Master cylinder for a T56?

[90'rado]

Great info. Thanks guys.
The other item I'm not quite sure of is the speedo. From what I've read my T5 was 2k ppm and the T56 is 4k ppm and my speedo adjustments are built into the cluster in 88-89?

The T56 has a VSS reluctor wheel with a different tooth count than most others. (I can't remember the tooth count off the top of my head, 17, 21 I don't remember). The 700R4 that was previously installed in my truck had a 40 tooth reluctor. What I ended up doing was getting two VSS reluctors, One from a T56, and one from my old automatic.
I machined off the outside teeth of the original T56 reluctor, and machined out the center of the original 40 tooth reluctor from my old automatic, pressed them together and got my speedo working that way. Newer PCM's typically let you change the tooth count of the reluctor so you don't have to go to all that trouble, but I'm still runing old school speed density TBI for the moment. I don't think you need to change anything with the DRAC, not yet at least, which is that thing behind the speedo you're talking about. Sometimes it's in other locations and I think in 93 or 94 it was actually built into the cluster though I'm not sure on this.

I wonder if you could use the Pro 5.0 shifter in the relocated forward position. I had about talked myself out of doing 6.0/6 speed swap in my 92 Chevy w 350/5 speed and use the motor/trans in something else, but you guys won't let me forget with info like this.

I'm running the PRO 5.0 shifter that is for F-body cars. It will not work in the relocated position. In that writeup I posted a few posts back, my buddy who put together the writeup ended up modifying a Mustang Cobra shifter to fit the relocated position. There are surely other options as well. A 6.0/6 speed would be awesome, I'm planning on dropping in a LQ4 in mine someday and changing my LTx T56 to an LSx so it will bolt up to the LQ4.

[pnhigg]

I have heard the same about the Keisler unit. I had a bunch of problems with the first one...it wouldn't keep the transmission in 6th gear. I called Keisler, and they disassembled the transmission, and replaced the kit which now shifts very well. They told me that the first ones they made (which I had one of) had some issues that were corrected. Mine shifts great

You can't use a pro 5.0 shifter in the front hole because you have to cut add a piece into the center of the transmission rail for the shifter to fit in to.

90'rado
I would be interested in any pictures you might have of your shifter.
Wish I had a 14 bolt. That is what these trucks should have behind the manual transmission, and I think you will love the 4.88.

[Old Nash]

pnhigg
Were you able to use same drive shaft from 305/5sp in 5.3/6sp? I can never shift fast from 1 to 2 without letting up on gas. I wonder if you had same problem w/5sp. I see on Ls1tech there is a
fix to drill a larger hole to pass more fluid.

90"rado
What year truck did 14 bolt come from? Bolt pattern problem?

[gl18rider]

I'd like to go with the Keisler unit, but it's getting pricey with the cost of the kit and the trans work. I'm thinking I might go with the McLeod shifter that can move it 4.1" forward from stock. I'd rather not have to open up the transmission for the Keisler unit.
I'm also curious about the drive shaft question.

[pnhigg]

The vss reluctor gear in the T56 is a 17 tooth gear whereas the 4L60E is a 40 tooth. If you have access to HP tuner you can change the setting in the pcm and the speedo will work. The other options mentioned would also work.
I had to shorten my driveshaft considerably. There is a guy near my hometown that will do the work relatively inexpensive, so I had it shortened and rebalanced which has worked well.

I can shift it pretty quick, but you have to hit everything just right for the 1-2 shift without letting off. The drill mod you are referring to is related to the a restriction in the line on the f-body cars. My line was hard line from the master so it has no restriction.
The problem in my case is that even though the shifter is relatively short throw when you add an 18 inch stick on the end of it, you end up with a throw much longer than say in a firebird or mustang.

The McLeod unit you mention should work fine. I don't think it was available when I did my conversion...or at least I didn't find it.

[90'rado]

I have heard the same about the Keisler unit. I had a bunch of problems with the first one...it wouldn't keep the transmission in 6th gear. I called Keisler, and they disassembled the transmission, and replaced the kit which now shifts very well. They told me that the first ones they made (which I had one of) had some issues that were corrected. Mine shifts great

You can't use a pro 5.0 shifter in the front hole because you have to cut add a piece into the center of the transmission rail for the shifter to fit in to.

90'rado
I would be interested in any pictures you might have of your shifter.
Wish I had a 14 bolt. That is what these trucks should have behind the manual transmission, and I think you will love the 4.88.

The guy that wrote that writeup used that mustang cobra pro 5.0 shifter in the front hole but he had to modify it, and he also was running the keisler relocation kit.
I've misplaced my camera, but I'll post some pics of my shifter asap.
If you look around you can find a 14 bolt for the right price. I got my 14 bolt, a spare TBI ECM, and a throttle body all for the price of $50 bucks, which I thought was pretty good. I agree with you there, GM should have put 14 bolts in these trucks and skipped the 10 bolt altogether, but it shouldn't be that difficult to swap it over. Pretty much everything should bolt right up if you get the right axle. Yeah I'm sooo ready to get the 4.88's under the truck, I'm sure you remember how crappy it was to have a nice V8 and a 6 speed but to be stuck with 3.08 gears. Well it's pretty bad for me anyways b/c I have 29" tires. 6th gear is virtually useless right now with the 3.08 gears.

pnhigg
Were you able to use same drive shaft from 305/5sp in 5.3/6sp? I can never shift fast from 1 to 2 without letting up on gas. I wonder if you had same problem w/5sp. I see on Ls1tech there is a
fix to drill a larger hole to pass more fluid.

