asphalt crayons and suffers from a lack of traction. I can't speak for Cali4niaruiser or anyone else but I went with a 283 and T5 because I figured the engine be right at the 300 horse 300 lb of torque with the mods I did so I'll be right where that transmission is hopefully rated to take and best of all is I think one year ago I paid $200 for the transmission from the junkyard (Milliken Pick-A-Part since you appear to be my almost neighbor) with no core exchange, I think the clutch hydraulics were 30ish bucks from RockAuto and the new performance clutch was 120ish... I think every single thing I had to buy for the engine and transmission to mate the two together kept me under $500 and that includes the starter, grade 8 bolts and the mr gasket fancy flywheel bolts. All in all very cheap for a over drive transmission, I think that is why everyone runs them. Most of us know they are not some m21 "Rock crusher" but it should be sufficient for a moderate Hot Rod or custom car. I would have loved to have bought a TKX but just the trans is $2,500ish and even if I went TKO the price is about the same... Theoretically you might be able to find a 6-speed in the junkyard but realistically it's not going to happen. I can't speak for anyone else on this website but $2,500 (probably closer to $3,500 once you buy the bell housing, the clutch hydraulics, the clutch set etc) that's a lot of coin for a little bit of insurance. All I want is my car to have an overdrive gear and for me to have control of what the transmission does (slush boxes **** for a fun car and nothing says old mans car or the wife wants to drive it more then 2 pedals). The car is not meant to do burnouts at least not all the time and I think my 8.20-15 bias ply wide whites $385- a tire now so it's not like I'm going to be doing burnouts real often. My point is for most people the T5 will be just fine apparently not for your friend but for the rest of society it should be okay.
Borg Warner torque ratings are commonly misinterpreted. They are not the shock-load rating. They are the continuous-duty load for the duration of the test. The shock load ratings are not published, for warranty reasons, but are significantly higher.
The 632 fork is what originally went with that bell. They are out there for about $60 on the open market.
On a side note, I fit one of these when building my Aussie ford WC T5 with a S10 tail housing,,, the original retainer was worn badly allowing the lay shaft bearing shell to float which allows the shaft to run out of parallel with the main shaft and trashing the box. An easy upgrade fixing a factory weak link. This mod should definitely help the box hold up behind the Cad motor. They aren’t suitable though for S10 boxes or NWC apparently.
I think we all know someone in our past that had a car that they beat to death and it never broke. I can think of 2 from 2 different decades. They defy all reason......but I never had that kind of luck. Many a T-5 has been broken in Camaros and Mustangs, thats why the Tremec came along and became popular. Virtually any of the "world cl***" transmissions that are available came from behind a higher performance engine and they have been beaten on for over 30 years now. One from behind a 4 cylinder S-10 may not have been beaten on, but its also far from new and not rated as highly for torque. Yes the car in question is lightweight and if not very wide tires are used, the transmission may stand up. It basically comes down to $$$$. If someone doesn't have the $$$$ or doesn't want to spend that many $$$$, they convince themselves that X part will work for them. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.........but when it doesn't its usually more costly in the long run and often very inconvenient. Also, like I mentioned earlier, That Tremec is going to retain about 75% of its value years from now......so think of it like its just a savings account....
Thank you for all the knowledge / suggestions gang. I ended up going with this South Bend clutch kit. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sbb-k04086-hd . As far as the reliability of the S-10 T5, I'm going to chance it. My engine is mild, the car is light. I bought the trans dirt cheap 15 years ago. If I end up needing to replace it down the line with a TXK, I'm ok with that. I can't afford all the best right now. I'll have to take things slow and upgrade as time goes on.
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