I am looking to put a Tremec TKO-500 into my 60 F-100.
I am thinking of going with the hydraulic clutch version but I have no knowledge of these. What else would I need besides the Transmission to make the hydraulic setup work? Is the transmission already setup with a hydraulic throwout bearing and so I would require the external parts?

I am a total newbie with hydraulic clutches. I see the kits are rather expensive and other than one model Tremec being listed as hydraulic and one not I do not know what the physical differences are to help determine what other parts I would need.

Any issues with hooking up hydraulic to the existing clutch pedal in the truck?

I will be putting in a 302. I have not chosen headers yet but suspect I should not have much trouble with clearance if going with hydraulic since I will not have to worry about routing the cable.

Thanks in advance.

Trent

 

I'm guessing the hydraulic model may have the internal hydraulic TO bearing. This eliminates the fork/pivot setup and the bearing. which for lack of a better term, telescopes out when the pedal is depressed. Picture a hydraulic cylinder with a hole through the center. My mechanic friend recently mentioned a lot of modern vehicles use such a setup. They always replace them when doing a clutch for obvious reasons. What exactly is the tremec? 5 speed?

 

The Tremec TKO-500 is a 5 speed. They have a 6 speed as well but it is more than I need and the gear ratios are not as well suited for my truck or the way I will drive it.
The Tremec is a heavy duty replacement for original 5 speed transmissions with a number of additional features include the ability to mount the shifter in a number of different locations. If I used a stock Mustang 5 speed the shifter would end up coming through the floor underneath the bench seat. Some swap out the tail shaft with one from a GM truck so that the shifter position is at the front instead of the back to give more clearance but the Tremec has multiple shifter location options built in.

I still need to figure out what bellhousing to use with the Tremec, what additional hydraulic components I need and what clutch components would be best for a truck. I will likely have to fabricate my own crossmember for the tranny once I get it in place and set everything up for best drivetrain alignment.

 

FORD Y

Scroll down for the T5 to F-100 conversion

 

If you are running a 302 and it's bellhousing you need to check along those lines and not "Y" stuff.

 

Sorry, I missed the 302 part..

 

I was going to use a 4 speed top loader in my 59 F100 build behind a 445. But now im looking at the tko600 which is the 600 hp model. They also make the t56 which is a 6 speed. I like how it gives you 3 mounding positions for the stick. That will make it so easy to put in!

 

I do not have a bellhousing yet, that is one of the items I have to figure out. I am not sure which one to get or if it matters much as long as it mounts to the Tremec TKO-500. There are application specific ones listed but I am not swapping transmissions in a Mustang so I do not know which one would work better for my truck.

 

Quick time I believe makes them but dang are they expensive!

 

I put a T5 behind my 223. Yes you must swap out the tail shaft to a GM or shifter will come out just in front of seat. Used original bell and moved a bung for a mounting point. T5 works well with the 223 and will also mount to a 302 if I decide to change the motor.

 

There are different size bellhousings and flywheels for 302s so it's important to get those matched. Also depending on what year engine you have the flywheels are balanced differently and have different ring gear tooth counts.
I don't recall if all the trans bolt patterns are the same, some may have the smaller and some may have the larger?

 

Same for the 429-460 motors. Sometimes it's really hard to love Fords.

 

This is what I thought as well but now I am beginning to wonder if it just has a different flange on the outside to allow for mounting a hydraulic piston rather than the clutch cable. I have not been able to find solid information on the differences.

I see there are two popular types of hydraulic clutches, one that uses a piston to actuate the mechanical clutch and one that uses the hydraulic throwout bearing. How either of these will mount into my truck I have no idea. The original clutch master cylinder is broken so I have to determine if it is best to replace the original with an original and make it work or try to fit a newer model in place. That still leaves me trying to decide between types of hydraulic clutch as well. I just have not been able to find much info anyone having done this type of mod to these year trucks yet.

Thanks.
Trent

 

That is the direction I will probably be going but they make several models and they are listed by application for specific Mustangs and I am not sure if one over another would be best for my truck.
They make a trans adaptor plate as well to let me use a normal bellhousing to connect up to the Tremec transmission but it is so expensive I would not be saving any money since I have to get a bellhousing anyway.

 

I am not sure what year the block wold be from, I will have to look into it in case there is a difference in bolt pattern.
I bought the engine from a professional build shop and it came with the balanced flywheel so that is all set. I was originally intending to put in a T-5 but decided to switch to the Tremec rather than trying to get a built T-5 and swapping out tail shafts to get a different shifter position.

The Tremec will be a clean straightforward solution once I figure out what to do about hooking up a clutch. I would have to figure that out with a T-5 also so no added work involved there.

My main issues revolve around whether to use a hydraulic piston setup to actuate the mechanical clutch or use the hydraulic throwout bearing type and what to use for a master cylinder for the setup. I am relying on being able to use the existing clutch pedal and just having to adjust for where to connect the master cylinder.