90"rado
What year truck did 14 bolt come from? Bolt pattern problem?

If you're talking about shifting fast with an NV3500 or NV4500, those aren't exactly fast shifting transmissions, most truck transmissions aren't. The 14 bolt I'm working on was from an '88 C2500. It should bolt right up for the most part. The 4wd versions had a wider track width, so you want to make sure you get a 2wd axle for a 2wd truck. Also, there have been some changes to the 14 bolt over the years in terms of bracket placement and whatnot, but if you try to find an axle from a donor truck that is close to the year model of the one you'd be swapping the axle into, you should be fine. For example, a 14 bolt from before 88, or after 98 would still work, but there would likely be some brackets in different spots. This is why I pulled mine from an 88 C2500, it should bolt right up because the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks had a common frame.

As far as bolt pattern problems there shouldn't be any of those either. My 14 bolt is a 6 lug axle( the 5lugs are rare), so I'm going to convert the front to match, which is as simple as swapping in some 6 lug rotors.

I'd like to go with the Keisler unit, but it's getting pricey with the cost of the kit and the trans work. I'm thinking I might go with the McLeod shifter that can move it 4.1" forward from stock. I'd rather not have to open up the transmission for the Keisler unit.
I'm also curious about the drive shaft question.

Post up some info if you can on that Mcleod deal, I'm just curious what they've got to offer in comparison to Keisler. I actually like having the stock location of the T56 shifter, I like having the shifter that much closer to me.

The vss reluctor gear in the T56 is a 17 tooth gear whereas the 4L60E is a 40 tooth. If you have access to HP tuner you can change the setting in the pcm and the speedo will work. The other options mentioned would also work.
I had to shorten my driveshaft considerably. There is a guy near my hometown that will do the work relatively inexpensive, so I had it shortened and rebalanced which has worked well.

I can shift it pretty quick, but you have to hit everything just right for the 1-2 shift without letting off. The drill mod you are referring to is related to the a restriction in the line on the f-body cars. My line was hard line from the master so it has no restriction.
The problem in my case is that even though the shifter is relatively short throw when you add an 18 inch stick on the end of it, you end up with a throw much longer than say in a firebird or mustang.

The McLeod unit you mention should work fine. I don't think it was available when I did my conversion...or at least I didn't find it.

I thought it was a 17 tooth reluctor but I wasn't sure. Yeah using the tuning software to adjust for the different tooth count is probably the easiest way, but that wasn't even an option for me with the stone age TBI ECM lol.

You are the first and only person I've talked to that has done the T56 swap in an OBS and also had to change the drive shaft length! I think maybe this is due to the fact that you were previously setup with a V6?? I can't think of any other reason. Yeah my truck has always been a V8, but it was originally an automatic, I didn't have to change anything about my driveshaft. Maybe i just got lucky.

I like having really short throws, I'm running the short stick that originally came with my PRO 5.0, and I've topped it off with a pistol grip handle, it works nicely for me.

[Old Nash]

What year 6 lug front rotor will you go to? I know the 92 year had a wider rotor than earlier years. I assume that a 6 lug rotor from a 96 to 98 will work but, I am not sure of year they changed to 6 lug.
Is your 14 bolt a full float or semi with locker?
I looked for the McLeod shifter relocation and can't find anything on it for T56. Where did you guys see that? I also would like to keep stock shifter location and short shifts.

[gl18rider]

re: the McLeod shifter, it isn't really McLeod any more. I think I've read that the owner sold part of the business to B&M, but kept the shifters. You can find them from S&P or directly here: http://www.redrobertsinc.com/index.p...id=1&Itemid=53. You can get the shifter attachment location in a variety of positions e.g. forward, back and left and right.

[Old Nash]

Thanks for the link,.That looks like what I want. I wonder how far that puts shifter in front of the seat with the seat all the way forward.

[90'rado]

What year 6 lug front rotor will you go to? I know the 92 year had a wider rotor than earlier years. I assume that a 6 lug rotor from a 96 to 98 will work but, I am not sure of year they changed to 6 lug.
Is your 14 bolt a full float or semi with locker?
I looked for the McLeod shifter relocation and can't find anything on it for T56. Where did you guys see that? I also would like to keep stock shifter location and short shifts.

Any 6 lug front rotor from an 88-98 truck should work. As far as I know, most 2WD 1/2 tons from 88-98 were 5 lug. I believe that most, if not all 4WD truck in this year range had 6 lugs. Also, I'm pretty sure that all the 3/4 tons had at least 6 lugs, sometimes 8. So, either a rotor from a 4WD or a rotor from the light duty 3/4 ton, which would be 6 lugs.

The 14 bolt I have is a semi float. The full floaters are all 8 lugs and are overkill for a street setup. The semi float version has a 9-1/2" ring gear so it's got some serious beef to it. The axle is going to receive a TrueTrac